NASPA Region I Newsletter August 2005 Vol 3 Issue 8 MULTICULTURALISM in the Context of Institutional CHANGE and Strategic PRIORITIES The NASPA Student Affairs Multicultural Institute will gather student affairs professionals and faculty to address contemporary issues concerning diversity and multiculturalism on college campuses. Issues of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, religion, and ability will provide the foundations for an organizational and institutional change discourse. The Institute will be an engaging forum to discuss the opportunities and creative solutions for the development and sustenance of a diverse campus community. Session topics and plenary speakers will address the new majority and changing demographics in today's higher education arena. Target Audiences Senior-Level Student Affairs Professionals General Student Affairs Administrators Diversity Educators Higher Education and Student Affairs Graduate Faculty Graduate Students December 8th 19th, Las Vegas, Nevada Critical Issues Cultural competencies and intercultural communication Institutional and organizational change through strategic partnerships The new majority and changing demographics Connections between diversity and student learning For Hotel, Registrations and schedule information please go to: http://www.naspa.org and go to the Professional Development webpage INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Are Safe Zones Really Safe for Transgender Students? 2 & 4 Effective management strategies for the di- IEKC Exchange to Montreal Canada 3 & 4 Institute on College Values 5 NASPA 88th Annul Conference 5 The NASPA Melvene D. Hardee Dissertation of the Year 5 Nuggets of Wisdom 6 Getting Involved in NASPA 6 Constitution Day 6 Region I Summer Report 7, 8, 9 & 10 Silent Auction News 10
August 2005 July 2005 Vol 3 Issue 87 Page 2 Are Safe Zones Really Safe for Transgender Students? By Bill Boerner, GLBT Knowledge Community Chair, NASPA Region I We all have them, the small stickers or signs on our office doors that say Safe Zone or Supportive Space. Frequently many of these have a rainbow or some reference to everyone being welcome to discuss, explore, or share ideas in the space. Many Student Affairs professionals display these signs with pride, feeling as though they are open to students to discuss such issues as race, personal relationships, and gay and lesbian issues. Unfortunately, just displaying these signs does not guarantee that you will be an expert on a certain topic or personally feel comfortable about an issue. The point is that you are able to listen, provide feedback, and possibly refer the student to a better resource if you cannot provide the guidance or support they are seeking. What happens if there is no one to refer to? Such may be the case for transgendered students on many of our campuses. Many Student Affairs professionals can listen and be there for their students, but do they truly know how their institution can support and benefit Transgendered students in their development? Do they even know the proper person on their campus to send the student to for mentorship or guidance? Many professionals would quickly look toward their GLBT campus center or some colleague who may advise many gay and lesbian students. Although these are excellent places to start, many times they may not have the proper knowledge either. Adding the T to a campus center name, does not necessary guarantee that all students questioning their gender identity will feel comfortable coming to these spaces. Some colleges do not provide programming and/or education on this topic for their students and many transgender students do not readily combine with the gay and lesbian student population. Although there are no concrete national numbers regarding the increase in transgendered students, their presence is being felt on many campuses, especially here in New England. In an effort to increase the knowledge and awareness for these students here is a list of appropriate resources to gain more information and increase knowledge. Human Rights Campaign - Transgender 101 http://www.hrc.org/content/navigationmenu/hrc/get_informed/issues/ Transgender_Issues1/Transgender_101/Transgender_101.htm Girls will be Boys T. Eve Greenaway, an article discussing female to male transgenderism within U.S. colleges and universities. http://www.alternet.org/story/11017/ Transgender Law and Policy Institute - http://www.transgenderlaw.org How Colleges and Universities Can Improve their Environments for TG/TS Students Lynn Conway, http:// ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/ts/college.html TG/TS/IS Information Links and References Lynn Conway, http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/ts/ TGTSISLinks.html Educating yourself is a great first step. Here are some other points to ponder when thinking about supporting transgender students on your campus. Has your department or division had any type of diversity training where transgender student issues were discussed? What about a specific training on transgenderism? What type of Equal Opportunity protection is provided for your students? Typically sexual orientation is included in a college s statement, yet this does not protect transgender students, faculty, or staff. Inclusions of gender identity or gender expression are helpful additions to these policies. Is the Health Center staff aware of transgender issues and is there someone prepared to help students during a medical or counseling need? What type of housing accommodations are available to students and is the Residential Life staff fully oriented toward transgender student and community issues? How can the process of changing records be improved and or created? Continued on Page 4
August 2005 Vol 3 Issue 8 Page 3 IEKC Exchange to Montreal Canada By: Laura De Veau, Boston University It s ok, everyone up there speaks English, these words were refreshing to hear, and frankly they were a bit of a security blanket for me as I moved forward with the idea of bringing a group of NASPA members to Montreal for what was being called a mini exchange program. Someone much more worldly than I was more accurate, Even if they do speak English, they don t use the same language as us. This is what made the trip s planning a bit more challenging. There is no student affairs in Montreal. There s student services ; there s student support ; there s even student life. No student affairs. This made for determining just who we should be meeting with and what we would be talking about that much more complex, and frankly, I was concerned if there was anything that we would learn from our neighbors to the North I mean we are the seat of student development, here in the U.S. of A., right? As I learned a long time ago, ethnocentricity is an ugly shade of red, white and blue and I couldn t have been more wrong about the value of meeting with our esteemed colleagues. During the dates of July 18-21st four members of NASPA Region I all traveled to the campuses of Concordia University, Universite de Montreal and McGill University in Montreal, Canada. The participants, Pamela Wells from Plymouth State University (NH), Carolyn Norris from Boston University (MA) and Miriam Krueger from Roger Williams University (RI) traveled throughout the city on the very efficient Metro system, and found their way on the campuses thanks to various administrators who acted as our guides for the days. Like in the states, each campus had their own culture: McGill was considered the grand dame of higher education in Montreal. Located in a gated downtown campus, McGill is an impressive physical presence, while the Universite de Montreal sat aloft on the top of the mountain overlooking the rest of the city whose name it bears. Considered a top program in Law and Medicine, the Universite de Montreal is a strictly French speaking campus, and Anglophones beware they don t speak your high school level French. Concordia University is situated in the heart of Montreal, and their buildings are intermingled with businesses, restaurants and other Montreal attractions. Concordia is proud of their excellent track record in providing educational opportunities for non traditional students, and according to administrators the average age of their 38,000 students is 24.5. Concordia s enrolment has increased 35% in the last six years, mostly due to their achievements in effectively servicing this population. Since the Canadian government, and the Quebec province support each of these schools, they receive a great deal of funding from the government. Quebecquoi students can attend any of the three schools for around $1800/year Canadian. Canadian students from outside of province pay about double that amount, while international students pay close to $10,000/ year Canadian for the opportunity to study at any of these institutions. It is for this reason, that schools have become excellent at rationalizing the use of resources and accounting for what is utilized by their students. All of the participants were very impressed with the fact that at all of the Universities, staff members were quick to tout their respective statistics. They knew in the blink of an eye exactly how many students received a psychological assessment, or came to the international support services office for assistance, or how many peer leaders they had working across functional areas. It is something that is rooted in necessity, as Dr. Linda Jacobs Starkey, Associate Dean of Students at McGill stated, We always must show that we have value, or the money may not be there next year, and even then, there may be no guarantee that a specific service will be funded. It is important for us to show our good work. Truly, a philosophy that we can all learn from. Continued on Page 4 Tour of the McGill Residence Halls
August 2005 Vol 3 Issue 8 Page 4 IEKC Exchange to Montreal Canada Possibly as an offshoot of this attention to detail, structurally one finds no discernable overlap or repetition of services, and consequently, we were all very impressed with the support and collegiality that is expressed between offices at each institution. At McGill University, for example, the First Year Programs office coordinates the recruitment of all student peer leaders, regardless of the program that they are ultimately going to be involved in (i.e. health and wellness educator; career peer counselor; orientation volunteer, etc.). At Concordia University, the Office of Counseling Services provides intakes for mental health concerns, ongoing psychological counseling, career counseling and academic advising (they boasted over 41,000 visits last year). And possibly one of the most unique offices was found at the Universite de Montreal where the Office of Career Services coordinated the advising of students in their academic pursuits all the way to searching for and finding a job. As the Vice Rector (Vice President), Martha Crago said, We see the first three or four years at the University as a part of a students career, and we want to create a more seamless experience for them. The trip also provided us with an opportunity to attend one of the many performances at the Juste Pour Rire (Just for Laughs) comedy festival, as well as some sight seeing in Old Montreal, along with some wonderful food and conversation. The accommodations were in an apartment style residence hall owned and operated by McGill University that is located a few Metro stops away from their main campus. The trip allowed for us to develop wonderful relationships with these institutions and we are hopeful for future trips that will allow for us to learn more from these wonderful Universities that are educating a combined total of close to 120,000 students annually. If you would like to learn more about the program, contact Laura De Veau at ladeveau@bu.edu. Are Safe Zones Really Safe for Transgender Students? Continued from Page 2 This small list can spark many more challenges and discussions on our college campuses, but ones that will be worthwhile to provide education for both Student and Academic Affairs. Many colleges are taking the issues on an individual basis, but it seems clear that the time to act is now. Spend some time with your colleagues discussing this issue, bring an article to a meeting for everyone to discuss, or speak with your student population about what can be done to support our transgendered students. The least that you can do is think about your Safe Zone sticker. Are you prepared to be a safe haven for a transgendered student? The GLBT Knowledge Community will be available to discuss this timely topic and many more at the NASPA Region One conference this November. Please also note the following drive-in conference coming soon: Transgendered Students and Women s Colleges: A Conversation Open to Faculty, Staff, and Students at Women s Colleges Friday, December 9, 2005 Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA Contact wboerner@mtholyoke.edu for more information
August 2005 Vol 3 Issue 8 Page 5 Institute on College Values Plan to attend the 16 th annual Institute on College Student Values that will be held February 2-4, 2006 on the campus of Florida State University. This year s theme will be Finding Wholeness: Students Search for Meaning and Purpose in College and will focus on educational strategies used by colleges and universities to promote the holistic development in their students. More information about the featured speakers, call for programs and registration along with the Institute brochure is available at www.collegevalues.org/institute.cfm. NASPA 88 th ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 11-15, 2006 Call for Programs Deadline Fast Approaching! You promised yourself you would do it this year, so its time to put your thoughts into action! The deadline to submit a program proposal for consideration for the NASPA 2006 is September 9 that date is fast approaching, but you still have time to get your proposal in! The 2006 conference will be held in Washington D.C. March 11 15. The theme for this year s conference is Individual Commitment Collective Action and the program committee is looking forward to reviewing proposals that explore advocacy, engagement, and action related to these areas. The possibilities for thoughtful contributions are endless! We invite you to visit www.naspa.org/conference/ and click on the Call for Programs link to learn more about the conference theme and to familiarize yourself with the process of submitting a program proposal (and remember that we are introducing poster sessions at this year s conference be sure to consider this option as well!). Each program submission will be reviewed by five peer reviewers, and program selections will be announced later this fall. If you have any questions about the process, please contact Sandy Hubler, 2006 Program Committee Chair, at shubler@gmu.edu or 703-993-8760. We look forward to hearing from you! The NASPA Melvene D. Hardee Dissertation of the Year Award The Hardee Dissertation of the Year Award is designed to encourage high-quality research relevant to the field of college student services administration and the general field of student affairs, and to recognize outstanding dissertation research conducted by doctoral degree recipients presently in or intending to enter the student affairs profession. Requirements: Entrants to the Hardee Award competition must have completed their dissertation and had their degree conferred between September 1, 2004, and August 31, 2005. To Apply: To obtain application materials and/or additional information, contact: Dr. Robert Schwartz, 113 Stone, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4452 Deadline: Completed application materials must be received by September 16, 2005
August 2005 Vol 3 Issue 8 Page 6 Nuggets of Wisdom for the New Professional / Graduate Student From the Region I Advisory Board Becoming a member of a professional organization isn t enough; attend your regional conference, be a volunteer (at a conference) or attend a drive-in workshop. The people you ll meet at these events and the knowledge you ll gain are invaluable! One Reason Why You Should Get More Involved in NASPA: To Keep abreast of the latest best practices and issues in Student Affairs. Constitution Day September 17th Each educational institution that receives Federal funds for a fiscal year shall hold an educational program on the United States Constitution on September 17 of such year for the students served by the educational institution. "For purposes of the Department's implementation of this requirement, "educational institutions" includes but is not limited to "local educational agencies" and "institutions of higher education" receiving Federal funding from the Department of Education. Notice of Implementation from The Federal Register March 24, 2005. NASPA has developed a Constitution Implementation Guide which can be found at http://www.naspa.org/policy/constitutionday.cfm
August 2005 Vol 3 Issue 8 Page 7 NASPA Region I Summer Report NASPA Region 1 Report June 16, 2005 (July National Board Meeting) Craig Hutchinson, Region 1 Vice President On June 8 and 9, 2005, the Region 1 Advisory Board gathered for its annual retreat at Little Compton Rhode Island. Reports regarding the past year indicated a successful addressing of the needs of Region 1 NASPA members and planning during the two days portends an even more successful year to come. While many specific outcomes from our discussions are reflected in the summary below, the following major issues were focused on during our time together: NASPA communications with membership (in preparation for the July National Board Retreat discussion). Specific strategizing for region 1 participation in the 6% in 06 membership initiative. Response to the report from the chair as to planning for this the annual conference in November. Our KC strategy for the ensuing year. Our plan of action for meeting the needs of our membership for the next year..all within the context of the goals of NASPA and those of President Keppler. Goal A: To provide professional development to our members through the creation and dissemination of high quality experiences, information and exemplary models of practice. Planning for the annual November conference, Designing Today for a Stronger Tomorrow is in full swing. Dr. Bill Grace of the Center for Ethical Leadership will keynote. Pre-conference offering will focus on FERPA, Ethical Leadership In A Global Society, Facebook issues, and Coffee and Conversation (a discussion of current outstanding reading materials). Conference Chair, Gina Grubb Frank, is providing strong leadership for the committee working hard to make this year s event at Sturbridge, Massachusetts (November 6-9) another in the long history of memorable Region 1 conferences. In February, the New Professionals and Graduate Students KC presented it s All of the Above Conference providing position search assistance to members of the region. Massachusetts NASPA co-sponsored this event. NASPA Mid-Level Institute 2005 will successfully draw to conclusion on June 17 at the University of Southern Maine. Over twenty mid-level folks have attended four sessions throughout the spring at four New England colleges and universities. This continues to be a showcase event in the Region 1 strategy to target the various stages of the profession for special development activities and programs (along with our Undergraduate Program at the annual conference, the new professional series of programs and a heightened specific attention to SSAOs over the past several years). MASAP (MAINE) presented Spring Summit in April; the second installment of a two part program presented by former Region 1 Vice President Sheila Murphy, of Simmons College on parental involvement. This event was hosted by the University of New England. Knowledge Community Coordinator Hollie Ingraham has announced the KC guidance principles for the upcoming year: Each KC will be represented in the program line-up at the annual conference. Display tables for the KCs will be provided at the conference. KC tables will, again, be identified during a breakfast at the conference for those who wish to connect in this manner.
August 2005 Vol 3 Issue 8 Page 8 NASPA Region I Summer Report (continued) A KC will be highlighted in each issue of the monthly regional newsletter. August: Small Colleges and Universities September: GLBT Issues November : Overall KC Issues December: Spirituality January: Administrators In Graduate and Professional Student Services February: Latino/a Affairs March: New Professionals and Graduate Students Massachusetts is planning a drive-in conference focusing on student affairs in catholic colleges on August 9 with a MA NASPA Social following that event. Connecticut is hosting a drive in conference on June 24 at the University of Connecticut at Waterbury addressing the current craze represented by thefacebook.com and thedailyjolt.com. Stuart Brown, Connecticut State Director, is the contact (stuart.brown@uconn.edu) Goals for the Region1 New Professionals and Graduate Students KC include: Engage and recruit new professionals and graduate students to NASPA. Provide networking opportunities. Develop and disseminate information about NASPA, the student affairs profession and the position search process. Provide a connection on the regional and national levels. Solicit feedback and suggestions. Another RD Institute On Judicial Affairs is being planned for August 3 or 4. Current contact is Barbara Fienman (BFienman@aol.com) Goal C: To promote pluralism, diversity, and internationalism in NASPA and the profession. The Third Annual New England Latino Student Leadership Conference was hosted by the College of the Holy Cross in February. La Conferencia de Nuestra Gente Striving Toward Our Destiny: Using Our Past and Present to Build the Future was the third annual event of this nature. A successful event and several hundred attendees were reported by Bob Principe and Mabel Milner our Board co-chairs. Planning for the 2006 conference is underway> Dartmouth College will host. The Region1 International Education KC is hard at work. Resources are being identified for members regarding student services in other countries. In particular, information has been sought about China, Thailand and other Asian countries. A mini-exchange program with Concordia University, McGill University and Universite de Montreal is scheduled for July 18-21. KC Chair Barbara Fienman is the contact (bfienman@aol.com). A graduate student drive-in is being planned for January 2006 at the University of Connecticut focusing on Future Issues In Student Affairs. The GLBT Issues KC is planning an event for November focusing on women s colleges and transgender issues. An Ivy League Summit is being planned by the Graduate and Professional Student Services KC A Spirituality Retreat is being developed through the Spirituality KC.
August 2005 Vol 3 Issue 8 Page 9 NASPA Region I Summer Report (continued) Goal D: To provide leadership for promoting, assessing and supporting student learning and development. Maine NASPA (MASAP) is well into planning for the annual conference scheduled for October 14, 2005 at the University of Maine at Augusta. Organizers foresee continuing what has become an attendance level of around 100 as the theme is Learning Re-considered and Dr. Jane Fried will be featured as the keynote. Maine State Director Joe Austin is the contact for this event (Austin@usm.maine.edu). Our Maine colleagues will focus on the following objectives during the period leading up to and following the annual gathering in October in support of the membership: Providing face-to-face professional activity within the State. Involving more state colleges and universities from broader constituencies in association activities. Support state-wide initiatives regarding current and anticipated activities in student affairs. Sponsor and implement the annual conference. Make more, and stronger, connections with the Maine Community College System. Make a targeted effort to involve institutions from northern and eastern Maine. Make a targeted effort to involve a greater number of Maine private colleges. Create a structure to identify new professionals in the state with the intent of welcoming and introducing them to NASPA. Create opportunities for networking; particularly within functional areas of the field. Create identification of MASAP and advisory Board membership. Goal E: To maintain, evaluate, and develop a high quality association structure and national office to meet current needs, anticipate future trends, and promote growth. Membership Services Chair Ray Handy, University of New England (Me) reports that region numbers have dropped somewhat over the last year. At its recent annual retreat, the Region 1 Advisory Board agreed to a strategy around membership that calls for increasing membership by 10 members per state (6) and 1 institution per state (6) during the 6% in 06 initiative. Membership chair Ray Handy will work, in particular, with state directors to help them accomplish this targeting graduate students, student affairs titles currently under-represented in the membership numbers, community colleges. The region will also continue its highly successful undergraduate pre-conference at the annual conference in an effort to strategically nurture our newest new professionals. Following a discussion stemming from the Region IV West Membership Pilot Project Proposal, the Board has decided to not target specific affinity groups but to focus, instead, on the strategy described above. The Board has voted to appoint a Corporate Sponsor Liaison. Rich Decapua, the 2004 Conference Chair, has assumed the role. The main function is to ensure a relationship with our sponsors on an on-going basis. A call for a Regional Webmaster is imminent to upgrade and maintain a quality regional web site. Interested parties should contact Craig Hutchinson (craigh@usm.maine.edu).
August 2005 Vol 3 Issue 8 Page 10 8th Annual Silent Auction BID OFTEN, BID HIGH The largest fundraising event of Region I will return this year to the annual conference held in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Having raised thousands of dollars since its inception, proceeds sustain the Regions commitment to students and new professionals in the form of scholarships that subsidize the cost of attendance at our annual conference. In addition to their attendance, recipients of the Catch a Rising Star and the Richard F. Stevens Outstanding Graduate Student Awards are honored at the annual conference. (For information about these and other awards, please visit the Awards link on the NASPA Region I website.) As well as funding scholarships, a portion of the proceeds from the Auction is given to a local non-profit agency in the community in which the conference is held. Among the agencies that have received a contribution are the Juliana Valentine McCourt Children s Education Fund, Voices Against Violence and the Families for Freedom Scholarship Fund. We will continue this practice and again provide a donation to a local nonprofit to be announced next month. How can you contribute to this years Auction? There are three ways for you to get involved with the 8 th Annual Silent Auction. Contributions of virtually any kind (tickets to sporting events or concerts, gift baskets, professional presentations, craft items, gift certificates) are accepted for inclusion in the Auction. Big-ticket-items at previous conferences have included tickets to Red Sox/Patriots games, weekend get-a-ways, wine baskets, quilts and professional training/consulting programs. While contributions make up a large piece of the Auction, the excitement of bidding is another way for conference attendees to get involved. Cash, checks and credit cards are acceptable forms of payment. As you will hear at the conference, Bid Often, Bid High! Lastly, volunteers are an integral part of the execution of this event. Assisting with set-up, break-down, and everything in between, volunteers help to ensure a smooth running Auction year after year. If you are interested in contributing an item to the 8 th Annual Silent Auction or in learning more about volunteering for the Auction, please contact Jen DeBurro at (207)221-4269 or via e-mail at jdeburro@une.edu. NASPA Region I Summer Report Continued Other Region Business Region Treasurer Cherie Withrow has convened a group to discuss formalizing the process for requesting funding. A plan has been developed and approved with organizes the information required and the follow up necessary to help ensure that successful outcomes are realized by expenditure of association funds and that those outcomes are communicated appropriately.. Interest lists distributed after the national conference have been distributed to KC Chairs and other Advisory Board members to facilitate direct follow-up with those expressing interest in NASPA involvement. Nominations Chair David Zamojski has begun work on the upcoming State Director elections for Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Advisory Board positions for Research Director, Vermont State Director (interim appointment through March 2006), the API KC, the Leadership KC, the Fraternity/Sorority KC and the Student Affairs/Academic Affairs KC are available. A representative to the planning committee for an Indigenous KC is also needed. Contact Craig Hutchinson with suggestions/nominations (craigh@usm.maine.edu). The Board has voted to invite all regional members serving NASPA at the national level to sit with the Board at its meetings.