Leading the Transformation of Higher Education Institutions Through Social Justice, Equity, and Inclusion

2021 ◽  
pp. 39-55
Author(s):  
Maricela Alvarado ◽  
Catherine Ward
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Student Affairs Professionals ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Diverse Backgrounds ◽  
Equity And Inclusion ◽  
Beliefs And Attitudes

This chapter will highlight the stories of two student affairs professionals who have some identities and experiences in common, but their differences have marked essential lessons for how they lead. This chapter also proposes being a student-ready educator takes a commitment to examine ourselves, our values, beliefs, and attitudes, and how they play out in our service to students. With this in mind, the authors recommend essential characteristics for being a student-ready educator, which includes (1) self-reflection, (2) empathy and compassion, (3) authenticity, (4) gratitude, (5) advocacy, and (6) personal sense of belonging. This chapter will expand on these characteristics and ways to skillfully engage them in meeting the needs of students from diverse backgrounds in these contested times to become more effective student-ready educators.

Developing Social Justice and Inclusion Competencies Through Semi-Structured Reflection Papers

2017 ◽  
pp. 75-91
Author(s):  
Annemarie Vaccaro ◽  
Brooke D'Aloisio ◽  
Tiffany Hoyt ◽  
Athina Chartelain ◽  
Sarah D Croft ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Student Affairs Professionals ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Competency Development ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
University Employees ◽  
Cultural Inclusion

As higher education institutions strive to foster cultural inclusion, it is imperative that university employees develop relevant competencies. This chapter offers insight into one “best practice” for fostering social justice and inclusion competencies (ACPA/NASPA, 2015). A professor and former students discuss the benefits of using self-reflection papers for competency development. The chapter begins with an overview of social justice and inclusion competencies for higher education and student affairs professionals. That section is followed by a description of graduate-level courses and reflection paper assignments aimed at developing social justice and inclusion competencies. The majority of the chapter focuses on the educational process (e.g., meaning-making, critical reflection) and products (e.g., awareness, knowledge, skills, action) of semi-structured reflection papers. Recommendations for future practice and research are included.

scholarly journals Integrating International Graduate Students on Campus: The Perspectives of Student Affairs Professionals

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (Winter) ◽  
pp. 107-109
Author(s):  
RACHAL ETSHIM
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
International Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Student Affairs Professionals ◽  
The United States ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
International Graduate

Higher education institutions in the United States (U.S.) recruit international students as part of their internationalization strategies. The overall number of international students enrolled in American universities and colleges between 2017 and 2018 increased by 1.5% compared to the previous year, totaling over 1 million international students (Institute of International Education 2018). Of this total, 382,983 are international graduate students. International graduate students are good resources for the internationalization and economy of higher education institutions in the U.S. (Urban and Palmer, 2014) and, despite the reduction in the number of visas approved and job prospects, their numbers continue to grow (Almurideef 2016; Killick 2015). These students come from different countries, have different cultural backgrounds and needs, and face different challenges that student affairs professionals at host institutions must address to integrate them into campus (Harper and Hurtado, 2007; Lee and Rice 2007). Moreover, the needs and challenges of international students differ depending on their level of studies, undergraduate vs. graduate (Rai 2002). While student affairs professionals are often the first contacts for all international students, and they play a key role in the integration and development of international graduate students on campus (Brandenburg 2016), most higher education institutions and their student affairs units today are not yet prepared to serve international graduate students (Arokiasamy 2011; Burdzinski 2014; Castellanos et al., 2007; Di Maria 2012; Moswela and Mukhopadhyay 2011; Yakaboski and Perozzi 2018). The purpose of this study is to understand the perspectives of student affairs professional about their role in integrating international graduate students into campus and the policies, services, programs, and other elements they consider most helpful in integrating these students.

Developing Social Justice and Inclusion Competencies Through Semi-Structured Reflection Papers

2021 ◽  
pp. 1158-1174
Author(s):  
Annemarie Vaccaro ◽  
Brooke D'Aloisio ◽  
Tiffany Hoyt ◽  
Athina Chartelain ◽  
Sarah D Croft ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Student Affairs Professionals ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Competency Development ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
University Employees ◽  
Cultural Inclusion

As higher education institutions strive to foster cultural inclusion, it is imperative that university employees develop relevant competencies. This chapter offers insight into one “best practice” for fostering social justice and inclusion competencies (ACPA/NASPA, 2015). A professor and former students discuss the benefits of using self-reflection papers for competency development. The chapter begins with an overview of social justice and inclusion competencies for higher education and student affairs professionals. That section is followed by a description of graduate-level courses and reflection paper assignments aimed at developing social justice and inclusion competencies. The majority of the chapter focuses on the educational process (e.g., meaning-making, critical reflection) and products (e.g., awareness, knowledge, skills, action) of semi-structured reflection papers. Recommendations for future practice and research are included.

Foreign-Born Student Affairs Professionals’ Impacts and Experiences: The Missing Piece of Internationalization

2021 ◽  
pp. 102831532110527
Author(s):  
Sanfeng Miao ◽  
Haishan (Sam) Yang
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
International Student ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Student Affairs Professionals ◽  
The United States ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Canadian Higher Education ◽  
International Engagement

This study examined lived experiences of foreign-born student affairs professionals (SAPs) in the United States and Canadian higher education. We sought to understand foreign-born SAPs’ impacts on higher education internationalization and what their professional experiences inferred about the level of international engagement in the field of student affairs. The findings from 35 completed interviews unveiled foreign-born SAPs’ enthusiasm and capacities in contributing to internationalization work, particularly in international student services and international and intercultural education for domestic students and peers. However, their rocky journeys to attain visas to enter and stay in the field of student affairs indicated their misplaced functionalities and signaled a missed opportunity for higher education institutions. It is recommended that higher education institutions recognize the importance of internationalizing the SAP and creating a welcoming and supportive environment to further their internationalization efforts.

Aspiring Social Justice Ally Identity Development: A Conceptual Model

NASPA Journal ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith E. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Student Affairs Professionals ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Social Justice Allies ◽  
Ally Identity

Individuals who are supportive of social justice efforts are not always effective in their anti-oppression efforts. Some who genuinely aspire to act as social justice allies are harmful, ultimately, despite their best intentions, perpetuating the system of oppression they seek to change. Different underlying motivations of those who aspire to be allies can lead to differences in effectiveness, consistency, outcome, and sustainability. The conceptual model presented here, using underlying motivation to frame the different issues and challenges facing those who are aspiring allies, is offered as a tool for student affairs professionals’ self-reflection and developing students as allies for social justice.

The Student Affairs Profession in the Academic Marketplace

NASPA Journal ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan B. Hirt
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Student Affairs Professionals ◽  
Academic Affairs ◽  
Seven Principles ◽  
Market Driven ◽  
Principles Of Good Practice ◽  
The Way

This essay compares the narratives that have emerged in recent years to describe the higher education enterprise with the narratives used to describe student affairs’ endeavors. I posit that the way in which student affairs professionals present their agenda is out of sync with the market-driven culture of the academy. The seven Principles of Good Practice are used to illustrate the incongruence between student affairs and academic affairs narratives on campus. I offer ways that those Principles can be recast to be more closely aligned with the new academic marketplace.

Book Review: A Legal Guide for Student Affairs Professionals

NASPA Journal ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald D. Gehring
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
Student Affairs Professionals ◽  
The Law

Bill Kaplin and Barbara Lee let their readers know up front - on the book's cover in fact - that "A Legal Guide for Student Affairs Professionals" has been adapted from their highly regarded third edition of "The Law of Higher Education" [LHE3](1995) ("the big red book," as my students refer to it). The authors have included material already presented in LHE3 but have completely reorganized, updated, and edited the earlier work.

Educating future managers for a culturally diverse workspace: Using course as a living laboratory

2021 ◽  
pp. 30-41
Author(s):  
Darko Pantelic ◽  
Peter Brandstaetter ◽  
Emilia Florin Samuelsson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
International Assignments ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Multicultural Environment ◽  
Intercultural Encounters ◽  
Intercultural Interactions

Society is increasingly becoming multicultural, with more pressure to improve the quality of intercultural interactions. Higher education institutions are experiencing internationalization through increased mobility of students and faculty, which creates the need to manage diversity with the imperative of smoothing communication, reducing stress and making studying and working in a multicultural environment more efficient. Employers also dictate a need to educate culturally competent professionals, who are capable of succeeding in a globalized environment characterized by increased workforce mobility and international assignments. Intercultural competences discourse has a long track with researchers and practitioners, without any agreement on its definition or measurement, but with a clear message that cultural diversity will not result in increased intercultural competences. In this paper, intercultural competences are viewed as a transversal learning outcome, considering the increasing internationalization of higher education institutions. The research is qualitative in nature, based on the analysis of course evaluations and an open-ended survey. This study used a purposeful sample of current and former students who have been exposed to a diverse intercultural environment while studying at an international business school in Sweden. Based on the findings, a course design is suggested where exposure to cultural diversity is guided and facilitated by bringing students to collaborate in an assignment-driven context, with a culturally diverse group composition. Lecture-based components of the course are balanced with the addition of a component of self-reflection assignment, providing both culturally specific and general knowledge, thus contributing to the ability to extrapolate the experience on future intercultural encounters.

scholarly journals DIGI-HE – A Strategic Reflection Tool on Digitalisation at European Higher Education Institutions

2020 ◽  
pp. 289-298
Author(s):  
Ulf-Daniel Ehlers ◽  
Patricia Bonaudo
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Internationalisation Strategies

Digitalisation is an issue of growing importance at all higher education institutions (HEIs). It is often developed and driven bottom-up. In this regard, the intended self-assessment tool that the present paper aims to present “DIGI-HE” will support higher education institutions in developing their individual approaches to foster digitisation, methodological and conceptual approach. The present paper will outline the methodological procedure of design and subsequent validation of the tool. In a time when experimentation with, and mainstreaming of digital technology use is progressing to develop holistic strategies that encompass learning and teaching, research and innovation, as well as cooperation and outreach DIGI-HE will represent a self-reflection tool adapted to higher education to support the institutional efforts, to develop and implement strategies, which purposeful and holistic in comprising both missions, education and research. It will also furthermore attach particular importance to the need for dialogue among all actors and stakeholders in digitalisation, and address areas of activities relation to cooperation and outreach, including internationalisation strategies and practices.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document