Author: ACPAAdmin

Working in the Crosshairs: Complex Decision-Making in Anti-DEI Political Times | Evatt

Abstract

Student affairs practitioners are faced with myriad decisions each day, some of which conflict with their personal beliefs and institutional values. This case highlights the complexity of decision-making in the era of anti-DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) legislation. As with many public universities in the South, the institution finds itself in the political crosshairs of anti-DEI legislation, thus having a ripple effect on campus life. Cam, the Assistant Director for Student Activities and Leadership, experiences internal conflict while supporting a student organization’s Anti-DEI Celebration Rally. This scenario provides an opportunity for exploration and reflection on the tensions between policy enforcement and equity-minded decision-making.

Characters

  • Cam (he/him) serves as the Assistant Director for Student Activities and Leadership in the Office of Student Engagement. Cam, a white, queer, cis-gender man, joined the institution two years ago after graduating with his master’s degree in Higher Education Student Affairs (HESA). He has developed strong relationships with students and colleagues over the last two years and prides himself on being a social justice advocate for minoritized students on campus. Cam advises the 400+ registered student organizations on how to effectively lead their student organizations while at the same time upholding the University’s policy expectations.
  • Erin (she/her) is an undergraduate student majoring in political science and serves as the newly elected president of the Smoky Mountain Freedom Allegiance Club. She is a prominent student leader on campus and is known for mobilizing students toward action.
  • Edwards (she/her) is the Vice President for Student Affairs at Smoky Mountain University and has served in this role for the past 22 years. Although committed to student development and engagement, Dr. Edwards is perceived by students and colleagues as being “out of touch” with current student needs and DEI practices.

Context

This case is set at Smoky Mountain University (SMU), a regional, public four-year institution located in the Southeast region of the United States. SMU is a predominantly white institution and enrolls around 15,000 students (12,000 undergraduates, 3,000 graduates). As a public institution, SMU is part of a state system of higher education and is governed by a Board of Governors composed mostly of conservative-leaning business leaders and politicians. According to the institution’s mission statement, the university seeks to “prepare students to meet the great challenges facing our state, nation, and our world.” Furthermore, SMU shares the following DEI statement on their website: “We affirm the importance of a diverse and inclusive campus community, one that is enriched by persons of different backgrounds, perspectives, cultures, socioeconomic status, and other diverse characteristics.” Similar to most public universities in the Southeast, SMU finds itself in the political crosshairs of anti-DEI legislation. The majority of student affairs practitioners at SMU embrace the values of equity and inclusion and pride themselves in creating welcoming and inclusive spaces where all students can take part in campus life. However, they often find themselves having to tip-toe around DEI topics because they are not sure what they can and cannot say. This unspoken institutional norm between talking about equity and putting words into action (McNair et al., 2020) plagues staff, faculty, and administrators at the institution.

Case Study

It is around 12:30pm on a Wednesday, and Cam is finishing lunch in his office before his next one-on-one student meeting. It has been a fairly calm week, and he is looking forward to some downtime this weekend after a hectic start to the semester. As he looks at his calendar, he remembers that his 1:00pm meeting is with Erin, the newly elected president of the Freedom Allegiance Club. The club has an active membership roster of 125 students, and according to their constitution, the mission of the Freedom Allegiance Club is to “protect and defend conservative values and mobilize others toward action.” The club is known around campus as a group who is not afraid to push hot button issues, especially through a politicized agenda that will garner attention. While in the food court the other day, Cam overheard a group of students exclaim that, “Freedom Allegiance Club is fueled by racists and homophobes… All they do is create an unsafe place.”

Cam had a good working relationship with the previous club president, but this is the first time Cam and Erin have officially met. During the meeting, Erin shares that the Freedom Allegiance Club is planning to host a Celebration Rally on campus in favor of the anti-DEI legislation that has passed in states across the country over the last several months. The event is scheduled for this coming Friday afternoon (two days from now) with nearly 500 people having already RSVP’d on social media. According to Erin, the club is expecting a “huge turnout” on the main University Quad, and they have contacted local news stations for coverage of their event. When Cam asks Erin the purpose of the event, she says that the club wants to generate excitement on campus in support of anti-DEI legislation. During their meeting a few weeks ago, many members felt that the university administration does not support conservative students on campus. Erin shares that the goal of the event is to “rally the troops around our ideals and to call out radical left beliefs that are harming our country and local community.”

Much to Cam’s surprise, the club has already completed all the required space reservation agreements and coordinated the appropriate event setup needs through the Events and Reservations Office. As he reviews the approved forms, he thinks to himself, “How did this event slip through the cracks without follow-up?” As they wrap-up their meeting, Erin shares that Cam is the only staff member that explicitly knows about the rally. Although Cam wants to maintain trust with the student, he realizes he has a responsibility to share this information with others. Cam tells Erin that he plans to review their event needs in greater detail and will be in touch with additional information. The meeting concludes around 1:35pm. About 20 minutes later, you receive the email below from Dr. Edwards, Vice President for Student Affairs:

Hi Cam,

I have received several messages of concern from the Chancellor’s Office and faculty members about a rally that is allegedly taking place this Friday on the Main Quad in favor of recent Anti-DEI Legislation. Looking at the Freedom Allegiance Club’s social media pages, it appears that over 500 people have already confirmed their attendance at the event. Of greater concern, it appears that many of the attendees are not current students or campus affiliates, and the event has been promoted widely to public audiences. In fact, I received a phone call just a few minutes ago from a local news station asking if I would like to make a public comment on the event and the university’s stance on DEI-related issues. Please share with me your recommendations on how to ensure that all students on both sides of this issue are being fully supported and that we are maintaining equitable practices. As you know, this is a tedious topic on our campus, so please give it your fullest attention to detail. Thanks for all that you do for our students.

After meeting with Erin and reading Dr. Edwards’ email, Cam feels deep internal conflict and a sense of responsibility. This event runs counter to Cam’s core values and ideals of equity and inclusion. Importantly, he is aware of the harmful impact this event could have on minoritized students, faculty, and staff on campus. At the same time, he is responsible for upholding university policies so that all students, regardless of ideology and beliefs, have access to campus space and resources. He finds himself struggling to navigate the situation.

Discussion Questions

  1. What are the tensions that Cam needs to consider in preparing the campus community for this potentially controversial event?
  2. How can Cam use university, state, or federal policies or guidelines to inform his decision?
  3. How might Cam mobilize others to support him in this endeavor? Which individuals or groups need to be at the table in this process?
  4. How can Cam ensure minoritized community members feel safe and supported in the coming days and beyond?
  5. Looking internally, how might Cam reflect upon his own positionality and values to make deeper meaning of this experience to enhance his leadership capacity in the future.

References

McNair, T. B., Bensimon, E. M., Malcolm-Piqueux, L. (2020). From equity talk to equity walk: Expanding practitioner knowledge for racial justice in higher education. Jossey-Bass.

Author Bio

Dr. Dustin Evatt (he/him) serves as an Assistant Professor of Practice in Higher Education at Western Carolina University where he teaches courses in the Higher Education Student Affairs (HESA) program, Educational Leadership doctoral program, and the undergraduate Leadership Minor. Before joining faculty, Dustin worked as a scholar-practitioner in higher education for over 13 years in the areas of student engagement and leadership, career development, equity and inclusion, and young alumni engagement. Dustin’s research explores critical leadership and equity-mindedness in college administrators and students using critical whiteness and queer theories. Originally from South Carolina, Dustin received his Ed.D. from Appalachian State University, M.Ed. from the University of Vermont, and a B.S. degree from Winthrop University.

Career Confusion | Ebri

Abstract

This is a case about Linda, a recently divorced, indigenous first-generation college student. She has been guiding herself through her academic program because she did not trust her previous academic and career advisor Dr. Anne Whatley. Linda now has an appointment with Nancy Whitehead, her new advisor. Linda is unhappy with her current major though she is doing well in her classes. She needs to decide if she will stay with the major, but this is complicated because she has changed her major several times. She has interests that are not congruent with her current major.

Keywords: Indigenous, first-generation, lack of trust

Primary Characters

Linda (she, her, hers) is a recently divorced low-income indigenous woman. She has no trust in the academic and career advising office. She believes that her former advisor discriminated against her due to her heritage. She only worked for a few years and stayed home with her young children and has now returned to school to complete her education.

Nancy Whitehead (she, her, hers) is a white woman with a middle-class background. She is a seasoned academic advisor with a master’s degree in social work. Nancy was just hired to replace Linda’s previous advisor, but she has only worked in a small elite predominantly white institution.

Context and Case

Linda is a 26-year-old indigenous female who graduated high school at seventeen with a 3.82 GPA. She is a first-generation college student in a small liberal art public university in the southeastern United States who has returned to complete a degree she left eight years ago. She married her high school sweetheart, Tom who joined the United States Army immediately after their high school graduation. She dropped her classes while majoring in drama in a four-year institution because Tom told her that it was a waste of time. Instead, she decided to pursue cosmetology in a community college. Upon graduation, she worked in a dermatologist’s office doing aesthetics. These skills helped her earn a small income as she travelled around the world due to Tom’s military postings.

They have two daughters, and Linda is recently divorced.  She is raising her daughters alone because Tom has no interest in the girls. She has some family support from her parents who own an animal feed store, younger brother and sister, and Tom’s parents. Her parents’ flexible schedule allows them to assist with school pickups when she needs them to because they are proud of her and want her to stay focused in school. They also chose this major for her because they believe that she will be guaranteed a job upon graduation. cannot wait for her to graduate since she will be the first college graduate in their family and so that she can begin to earn a proper living. They do not support her poetry performances.

Her daughters miss their dad, but Linda’s efforts to get him to be a responsible father have been ignored. This depresses her when she sees how dedicated her sister’s husband is to his little girl. Linda noted that her previous advisor Dr. Whatley was always very impatient and dismissive with her and never gave her the time and acknowledgement that she gave her other advisees who did not look like her. Linda cannot relate with anyone at the center, and her previous experience is why she does not trust the advisors. However, she has decided to go to this appointment because she has been referred to Nancy, a new academic and career counselor, by her friend who told her that she benefited from an interaction with Nancy earlier that semester.

Linda is motivated to finish her degree to be a positive example for her daughters; however, she has changed her major a few times. Linda’s current major is Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT), and she chose it because her parents want her to have job security. She has stellar grades, but she is not looking forward to doing this type of work.

During her appointment, Linda tells her advisor she is a poet and loves to perform. She also tells her that she is self-published using Amazon as her sales outlet and loves modeling and make-up as well as volunteering in the community with causes to support women. She also wants a career that will allow her time with her daughters and provide for them. Many years ago, she loved and dreamed of a career on stage and could still pursue it now that her husband is gone but she has given up on that ambition due to her parental obligations. She does not see herself working behind the scenes because she will be bored since she likes to socialize. However, as a highly motivated individual, she believes in a positive outcome for what she ultimately decides.

At the appointment, even though Nancy has never worked with a diverse student body, her caring nature makes her inquire about how Linda is coping with school, work, and her children. Linda tells her she is always tired and exhausted because she works round the clock, either studying or working, and cannot keep up with the kids. She is sad and breaks down crying saying that she cannot attend all her daughters’ soccer games and school meetings because of her own classes. Linda also shares her concerns about not getting many poetry opportunities because of her gender and race.

Nancy: Looking at your grades, you are doing very well in your classes.

Linda: Thank you.

Nancy: Based on everything that you have told me, is there any reason you would not want to pursue a business minor?

Linda: I am not sure. How will that help me if I finish the MLT program?

Nancy: You will be able to manage your side business should you decide to pursue writing or theatre full time.

Linda: I never thought of that. But I have dreamt of owning my own cosmetic line. What will my schedule look like and how will this fit in with my clinicals?

Nancy: First thing is I recommend that you visit Ms. Jessica at the Financial Aid office to discuss your financial aid situation. Since you have taken a lot of classes, your aid package could be affected.

Next, I want you to write down 10 things that you love, appreciate, and enjoy doing with your time and where you see yourself five years after graduation. I also want you to take a career assessment. This test will help you learn more about your personal interests and careers that match your interests. I will send you a link for the assessment. We will follow-up in two weeks.

Linda: Thank you so much for your help. I will be back in two weeks.

Discussion Questions

  1. What career and student development theories might help in understanding Linda’s career dilemma?
  2. What other interventions (beyond those already suggested by Nancy) might be effective to help Linda with her career exploration and decision making?
  3. How may Nancy help Linda take care of non-academic needs so that she can handle her diverse issues?
  4. How does Nancy’s multiculturalism assist in the relationship with Linda?

Author Bio

MarySheila Ebri (she, her, hers) is currently pursuing a master’s degree in academic advising at Kansas State University. She has worked in Higher Education for over 19 years in various roles. She is currently employed as the Transfer Student Specialist at Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Staff Support Needs | Davies, Goetzinger, Hood

Abstract

Chance identifies as a cis Latinx male. He is a new professional at a large research institution working with TRIO, a college access and support program. Chance is new to the state and adjusted well during his first year out of graduate school. However, during the second year in his role Chance experienced a campus evacuation due to a bomb threat. Chance provided extra support to his mentees after the lockdown which stretched his emotional bandwidth. A few weeks after the lockdown two of Chance’s mentees passed away in a car accident. Chance began to struggle with his mental health due to the incidents which impacted his performance at work. Chance discussed his experiences with his supervisor and trusted colleagues but was still struggling with his mental health. Chance decided to talk to a mentor to help process how to move forward.

Keywords: Latinx, campus lockdown, student death, mental health, supervision, advocacy, mentorship

Primary Characters

Chance (he/him/his) is a 26 year old higher education professional who recently graduated with a B.S. in Business and a M.S. in Higher Education Administration. Chance is a cis Latinx male and is a first-generation college graduate.

Nyla (she/her/hers) is a Black cis woman in her 40s and has been at Valketta University for 10 years. Nyla worked in Housing & Residence Life before transitioning into TRIO. Nyla has two college aged sons who attend Valketta university.

Luna (they/them/theirs) is a 32 year old white, non-binary new professional. Luna has worked as the university’s Basic Needs Coordinator for four years. Luna met Chance during a division meeting and the pair instantly connected over their love for astrology and Taco Bell.

Marcella (she/they) is a Afro-Latinx cis woman in her late 40s. Marcella has worked in higher education for 15 years and met Chance at a conference three years ago. Marcella mentored Chance during his last year of undergrad and throughout graduate school. Marcella currently services as the Director of the Center for Inclusive Excellence at a university in New Mexico.

Context

Valketta University (VU) is a large public research university in Arizona. VU is located in the capital city of Phoenix and serves 40,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The campus community at VU is rooted in student activism and enrollment is increasing due to a recent change to allow nearby out-of-state students in-state tuition.

The Case  

Chance recently started a new position as the Student Support Services (SSS) Coordinator at Valketta University after completing his Higher Education Administration degree. As the SSS Coordinator Chance will oversee the tutoring program for TRIO students and coordinate leadership and mentorship programs. Chance was a first-generation college student who began his collegiate journey at community college before transferring to a nearby satellite campus to complete a Bachelor of Science in Business. He has a passion for serving historically marginalized communities and helping them achieve their goals. Additionally, Chance values student/staff mentorship because of the personal impact it had on his college experience.

During the first academic semester into the role, Chance was intentional about familiarizing himself with the campus and community since he moved from New Mexico to Arizona. He attended various division meetings and trainings to build relationships across departments. Chance was transitioning well into the role and was able to make several close relationships with different colleagues in his department and others. Chance developed a positive relationship with his supervisor Nyla. Nyla noted on Chance’s end of the semester evaluation that Chance was exceeding expectations in administration, department vision, and relationship building. Chance felt confident in the work he was doing and was looking forward to the next semester when he was going to start a new mentoring program for the SSS students.

Chance spent the next semester working hard to get a new mentorship program running and recruited 20 students. In addition to coordinating the mentorship program, Chance oversaw the tutoring and leadership development programs offered by the department. Chance developed supportive relationships with the students he mentors and tutors he supervises. At the end of the calendar year of his first professional role, Chance felt confident going into year two. Chance had developed a strong support system socially and professionally that aided in his success.

Early in the next fall semester, Chance was in the Union going to the package center when a building alarm went off. Chance headed toward the exit expecting it to be the building fire alarm but saw a university alert on his phone that stated there was a bomb threat in the Union. Once outside and in the evacuation zone set up by campus police, Chance saw some of his mentees and went to check in with them. Many were frightened by what was happening and one began to have a panic attack. Luckily, Chance and this student had talked about their panic attacks before and Chance knew how to help reduce their anxiety. Chance stayed with the group and provided additional emotional support until campus was clear.

In the weeks after the situation, Chance and other student facing student affairs professionals provided additional support to students through 1:1 and group meetings and programming. Chance started noticing his own sleep disturbances, headaches, and exhaustion in the context of this work. Chance took a few days of PTO, but when he returned to work on Monday, Nyla informed him that two of his mentees were in a car accident over the weekend and passed away. Nyla stayed with Chance while he processed through the news and provided resources via the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) such as a few sessions of counseling with a mental health provider.

Chance attended the funerals for his mentees and helped the other mentees organize a vigil at the university. Many of the mentees started to hang out in the TRIO office more than usual in order to be in community together. Chance tried to offer support for the students while managing his workload. Chance became overwhelmed at work, started experiencing detachment from things that normally bring him joy, and was in a state of extreme sadness. Other coworkers commented on Chance’s change in behavior and missed deadlines. In Chance’s 1:1 with Nyla, Chance shared that he was struggling with his mental health and didn’t know how to improve it. Nyla validated Chance’s experiences and encouraged Chance to seek help from a mental health provider. Chance was unsure about seeking professional help since the few sessions he tried through the EAP left him more exhausted talking about his grief, however, he agreed he would talk with trusted individuals about what he is experiencing.

The next week Chance set up a lunch meeting with Luna, the Basic Needs Coordinator, who Chance met at a division meeting the previous year. Chance and Luna have a good working relationship and have partnered on various events. During the meeting Chance asked how Luna was doing with the events of the semester and Luna stated that they were managing things decently and were glad they already had a therapist in the area. Chance and Luna talked more about Chance’s mental health and coping with the loss of his students. After the meeting, Chance felt a little relieved and supported but started thinking about other ways to cope with his emotions. Chance decided to reach out to his mentor, Marcella, to process through his struggles at work and mental health.

Marcella and Chance met via Zoom as they work at different institutions in different states. After catching up about Marcella’s new baby, Chance shared that he was struggling at work with boundaries with students and his inability to focus causing his performance to not meet his expectations. Marcella thanked Chance for his vulnerability and asked open ended questions to learn more about the situation. Chance stated, “I don’t know. I feel like I just need a break. This is a lot to deal with and I don’t know how I am supposed to take care of myself and my mentees and supervisees.” Marcella asked Chance if he had taken time off since either situation. Chance stated that he took two days off after the bomb threat, but nothing else. Marcella encouraged Chance to take some more PTO or utilize FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) if he needed additional time away from work. Chance said he did not know what FMLA was, and Marcella explained that FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and/or medical reasons. Chance and Marcella talked for another 30 minutes about whether Chance could afford to take unpaid leave and questions to ask a university Leave Coordinator before wrapping up their conversation. Chance thanked Marcella for talking with him and agreed to check back in a few weeks.

Discussion Questions

  1. What additional support could Nyla offer to Chance as his supervisor?
  2. What department and institutional resources could each of the characters utilize in this situation?
  3. Besides talking with Nyla and Marcella, what other resources might Chance use on campus before deciding to take FMLA?
  4. If Chance chooses to use FMLA, how can Nyla support the rest of the team and students until Chance returns?

Author Bios

Amber Davies (she/her/hers) – Amber is currently serving as a Residence Director at Johns Hopkins University where she oversees a second year community and serves in capacities including student recruitment and first year experience. Amber has obtained her bachelor’s degree from Stockton University and a master’s degree from Clemson University.

Victoria Goetzinger (she/her/hers) – Victoria is currently serving as a Community Director at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she oversees a multi-year community, Residential Learning Program, and serves in leadership roles for Student Staff Training & Development. Victoria is a proud first-generation college graduate receiving a master of education in Student Affairs & Counselor Education from Clemson University and a bachelor of science in Sociology from Emporia State University.

Kayla Hood (she/her/hers) – Kayla is a recent graduate with a Master of Education in Counselor Education, Student Affairs with interests in social justice theories/practices, intersectionality, and holistic wellbeing. Kayla currently works at Davidson College as the Assistant Director for the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion.

I’m Putting My Supervisor Hat On | Chaney & Russ

Abstract

Flora Wilson (she/her) is a second-year graduate student working over the summer for an internship at Bell Tower University. Flora was tasked with supervising undergraduate Orientation Leaders (OLs) and had a successful first week. A few weeks into Orientation, Flora began noticing the OLs were neither meeting expectations nor receptive to her feedback. There was an incident before a late-night programming event that Flora had to address right away. This event was a turning point in Flora’s perception of her role as a graduate supervisor.

Keywords: orientation program, graduate supervisor, student leaders

Primary Characters

Flora Wilson (she/her) is a second-year graduate student and is studying Higher Education and Administration at Lake Shore College (LSC), a mid-sized institution. She attended LSC for her undergraduate degree and has knowledge and understanding of the institution’s student culture and life. Flora decided to enter an internship portal that helps match masters’ students to different institutions’ orientation programs like Bell Tower University.

Lewis Hensley (he/him) is a first-year graduate student at Bell Tower University. While not familiar with BTU’s specific orientation program, Lewis is very familiar with orientation programs in general as Lewis’s undergraduate institution is also very well known for their comprehensive programming. Lewis was an Orientation Leader for two years and served on the Orientation Leadership Team as a supervisor for one summer. Lewis is excited to use his previous knowledge and experiences from orientation to lay the foundation for success at Bell Tower University.

Grady Anderson (he/him) is the Assistant Director (AD) of the Office of New Student Orientation and has served as the AD for two months. Before accepting this new role at BTU, he was a coordinator of orientation at his previous university. This is his first summer in New Student Orientation at Bell Tower University. His primary role as an assistant director is to supervise the graduate interns (Flora and Lewis) for New Student Orientation. His secondary role is the supervision of the Orientation Leaders.

Megan Stanley (she/her) is the Director of New Student Orientation and serves as Grady’s supervisor. Megan has been the director for two years.

Harris Brown (he/him) is an undergraduate Orientation Leader (OL). He is an Education major in his fourth year at Bell Tower University. This is his first and only summer as an OL.

Institutional Context

Bell Tower University (BTU) is a large, highly selective, predominantly white institution with over 40,000 students. With over 8,000 new students committing to BTU each year, there are approximately 26 orientation sessions over a 12-week period. BTU’s orientation is a two-day process. The first day of orientation focuses on student life with activities such as small groups, skits, and late-night programming. The second day is fall registration. As part of their training, Flora and Lewis reviewed expectations and met with various campus partners to gain institutional context. They also met with off-campus partners and were assigned tasks and responsibilities for the summer.

Case

Flora Wilson (she/her) was excited to accept a graduate intern position at Bell Tower University (BTU) for the summer of 2023. As a graduate intern for the New Student Orientation program this was her first supervisory role, something she did not do in her primary graduate assistantship. The first week of training, Flora met her counterpart, Lewis. They discussed the different tasks they had been assigned, noting that they would both be supervising undergraduate Orientation Leaders (OLs). Flora was responsible for tracking inventory, coordinating songs and dances for opening introductions, and planning parent/family support events. Lewis oversaw social media, late night programming and preparing skits for programs.

One week before orientation began, the OLs spent the week training. Flora emphasized expectations, daily OL duty schedules, and locations and assignments for programming and events. OLs practiced inclusivity, professionalism, and etiquette when working with small groups. Lewis led sessions on giving and receiving feedback, emphasized attire expectations, and discussed the importance of disaffiliation from their organizations. By the end of the training, Flora and Lewis were feeling good about the upcoming week when students would arrive.

 

Week 1

The first week had flown by for Flora. The OLs were doing great. They were meeting expectations, having fun, and showcasing the spirit of BTU. Megan and Grady were integrated in the framework of the program, too. They were both primed and ready for their first summer working together. They prided themselves on the transitional support they provided students. Megan and Grady both felt Flora, Lewis, and the undergraduate students were doing a great job.

 

Week 2           

The excitement of the first week of orientation had begun to decrease. Although the students were still invested in their roles, Flora noticed a shift in some of her supervisees’ behavior. A few started showing up late and were unprepared for their events, and OLs had several small but consistent dress code violations. Flora decided to mention it to a few students informally; some were receptive and seemed sincere in their apologies. A couple of students, however, were not as receptive. Flora felt their apologies were disingenuous, and the students seemed to brush off what she was saying. Her feedback was consistent with how students said they wanted to receive feedback during training, so she was confused. Flora decided to chat with Grady. Being new, Grady had not had time to build much rapport with the OLs but said he would mention something when he saw them next. Grady reinforced that the steps Flora took were appropriate and encouraged her to brainstorm additional ways to provide feedback. Grady wanted to empower Flora since the graduate interns were responsible for the direct support and supervision of OLs. 

Week 4           

With an upcoming break for the orientation team, Flora noticed a significant shift among the OLs. They seemed more tired than normal and got more lax with attire and professionalism. They were slow to complete tasks, leaned on one or two of their peers excessively, and were not working as a cohesive team. Grady was busy with his work and Megan had already left for vacation. Flora decided to chat with Lewis. He noticed that Flora’s OLs were slipping, as were some of his, so he understood what she was going through. Flora said her feedback to OLs was not well received and problems persisted. She admitted she was unsure in her supervisor role and hadn’t addressed students more formally because she did not want to ruin the rapport she had built.

 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Does talking with Grady diminish Flora’s credibility as a supervisor? Why or why not?
  2. Should Flora have talked with Grady or the students first? Why?

 

Case Continued

Week 4 | Thursday Evening

While waiting to get on buses to go to the rec center, the OLs played music to keep students hyped-up. One OL, Harris Brown, started playing an inappropriate song while other OLs were singing and dancing. New students started recording the scene on their cell phones. With Megan on vacation and Grady at the rec center preparing for the event, Flora and Lewis were left to take action.

Concerned for the program’s reputation, Flora told Harris he needed to change the song. When he refused, Flora knew her reputation was on the line. She said, “I’m putting my supervisor hat on. I’m telling you one more time to change the song before there are consequences.” Then Harris turned off the music, but other OLs responded with eye rolling, and loud sighs. One student even said, “I’m going to protect my peace and walk away.”

Week 4 | Friday Morning

After the incident on Thursday evening, OLs gave the orientation leadership team the cold shoulder. Flora decided to formally meet with Harris to discuss the situation. Harris was confused by the response from Flora and Lewis because he believed he was simply playing a song to keep students excited. He was frustrated that Flora asked him to change the song when the new students seemed to enjoy it.

Flora: It wasn’t really about the song. It was more about your response. When I asked for the song to be changed, nobody stepped up to do it. People were blatantly disrespectful. I put a lot of time, effort, and energy into you all and the least I expect back is the respect that you do something when I ask. Additionally, I need you to recognize that you are influential. When you behaved the way you did, your peers followed your lead.

Harris: I don’t understand why this responsibility has to fall on me.

Flora: We don’t always get to choose when we are leaders. You have done an amazing job up to this point and your peers recognize that. They trust you and look to you for direction.

Harris began to cry. Flora was not happy to see him upset but was relieved that he seemed to understand her point. She hoped this was a first step in rebuilding the group culture.

Flora then met with all the OLs to discuss what happened. She acknowledged that the situation began with a song but explained her concerns were about disrespect, the representation of the program, and the OLs’ failure to meet expectations. She emphasized the importance of working together as a team and setting a good example for the new BTU class. Flora’s conversation with the OLs was direct and honest. She held them accountable for their actions and expressed her desire to help them succeed.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What conversations should Flora have after the break with Harris, the OLS, Grady, Megan, and Lewis?
  2. What could Flora have done proactively before Thursday evening?
  3. In what ways could Flora have sought to understand the OLs’ experiences?
  4. What responsibilities do orientation staff have to their universities and campus reputation?
  5. What are the ethical implications regarding Flora’s decision to stop the music that was playing in line for the bus? What would you have done in Flora’s position?

Author Biographies

Katie Chaney (she, her, hers) is a second-year graduate student in the College Student Personnel (CSP) master’s program at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). She worked in secondary education for three years prior to the CSP program, and currently works as a Coordinator for Leadership in the C. Raymond Marvin Center for Student Leadership and Civic Engagement at BGSU. Katie is passionate about student leadership development and is inspired by the students she teaches and advises.

Mikayla Russ (she/her) is a second-year graduate student in the College Student Personnel (CSP) master’s program at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). Mikayla is currently the Graduate Student Trustee on the BGSU Board of Trustees, the supervisor of the Leadership Facilitation team in the C. Raymond Marvin Center for Student Leadership and Civic Engagement, and the BGSU Assistant Cheerleading Coach. Additionally, Mikayla is an Instructor for the Leadership Institute, a first-year leadership course and is passionate about student learning and development.

The Best for the Job | Campbell

Abstract

This case study examines the hiring processes, communication, and decision-making of academic administrators. It will address the importance of national searches, university culture, and transparency in selections. It is designed for readers to reflect on how selection processes can affect staff, trust in policies and process, and the ability to lead.

Keywords: academic leaders, executive searches, transparency, ethics, trust, qualifications

Primary Characters

Dr. Barbara Stead (she/her/hers) is Department Chair for the Department of Finance within the College of Business. She has held this position for seven years and was part of the hiring process for the previous dean. She is a white female in the midst of her professional career with aspirations for future advancement either at her current university or elsewhere.

Dr. Regina Nelms (she/her/hers) is Professor of Economics within the College of Business. She leads the college with significant research grants. Dr. Nelms has been at this university for ten years. She arrived at university under the previous dean who invested heavily in research. She has several NSF grants and closely with governmental agencies on high priority projects. This is the last place that she will work as she is close to retirement.

Angela Warren (she/her/hers) is the Director of Operations for the Dean of College of Business. Ms. Warren’s position focuses on logistics and ensuring that the college operates smoothly. Her role involves developing processes of communication between the dean’s office and the departments as well as the building operations. She is a young employee who has been in her position for four years. She is interested in advancement and wants to be recognized for her commitment to her job and her attention to detail.

Dr. Beatrice Thomas (she/her/hers) is the School of Business Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs and Professor of Economics at a research one university in the southwest. She has held this position for four years. She is a Black female and an external candidate for the Dean of College of Business.

 

Dr. Carol Meadows (she/her/hers) is an Assistant Dean of Academics and Research for College of Business and Associate Professor of Finance. Dr. Meadows works at a research one university in the south and has held this position for five years. She is a white female and an external candidate for the Dean of College of Business position.

 

Dr. Brad Smith (he/him/his) is Director of the Center on Marketing within the College of Business. He has been director for three years. The center was founded by donors who were cornerstone to the establishment of the College of Business. Dr. Smith is a white male in his early forties. He is the internal candidate, and he has a close relationship with the university president and the cornerstone donors.

 

Context

A large research one university in the Pacific Northwest conducted a national search to fill the position of Dean of the College of Business. This position serves on the provost’s leadership team and leads the College of Business. The College of Business is the most financially strong college at the university and often acts independently. It has a large physical footprint at the university and has a strong alumni presence.

This position is to steer the college of business through vision, strategy, and financial decisions. The dean’s role involves promotion and tenure of faculty, academic programming for the college, and resource allocation. Additionally, the dean must be able to engage in fundraising, work with university leadership and industry partners, and engage with faculty. The dean is responsible for the success of the academic programs as well as the experiential programs including global engagement, the career center, marketing, packaging, and community programs.

The university hired a nationally recognized executive search firm to lead the confidential search process. Additionally, a search committee was formed on campus led by the Director of Operations for Business School, Angela Warren. While staff across the university were aware of the posting for the Dean of the College of Business, few details were shared. Other than the chair, the members of the search committee were not made public.

Once the search and process were shared across the university, employees within the College of Business began to talk amongst themselves about the lack of transparency with this search. They complained that the search committee members were not known. As the process progressed, there was no transparency about applicants, the screening committee criteria, and a timeline for the process.

Approximately three weeks after the closing date, three candidates were invited to campus. Two of the candidates were external selections. Both currently held Associate or Assistant Dean positions. Both external candidates were female and one woman self-identified as Black. The remaining candidate was a white male currently employed at the institution serving as a director of a business school program. He has a relationship with the President, the business school donors, and the university’s leadership team.

Concerns from the College of Business staff (Dr. Barbara Stead and Dr. Regina Nelms) were:

  • the internal candidate was preselected
  • from the onset the search was ceremonial and just an exercise to fulfill hiring practices
  • the external candidates were more ably qualified and had positions that prepared them for the position.
  • the internal candidate is not professionally qualified or ready for the position
  • his selection is due to favoritism at the university.

They claim to represent voices of colleagues and others who are afraid to speak. Each spoke to individuals within the university with the promise of confidentiality. Both spoke with officers of the Women and Gender Commission. Dr. Stead spoke with the Title IX officer and Dr. Nelms reached out to the University Ombuds.

These employees are afraid to speak publicly because the new hire will be their boss, but they are very frustrated by the search process. Barbara and Regina believe that the university works in a bubble, is resistant to change, and chooses its own people. They don’t believe they can do anything but want to know how and why a man with seemingly lesser qualifications would be chosen over well-qualified women.

Discussion Questions

  1. In what ways are Barbara and Regina’s concerns legitimate? Of all the things they would like to know, what can university realistically and ethically provide?
  2. How can their concerns be addressed?
  3. What role can the university commissions play?
  4. What are ethical and legal/policy considerations related to the selection process?
  5. What are the implications of hiring the internal candidate when the staff is already disgruntled and resistant?
  6. What options does the university have for coping with the tensions? What
    are some strategies for moving forward?
  7. How can the university avoid this lack of trust and dissension in the future?

Biography

Marjorie Campbell (she/her/hers) is the Director of Inclusive Excellence and Technology Initiatives for Clemson’s Computing and Information Technology (CCIT). The Technology Support Program that she founded in 1998 with colleagues has evolved into a CCIT staple with dedicated employees assigned to support technology. Marjorie holds a B.A. degree from Converse College and a M.S. degree from the University of South Carolina.  She is currently enrolled in Clemson’s Educational Leadership Ph.D. program. Her research interests focus on women’s leadership, neurodiversity, and how to rethink assumptions and address inequities.

Penny for your Thoughts: Student Emergency Funding in Action | Callahan

Abstract:

This case focuses on the Student Crisis Fund established at Queensborough State University during the COVID-19 pandemic and what its future looks like. Nora Bloom is the new Director of Student Care Outreach and served under the founder of the Fund (and former director), Joanna Serkis. A potential donor, Bruce Hadler, has reached out and offered a significant donation to the Fund to name it after Joanna, but has asked for Nora’s team to review their protocols to ensure funding is going to students with the greatest need. There is also a need to mitigate scandal as nearby Kingstown College’s student emergency fund is under intense scrutiny after recent student protests for alleged bias in their application process. Nora is charged with preparing a presentation for Mr. Hadler on how her team plans to move forward.

Keywords:

Student Care, Emergency Funds, Donor Relations

Primary Characters:

Joanna Serkis (she/her) – As the long-time Director of Student Care Outreach at QSU, Joanna recently retired in 2022 after 25 years at the institution. Joanna was a key staff member behind the creation and facilitation of the Student Crisis Fund.

Nora Bloom (she/her) – Nora is the new Director of Student Care Outreach at QSU. Nora previously served as the Associate Director for Student Care Outreach for five years under Joanna.

Bruce Hadler (he/him) – Bruce is an alumnus of QSU, Class of ’86 and the father of Kayla, a QSU, Class of ‘21 graduate. Bruce is a potential major donor to Student Crisis Fund.

Kayla Hadler (she/they) – Kayla is an alumna of QSU, Class of ’21 and the child of Bruce Hadler. Kayla worked closely with Joanna Serkis after being hospitalized due to COVID-19 during her junior year.

Context and Case:

Queensborough State University is a large, public institution located in the southeast United States. It is considered a metropolitan campus, nestled in the heart of the city, and located within a few blocks of the main tourist district. Queensborough is made up of 70% in-state students. 35% of students attending QSU self-identify as first-generation college students. Many QSU students work part time in the food and beverage industry or other tourism-driven work in order to make ends meet.

In the initial days of the COVID-19 pandemic, QSU students were significantly impacted by business closures and changing health and safety protocols. As social distancing became the expectation and restaurant dining areas closed, many students were let go from their jobs and then had to move home unexpectedly as QSU transitioned to online learning. Joanna Serkis, long-time Director of Student Care Outreach at QSU, received a number of phone calls and emails from concerned students and their families about how to navigate the unanticipated costs of relocating, sudden job loss, and often, compounded medical expenses from students who became ill from COVID-19.

Joanna, in collaboration with the Office of University Development, launched the Student Crisis Fund and facilitated a hugely successful fundraising campaign. In the first four months of the Fund’s creation, QSU was able to raise and then distribute over $150,000 to students in dire financial need due to the pandemic. This initiative mirrored work being carried out at peer and aspirant institutions at the time, and Joanna capitalized on the knowledge of colleagues at other universities in the state to make the early days of the Fund a success.

In 2022, Joanna retired from QSU after 25 years at the institution. After a rigorous search process, Nora Bloom was selected as the next Director of Student Care Outreach. Nora had served as the Associate Director for Student Care Outreach under Joanna for the previous five years. Nora has had a successful transition into the role over the past year but has also been navigating a concurrent reorganization of the Division of Student Affairs at QSU in addition to taking on this new role.

One of QSU’s peer institutions, Kingstown College (KC), is located a few hours away in the same state. Kingstown is a mid-sized, public institution with student demographics similar to those at QSU. The Student Crisis Fund at Kingstown – Kingstown Cares – has existed for almost 15 years. However, it recently gained some notoriety when the student newspaper published an article accusing the crisis fund of bias and disproportionately allocating funds to white students. As a result, Kingstown has been experiencing student protests outside of their administration buildings, calling for greater transparency in student support services, including Kingstown Cares, and a comprehensive audit of how to mitigate bias in supporting students at KC.

Nora received an email from the Office of University Development this week. Bruce Hadler, an alumnus of QSU ’86 and the father of a QSU ’21 graduate, is interested in providing a significant donation to QSU to name the Student Crisis Fund after Joanna Serkis. His child, Kayla, contracted COVID-19 in April 2020 and was hospitalized for several weeks while she recovered. Joanna Serkis was instrumental in supporting Kayla and the Hadlers through the rest of the semester and ensuring Kayla stayed on track to graduate on time the following spring. While Kayla did not need to apply for assistance through the Crisis Fund, the Hadlers are interested in honoring the work that Joanna did to support Kayla and many other QSU students during her tenure as Director.

Mr. Hadler is aware of the recent scandal at Kingstown and has asked to meet with Nora prior to finalizing his gift to QSU. Mr. Hadler would like Nora and her team to evaluate ways that the Student Crisis Fund application review process can be improved to ensure that funding goes to students with the greatest potential need. The Office of University Development has asked Nora to prepare a presentation for Mr. Hadler at the end of the month, prior to finalizing Mr. Hadler’s donation to QSU.

Nora is reviewing her notes from the launch of the Crisis Fund as well as their distribution data from the last three years. When the program was launched, the Crisis Fund application gathered basic contact information from students as well as asked questions related to how much funding the student were requesting, what it would be used for, what other entities the student had reached out to for support, and a summary from the student about their current financial circumstances. Applications were reviewed by the Student Care Outreach team to confirm that each requesting student was enrolled for the current semester. A team member would also request a summary of the requesting student’s financial aid package to confirm that Crisis Fund disbursements would not impact the student’s federal aid eligibility. This process has remained unchanged in the intervening years, although the pace of Crisis Fund applications has slowed significantly as students adjusted to the “new normal.” Beyond enrollment status and financial aid information, Nora’s team has not tracked any additional demographic data or added additional offices to the review process.

Nora has a staff meeting in two days where she is able to ask for her team’s help in gathering data and conducting benchmarking in advance of her presentation. She will develop an action plan with her team to identify goals for the presentation, gaps of knowledge that will require research, and a timeline for preparing the new protocols based on their research and the meeting with Mr. Hadler.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some of the key factors Nora should consider when preparing for her staff meeting? For her presentation to Mr. Hadler?
  2. What connections or areas of knowledge could Nora leverage? (e.g., other offices on campus, her professional network, etc.)
    1. How might a reorganization within Nora’s Division impact her team’s ability to collaborate with other offices?
  3. Should Nora address the differences between the QSU process and that at Kingstown in her meeting with Mr. Hatteberg?
  4. Are there other data points Nora’s team should be gathering in the application review process? For example:
    1. Can students to apply more than once? Is there a limit to the number of times they can apply for this fund?
    2. Does a student’s disciplinary or academic standing affect their eligibility for funds?
    3. Should students be asked to self-report certain demographic markers in their application? Should this data be gathered from their student profile within the campus’s enrollment management system? (Consider both, one, or neither of these options)
  5. How might this review of the Crisis Fund application process be used to acknowledge and potentially address historic systems of oppression (race, ethnicity, first gen status, national origin, gender, LGBTQIAA+) at QSU and in higher education more generally?

Author Bio

Molly Jean Callahan (she/her) serves as the Student Support Coordinator and Office Manager for the Office of the Dean of Students at the College of Charleston. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of South Carolina and her master’s degree in Counselor Education (Student Affairs) from Clemson University. She is a proud first-generation college student and prioritizes service to the profession. She is a past president of the South Carolina College Personnel Association (SCCPA). Outside of work, she loves to read, spend time with her spouse, and try to keep her two cats out of trouble. She can be reached at [email protected].

Pressure from Above: Implementing Change Amid Resistance | Bundrick

Abstract: This case uses the Institutional Intelligence Model (Boettcher & Salinas, 2024) to examine the challenges and pitfalls staff may encounter when change is deemed appropriate by upper administration and resisted by a campus department. Specifically, this scenario addresses a Vice President and Associate Vice Presidents who believe the campus career fair needs to change venues to allow for growth, with little input or buy-in from the Director of the Career Center or the Career Center staff.

Keywords/Phrases: Conflict Resolution, Top-Down Directive, Empowerment, Transparency, Student Affairs

Primary Characters:

Julie Kizer – Associate Vice President (she, her, hers). – Julie is one of five Associate Vice Presidents (AVP) of Student Affairs. Julie oversees the College Career Center, the Academic Success Center, and Student Life. Julie is two years into her role at Elkhorn College and has a background in student life and academic success. Career services is a new department for her.

Jim Mathews – Director Career Engagement (he, him, his). Jim has spent his career of 20+ years in higher education and career services. He, like Julie, is new to Elkhorn College and began as Director of the Career Center a few months after Julie started in her new position as AVP. Jim comes into the Career Center at a time of turn over and uncertainty. Many of the Center staff have moved on to other positions at the College or have retired. Jim has worked hard to build trust among the Career Center staff during the transition.

Bart Macken – Vice President of Student Affairs (he, him, his). Bart has been the Vice President of Student Affairs at Elkhorn College for 4 years and previously worked closely with Julie at a University in Iowa. They have a close working relationship and Bart was thrilled when Julie joined the team. Bart has worked hard to make improvements and grow programs within Student Affairs and Julie has been an integral part of this growth.

Overview

Elkhorn College is a medium size midwestern liberal arts college that is experiencing a growth in student body and reputation. Staffing has not kept pace with the growth and turnover across campus has been high. This case examines communication and transparency between an Associate Vice President and her direct report concerning a proposed directive regarding growth and change.

Context and Case:

Jim, a director for a College Career Center for Elkhorn College, a small midwestern liberal arts college, is just two years into his job and one year past the COVID lockdown. He has worked hard to gain the trust of his department, which he took over amid a great deal of change and turnover within his department. During his tenure, there was also a great deal of change in the Student Affairs division, which he reports.

In the two years since Jim started at Elkhorn College, he and his Career Center team increased employer and student engagement and had a consistently over-funded budget. His department executes a campuswide career fair each semester. The Career Center is proud of the career fair and the customer service they offer their employers. Jim is pleased with an increase in student attendance at the fairs of approximately 40% for the two-day fall fair and 50% for the two-day spring event for the academic years 2021/2022 to 2022/2023. Employer numbers remained the same at approximately 50, the maximum capacity for employer tables at the venue. There is typically a waitlist of roughly ten employers hoping to attend the fair for each day each semester. In addition, students have complained that the current venue needs to be ADA-friendly, and the overcrowding worsens the situation.

Julie, the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, wants to take the fair from an “ok event to a great event.” She wants everyone on campus to know about the fair and to feel they can’t miss it. The idea of companies wishing to recruit Elkhorn College students for jobs but not having access because the career fair venue is too small is frustrating to her. She has taken her frustration to Bart, her Vice President, who agrees something must change. In turn, all the AVPs are in agreement, unbeknownst to Jim, the Director of the Career Center.

In regular weekly meetings with Jim, Julie brings up the career fairs and her wish to grow the event. Jim hears this but doesn’t understand the extent of what Julie wants when she says she wants to grow the fair. She never mentions a change in venue or her frustration with the waitlist. Jim is also unaware this issue has been discussed with the other associate vice presidents and vice president. Due to staff turnover and perhaps some unwillingness on Jim’s part, Julie’s requests for analysis of the current fair and opportunities for growth go unanswered. Growing frustration and a lack of communication between Julie and Jim create an environment of resistance and skepticism on both sides.

A further breakdown of communication and trust follows when Julie does not include Jim in the decision to hire a consultant and does not communicate the identified goals of bringing in an outsider. Jim and his staff felt Julie’s decision to hire a consultant was a power play which made them dig in further and openly oppose any change to the fair.

As the Director in charge of the Career Center and the fairs, Jim thought he wasn’t being given a chance to do the job he was hired to do and had the expertise to handle. He believed he wasn’t being given the time to let the initiatives he had implemented take hold. He also felt confused and undervalued because he was not included in discussions with the Vice President and the Associate Vice Presidents regarding the career fairs and their concerns. Other than one or two staff members acknowledging the ADA issues, the Career Center staff were against a change in venue for the fair.

Options to alleviate the overcrowding and ADA issues were adding a day to the fair or changing to another acceptable campus venue. Jim and his staff push back on these ideas. Adding a new day to the already two-day fair would keep them out of the office for an additional day requiring the Career Center to be closed and be another day students could not get help from the Career Center. They also expressed concern that three days of the fair would burden students’ time.

During an onsite campus visit, Julie arranged for the consultant and Jim to tour several venues on campus. Jim expressed concern over the cost of the various venues as the current venue is free, but the administration told the consultant that the cost of holding the fair is not a concern. Jim also voiced concern over noise issues because the current venue is carpeted, and the new venue is a concrete concourse that would not absorb sound well. Another fear that Jim and his staff conveyed was the energy in the new location would be flat compared to the energy in the old location due to the increase in space and employers being more spread out. Employer satisfaction is very important to Jim and his staff. They are worried that customer service to their employers would be sacrificed with a venue change. Examples of their stellar customer service include consistent correspondence before the fair, individualized attention once at the fair, and the quality of students attending the fair.

Jim also expressed concern that students would be confused with a new location. Students are accustomed to the old location, which happens to be just across the street from the new venue. Funding for non-paid internship scholarships comes from career fair revenue, and the staff fears that money will dry up, impacting students. In the past, any student who completed the application has been awarded the funding. The fund came about because the department had an excess of revenue.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How did the lack of communication and transparency impact the willingness to transition the fair to a new location?
  2. What steps need to be taken by the administration to ensure the career center staff will not be resistant to change?
  3. What factors need to be considered in a venue change? What stakeholders are affected by the change and how?
  4. How could the Director of the Career Center advocate for his programs, staff, students, and employers while showing the Administration he understands their concerns?
  5. When does hiring an outside consultant cross an ethical line?

Author Bio

Lisa Bundrick (she, her, hers) is the Director of Career Engagement at the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business at Clemson University. Prior to her role with the Powers Business College, Lisa planned and executed the University-wide career fairs. Lisa holds a master’s degree from Georgetown University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. from Clemson University.

 

Reference

Boettcher, M. L. & Salinas, C. (2024). Law and Ethics in Academic and Student Affairs: Developing an Institutional Intelligence Approach. Routledge.

 

Implementation Fidelity in First-Year Experience Programs | Braught

Abstract

Payton’s first-year experience (FYE) seminar is getting mixed reviews. Their supervisor and the Director of Assessment for the Division of Student Affairs are quite excited about some promising retention results, but since starting the job, Payton has heard from student staff that they may not be putting in the effort that the professional staff think they are. Payton worries that the process and results aren’t aligned, but they have been invited to a meeting about expanding the seminar program to reach more students.

Key Words: Assessment, Implementation Fidelity, First-Year Experience

Primary Characters

Payton (they/them) is the primary staff member responsible for coordinating the first-year experience (FYE) seminar in the Office of the First Year Experience. They have been in the role for one full year and are starting their second fall in the job.

Casey (he/him) is Payton’s direct supervisor. Casey has been at Blue River College for 10 years. Before Payton arrived, Casey was directly in charge of the program.

Rachel (she/her) is responsible for student affairs assessment and program evaluation as Director of Assessment. When hired, Rachel’s supervisor tasked Rachel with analyzing retention for all signature programs in the Division of Student Affairs in order to aid in determining which programs should be maintained. Rachel has learned that the division does not have a history of demonstrating impact using quantitative measures like retention or GPA.

Context And Case

Blue River College (BRC) is a mid-sized public university in a metropolitan area. Only 10% of students live on campus at the college, with many of the students commuting from elsewhere in the city or nearby suburbs. Many of the students choose Blue River College because of its focus on real-world/practical learning which connects the campus with the city.

Like other colleges and universities, Blue River College is experiencing increased pressure to maintain enrollment and increase retention of students from their first year into their second year. Last year, BRC retained 76% of students from their first year into their second year. In the last few years, the Division of Student Affairs has had a tight budget, with little wiggle room to introduce new programs or hire additional staff to increase capacity of additional programs and services. Some staff refer to Blue River College as a “commuter campus” and many staff perceive it to be a struggle to engage students in out-of-classroom student programming.

The FYE seminar, a one-credit course students can participate in during their fall semester at BRC is 10 years old. Around 35% of students participate in a FYE seminar. The program employs 20 peer mentors that interact with students during their welcome week and throughout weekly class sessions during their first term. Student feedback on the program is typically positive, but the information the program has collected has been largely anecdotal.

Payton Gets Started

Payton is starting their second year as a coordinator for the FYE at Blue River College. In their role, Payton is responsible for supervising 20 student staff members who serve as mentors for FYE seminars. The first year in their job was like drinking from a firehose. Payton didn’t feel like they could innovate much and mostly relied on what Joey, the previous coordinator of the program, developed. Payton felt that their master’s program had given them a strong foundation in designing effective FYE programs, especially in support of sense of belonging. They are eager to put some of these innovative ideas into action in their second academic year.

To prepare, last spring, Payton gathered data from their program’s course site on Canvas about how students engaged with different modules and assignments. They reviewed assignments across multiple sections of the course using a common rubric. They reviewed peer mentor feedback from student participants. Using this information, they made plans to shift a few assignments for the next round of FYE courses and made changes to mentor training. When Payton requested historical data from previous years to include in their review, Casey replied that he hadn’t analyzed much about the program in the last few years because no one had asked him for the results.

Payton Makes A Worrisome Discovery

Payton is quite popular with the peer mentors in the FYE seminars. The returning staff members connected more with Payton than their previous supervisor, Casey. This may be because Payton is closer in age with the students than Casey. During their fall training this year, returning student staff members shared that Casey did not really monitor the students’ facilitation of the seminar, which put Payton in an uncomfortable position given that Casey is now their supervisor, too.

Since then, Payton has discovered that there is quite a lot of variation between sections of the FYE seminar. First, a few of the returning peer mentors felt empowered to make decisions about which activities and lessons they didn’t like, resulting in some first-year students not getting exposed to all components of the curriculum. Second, a few returning mentors would regularly let their class out early. Third, Payton learned that some of the peer mentors were not tracking attendance despite the fact that attendance was a portion of students’ grades. Finally, some mentors were offering guidance counter to the intended goals. For example, one section was told that they shouldn’t sign up for the student involvement platform because “no one ever uses it.” Another section was told that the late-night events hosted by the Division of Student Affairs were “not worth going to.”

Payton finds this information frustrating but is equally frustrated that the data they reviewed on Canvas didn’t reveal such discrepancies until the student staff brought them up. Payton tried to mention some of these variations to Casey, but Casey brushed them off. Casey thinks that there’s just not much that can be done to monitor peer mentors without “micro-managing” and Casey avoided being a “helicopter” supervisor.

Positive Results For Payton And Casey’s Program

One day, Rachel, the staff member responsible for programmatic assessment and evaluation in the Division of Student Affairs, emails a report to Casey and Payton about some impactful retention results for the FYE program. Rachel’s report is a summary of all students who participated in the FYE seminar compared to all students at BRC who did not participate. While campus retention was around 76% last academic year, 90% of the students who participated in Payton’s FYE seminar were retained. Payton is pleased with this information, but also surprised to learn Rachel was working on a retention analysis for the program that Payton is primarily responsible for without Payton’s knowledge.

Later in the week, Casey excitedly tells Payton that divisional leadership is impressed by the positive impact of the FYE program on retention. Casey shares that he is so glad that his 10 years of hard work have paid off and that the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) is considering expanding the program. In fact, the VPSA is considering adding a goal to the division’s strategic plan to make the seminar available to every incoming student.

Payton is concerned. First, the retention report might have highlighted that there were positive results from the program overall, but Payton knows that the peer mentors were implementing program expectations inconsistently across sections of the course. Payton worries that the intended goals of the program don’t necessarily reflect what actually happened. Second, Rachel provided an aggregate retention analysis of all students. Payton is worried that many of the students who sign up for the FYE program are already equipped with the skills necessary to persist into their sophomore year. Deep down, Payton is wondering if the impact of the program on retention rates is muddier than Rachel and Casey seem to think.

Payton has just received an invitation to attend a meeting with Rachel, Casey, and the VPSA to discuss the future of the program.

Discussion Questions

  1. What factors are influencing the culture around assessment in Payton’s division?
  2. How should Payton approach sharing their concerns about variation across the seminars? About assessment methods? What politics and ethics should they consider when determining how they will approach their meeting with Rachel and Casey?
  3. What questions should Payton ask Rachel about the aggregate retention analysis? How can Rachel improve how she analyzes, reports on, and communicates about retention of divisional programs?
  4. What additional assessment methods or analysis strategies are necessary in order for the VPSA to make a decision about expanding the FYE seminar program?
  5. How can Payton shift how they monitor the FYE seminars to improve implementation fidelity without damaging their positive relationships with staff members in their second year on the job?

Author Bio

Emily Braught (she/her) is a doctoral candidate at Indiana University and serves as the Director of Assessment and Planning in the Division of Student Affairs at Indiana University Indianapolis. As a scholar, she is interested in how institutional assessment influences decision-making. As a practitioner, she is passionate about increasing staff capacity for inquiry.

ACPA Books: We Look Forward to Working with You

Season’s greetings! We have read several exciting book proposals throughout fall semester and have enjoyed collaborating with authors to bring ideas to fruition. We also have transitioned smoothly from Stylus to Routledge as a publisher. We remain ready and willing to work with you and provide guidance as you pursue your writing goals through the winter break period. Wherever you are in the process of proposing or writing a book, we are here to help. Please contact us at Jenny Small ([email protected]) and Kari Taylor ([email protected]).

Wishing you all a happy and healthy year,

Jenny Small and Kari Taylor

Message from the Editor

Happy January, Everyone.

Congratulations on making it through another term. First and foremost, thank you for all you do and the difference you make. Second, please protect some time for yourselves in the coming weeks. We each have a lot to recover from and reflect upon. Rest will help us be there for ourselves the rest of this academic year.

As you reflect and plan for the future, we are happy to provide you with resources in the form of the second annual case study issue of Developments. Again this year we have a great set of cases for onboarding, training, staff development, classroom activities, and so on. Thank you to each of our authors for these contributions. You will find these cases set the stage for important dialogue we need to be having right now.

Finally, if you have an idea for an article or a case study, please reach out and let us help you craft it for Developments. We are proud of the number of students and practitioners who publish here each semester. The frontline, student-facing perspectives are valuable and because of our rolling submissions and the fact that we publish quarterly, we get to highlight issues as they are unfolding. We are proud to share reflections, strategies, programmatic initiatives, and current affairs and topics from those of you who are doing the work in the moment. We certainly welcome scholarly and research articles as well. Again, if you have questions or ideas, please reach out.

We also welcome those of you interested in reviewing articles. We are excited to finally have rebuilt Developments so that we have articles in the pipeline for future issues. As the popularity of the publication grows, we have opportunities for reviewers to join our team. It is not a huge time commitment and it is incredibly rewarding to support authors through the process to publication.

Again, thanks for all you have done, are doing, and will do in the future. Here’s to a more peaceful and joyful future.

Michelle Boettcher

Editor, Developments

[email protected]

Case Studies Overview for Volume 20, Issue 4

To make this issue more useful, the cases are divided into categories, though the issues they raise cut across roles on campus, ethical issues, and other topics. In addition to the specifics of each case, we just center the people involved and their identities, spheres of influence, experiences, and needs. Reviewing each case will help you identify the cases that best suit your needs and interests.

Assessment

  • Implementation Fidelity in First-Year Experience Programs by Emily Braught

Career Preparation and Transition

  • Career Confusion by MarySheila Ebri
  • Breaking Out of the Silo in Student Affairs by Alex Rosenberry, Amber Davies, and Kayla Hood

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging

  • Working in the Crosshairs: Complex Decision-Making in Anti-DEI Political Times by Dustin Evatt
  • Supporting Students with Differing Beliefs by Chris King
  • Balancing Personal Values With Job Responsibilities by Audrey McKinney, Amber Davies and Kayla Hood
  • Just a Regular Student and His Soapbox by Kayla Steele Payne

Leadership

  • Pressure from Above: Implementing Change Amid Resistance by Lisa Budrick
  • The Best for the Job by Marjorie Campbell

Student Identity, Experiences, and Needs

  • Because of How I Sound: Regional Dialects and Institutional Response by Jeremiah Farmer
  • Penny for your Thoughts: Student Emergency Funding in Action by Molly Callahan
  • Gossip and the Gray Area: Navigating Friendships and Boundaries between Students and Staff by Alexa Gonzalez

Student Organizations

  • When Community Isn’t Constructive by Erin Hassenstab
  • Revisiting the Basics by Joy Heinzman
  • Rookie Knight by Sara Jurkiewicz and Gavin Fredrichsen

Supervision

  • I’m Putting My Supervisor Hat On by Katie Chaney and Mikayla Russ
  • Staff Support Needs by Amber Davies, Victoria Goetzinger, and Kayla Hood