This blog is to support the work of student enrolled in SDS7640, Student Affairs Administration, and their interaction with higher education administrators in other settings.
Greetings from Boston, Massachusetts, home of Emmanuel College and alma mater of Danielle DiRosa and Mike Zakarian, alumni of the USF CSA program. In Student Affairs, there is much connectedness and I am proud to share in common with you these two very fine professionals as well as your professor, Dr. Miller!
Let me start by disclosing that this is my first blog and you are my first blog followers. I am honored to have been invited to join your class on a topic about which I have great passion.
I am the Vice President for Student Affairs at a Catholic College founded by a religious order of women, the Sisters of Notre Dame. Their founder, Saint Julie Billiart was fond of telling her Sisters that “education is the greatest work on earth”. Well stated, I think.
I would characterize my career path as a series of sequential steps – Resident Director, Area Coordinator, Director of Residence Life, Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs. I earned my masters degree three years after my undergraduate degree and my doctorate 16 years later. I have worked at small, medium and large institutions – in reverse order: Emmanuel College (1,700), Saint Mary’s College (2,000), Canisius College (5,000) and University of Massachusetts at Amherst (30,000). My first RD job was in a residential area of 5,000, the size of square city block. It is called Southwest Residential College and I loved it. One of the very best aspects of my career is having worked at different types of institutions and in different parts of the country. Although most of my career has been at smaller Catholic colleges, my affiliations with UMass-Amherst and University at Buffalo (where I earned my doctorate) were very rewarding. I would consider working at a large university as long as I could experience my day-to-day work as student-centered. I would be interested to hear student thoughts on how student affairs professionals at different size institutions can maintain their focus on students. Or is that even important?
In response to what I would have done differently – I tend to be optimistic by nature so there really isn’t anything that comes to mind. I have been privileged to do this work, to be connected to amazing students and to have worked for outstanding professionals like Tom Miller. Dr. Miller hired me as the Dean of Students at Canisius after he was promoted from Dean to Vice President. We worked together for eight years. I think that a key to success (and definitely to professional satisfaction and growth) is having a good supervisor. I would be interested in whether or not you agree and your thoughts about makes a good supervisor in student affairs/higher education. And what knowledge and skills have been helpful to you and/or need to be developed for you to be a good supervisor?
With regard to other keys to success that come to my mind for Student Affairs work: having a clear sense of purpose/mission, developing good judgment, maintaining high energy and enthusiasm, cultivating an institutional perspective, really understanding the needs and interests of your constituents, and demonstrating respect at all times, to everyone. And is probably true with any professional success, working hard. There is an old Peace Corps bumper sticker that read “The hardest job that you will ever love.” I think that applies to Student Affairs. I have always thought that Student Affairs is not for the faint of heart. Would you agree or am I being too idealistic?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts and being in touch tomorrow. Good night.
Hi Dr. Rissmeyer! I am a graduate of the CSA program from Danielle DiRosa's class. I am an academic advisor here at USF and am working on my Ph.D. in Higher Education administration.
I agree that having a good supervisor is important, because inevitably you will need his/her support for dealing with difficult or complicated situations. I also think that having good co-workers is important. You need to know that you can rely on those people that you work with and being able to work together effectively is essential to sanity in the workplace.
What advice do you have for those of us who are at the early/midpoints of our careers who are interested in holding higher-level administrative positions one day?
I’d like to address your question about what makes a good supervisor in student affairs/ higher education. Here is my perspective as student affairs personnel.
Although I am still considerably new in my student affairs career and have only had one supervisor, she is great and I have gleaned knowledge from her in from her role as a department leader in higher education. I think what has been most important to me is the fact that she is not a micro- manager, however, she is well entrenched in affairs when she needs to be. She understands that some workers are at their best when they are able to be creative and have a feeling of autonomy as to be effective contributors to the institution. At the same time, my supervisor makes it clear that she is available when needed and that she will not always have the right answers. However, she does not shy away from a challenge but communicates effectively to each impacted constituent to find the best solution possible.
I think good student affairs supervisors are just as you said in that they have a clear sense of the purpose of the institution. I believe that this drives their vision which in turn affects day-to-day interactions toward fulfilling the mission.
Dr. Rissmeyer: In conjunction with our class reading this week - the question arose concerning Theory or Practice and which is more important As a fellow Catholic institute student affairs professional, I know my preference, but would be interested (and hopefully my fellow classmates would as well) in your perception of would you rather hire a staff member with limited theoretical knowledge (perhaps has an MBA or other graduate degree) but a wealth of practical experience OR an individual with a degree in higher education administation (or similar degree) but limited student affairs practical experience? (Sorry not going to let you pick a combination of both!) - Kenneth Posner, Assistant Vice President for Student Services, Saint Leo University.
Thank you for sharing your perspective, Edna, on what makes a good supervisor. It sounds as if you have had the benefit of a good supervisory role model. In these days of increased accountability, I think that it challenging for supervisors not to micromanage. Your description is hopeful.
Kenneth poses a challenging question, and a situation that I have faced and I suspect he has faced in filling vacancies in a competitive market. The truthful answer is that in most situations I would hold out until I found a candidate that possessed the right academic credential and professional experience. I have re-opened searches and I have made interim appointments in response to a weaker pool of candidates. Without question, it is ideal to have both. Certain positions in student affairs (athletic training, counseling, nursing) require the academic credential and a license. An argument has been made that in order to professionalize student affairs administration we should move in that direction. Overall, I value academic preparation and our colleagues on the faculty and in other administrative areas do as well. Personally, my knowledge of higher education and my understanding of students have earned the professional regard of my colleague vice presidents, deans and the president. That having been said, I have hired several residence hall directors and assistant directors of student activities with bachelor’s degrees and significant experience as undergraduates in the residence halls, on programming boards, in student organizations, on orientation leader teams. At a small college, it would be challenging to do the job in those departments with only a theoretical understanding of students and student affairs. However, as I reflect on who these individuals are, most majored in psychology and/or education at the undergraduate level and came to their position with an understanding of adolescent/young adult development. All were open to pursuing an advanced degree and professional development and did so. Of course, as I write this I am thinking of several excellent colleague deans/vice presidents who have law degrees. It is certainly not clear-cut. But if we don't need the academic preparation, is what we do only 'common sense' or can be learned 'on the job'?
Thanks for blogging our class! This is your first blog and mine as well!
I wanted to address two of your questions -- the one on supervisors and "faint of heart".
I've worked at USF for a very long time and on reflection I thought about the most important issues that made a difference in my experiences here and I focused on supervision (really leadership and mentoring). The best experiences here were with leaders/supervisors that were confident, humorous and (esp) ethical and concerned about those they supervised. All other things being equal -- I've come to the conclusion that the thing that makes the difference in job satisfaction and career ascention is mentoring. Without nurturing and mentoring, I would have floundered for years here. The funny thing is there is also a level of intrusion if a leader decides to mentor someone -- they may see something special in a person that can be developed and encourage that development -- however (and my own attempts to mentor bear this out) a person must want to be accepting of this guidance or it really just seems like intrusion.
As I think more about the relationships between institution's structures and types, I'm, more and more, appreciative of the human issues (relationship issues) and their effect on the quality of lives and wellness of persons in the organization. But because I like to think about institutions as organizations, I more prone, now, to think about the structures and approaches that "cause no harm" to those things that people to do sustain relationships and make the workplace a pleasent place to work.
On your "faint of heart" question, just briefly, I agree with you that its not for the faint of heart. But, for the same reasons, student affairs is also an attractive field. What can be scary, especially for someone new, are the politics and the unpredictability. If a person is shaken by these two things, student affairs can be challenging. I think one way to deal with it is to accept the politics as one of its realities, understand that change is anxiety producing but is inevitable, and be able to deal with ambiguity. But, above all, you really, really, have to have a good sense of humor!
Dr. Rissmeyer, Thank you for your time! Your expertise and mentorship through this blog are exactly what makes academic preparation relevant! "It is certainly not clear-cut. But if we don't need the academic preparation, is what we do only 'common sense' or can be learned 'on the job'?" I am not in the field of student affairs, but in most professions the academic preparation is insufficient to do a job well but is helpful as we experience the situations classrooms simply can't simulate. As an educator, the experiences I've gained from my own classroom far outweigh any I've picked up in a particular college course. While academic preparation is helpful, I think all of those attributes Rob just mentioned are what make an effective leader.
Thank you for investing so much time with our class. This is proving to be a very valuable learning experience.
Nearly as diverse as the national student population are the nation's institutions. I have travelled a serendipitous route to find higher education through the student ministries on public campuses in the South as an undergraduate through serving as a Pastor to Middle and High School students professionally. I read myself into some of your comments in response to Ken regarding theoretical grounding and practiced (field) experience. My experiences as a Pastor to Students have informed and served as an interpretive frame for me to observe Student Affairs work.
I am curious to read your comments about institutional "feel" citing your experiences at both smaller Catholic institutions and larger public institutions like UMass-Amherst. Do the students influence the institutional mission, or is it the reverse, does the institutional mission influence the student? I would imagine that students interpret and internalize the mission of the institution in unique ways and may "move it" incrementally and I would think (and hope) that the institutional mission impact and enrich students in meaningful ways. Interested in your response...Rob
hi, this is maria and I am trying to use this via OpenId... I hope this works. Dr. Rissmeyer it was a pleasure reading your comments. I agree that this work is not for the faint at heart. I have learned over the years and through my career that development happens at many levels. Our role in the lives of students is very important but the role of supervisors can be more important. We have the opportunity to shape and transform lives and minds, without appropriate supervision and mentoring, we can be producing the wrong fit for the field. I believe a 'good' supervisor is one who is honest and trustworthy. For me a supervisor who does not possess those two qualities causes me great unrest. I have to say with Ken's question on 'hiring', I would go with the person who show intent and genuine concern. Theory can be taught, but care and caution used for and with students is innate. My question for Dr. Rissmeyer... do you feel non-Catholics can succeed just at well as Catholics in the Catholic environment in terms of institutional mission and purpose??
So many great comments and I have only one more day!!! I think that I will use today's blog to answer Maria's question as it relates to Dr. Miller's original question about what makes my institution unique. In response to Maria - believe that non-Catholics can be as successful in the Catholic environment as Catholics. Maria uses the terms institutional mission and purpose and understanding these is the key to success in any institution. Some non-Catholic professionals with whom I have worked have demonstrated a greater interest and commitment to the Catholic intellectual tradition and the ideals of the founding religious order than their Catholic colleagues. Absolutely, 100%, people of other traditions can be successful at Catholic College. Please ask Dr. Miller about this. He was a shining example at Canisius. With regard to how my institution is unique - we openly discuss matters of religion and faith and require 12 credits in philosophy and religious studies. We promote social justice and advocacy for the poor and marginalized and do so within the Catholic Social Tradition framework. Our service programs include reflection and in many cases prayer. And (to get to the areas most often associated with Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges) although we do allow overnight visitation in the residence halls, we also have a statement in our student handbook, " . . . it is important to emphasize that as a Catholic College, Emmanuel does not condone sexual activity in the residence halls and calls student to behave in a moral, ethical and respectful manner at all times." We do not provide condoms in our Health Center. We have a very strong sense of community on our campus and although that characteristic of small colleges but many associate with the 'care for the individual' that is linked with a religiously affiliated institution. We are an urban college with limited space and that influences our every day life. Our spaces must be multi-purpose. For example, one of the rooms in our student center is turned over (with different set-ups) multiple times a day -- for a meeting, a lecture, a social, as a green room for a performer etc. We couldn't offer the number of programs that you would expect without multi-purposing space. As an urban campus (in the Northeast) we are intentional about educating our students to being friendly -- opening doors, saying hello. The streets around are busy, and the people are not making eye contact. We strive to be true to our mission of providing a caring, friendly community. We are a formerly women's college and many of our traditions have a feminine feel. But we have been coed since 2001 and we have been very successful at building on our wonderful traditions and adding new and interesting programs. By far, being part of that has been one of the most exciting parts of my career. In summary, although there are some challenges to working in student affairs at a Catholic college (in particular some of the issues having to do with sexuality education), for the most part, the philosophy, mission and tradition of 'developing the whole student' (to quote the Jesuits) is quite consistent with student affairs. Students really matter and programs and services and professionals that develop them do too. Tomorrow I will address my last question having to do with a difficult situation. That topic will be budget cuts. I really appreciate your reflections.
Dr. Rissmeyer: Thanks so much for your willingness to blog with our class! I too have learned much from these posts. I'll await your post on budget cuts and hope you'll address your strategy for budget development in tough economic times. Do you have several "plans" in place depending on differentials in revenue flow?
Thanks for you input Dr. Rissmeyer. I am Catholic and I know of many non-practicing Catholics! LOL. I was just wondering on the acceptance and preservation of Catholic tradition and your comments gave me good insight.
Have a great weekend and it was nice interacting with you.
Greetings from Boston, Massachusetts, home of Emmanuel College and alma mater of Danielle DiRosa and Mike Zakarian, alumni of the USF CSA program. In Student Affairs, there is much connectedness and I am proud to share in common with you these two very fine professionals as well as your professor, Dr. Miller!
ReplyDeleteLet me start by disclosing that this is my first blog and you are my first blog followers. I am honored to have been invited to join your class on a topic about which I have great passion.
I am the Vice President for Student Affairs at a Catholic College founded by a religious order of women, the Sisters of Notre Dame. Their founder, Saint Julie Billiart was fond of telling her Sisters that “education is the greatest work on earth”. Well stated, I think.
I would characterize my career path as a series of sequential steps – Resident Director, Area Coordinator, Director of Residence Life, Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs. I earned my masters degree three years after my undergraduate degree and my doctorate 16 years later. I have worked at small, medium and large institutions – in reverse order: Emmanuel College (1,700), Saint Mary’s College (2,000), Canisius College (5,000) and University of Massachusetts at Amherst (30,000). My first RD job was in a residential area of 5,000, the size of square city block. It is called Southwest Residential College and I loved it. One of the very best aspects of my career is having worked at different types of institutions and in different parts of the country. Although most of my career has been at smaller Catholic colleges, my affiliations with UMass-Amherst and University at Buffalo (where I earned my doctorate) were very rewarding. I would consider working at a large university as long as I could experience my day-to-day work as student-centered. I would be interested to hear student thoughts on how student affairs professionals at different size institutions can maintain their focus on students. Or is that even important?
In response to what I would have done differently – I tend to be optimistic by nature so there really isn’t anything that comes to mind. I have been privileged to do this work, to be connected to amazing students and to have worked for outstanding professionals like Tom Miller. Dr. Miller hired me as the Dean of Students at Canisius after he was promoted from Dean to Vice President. We worked together for eight years. I think that a key to success (and definitely to professional satisfaction and growth) is having a good supervisor. I would be interested in whether or not you agree and your thoughts about makes a good supervisor in student affairs/higher education. And what knowledge and skills have been helpful to you and/or need to be developed for you to be a good supervisor?
With regard to other keys to success that come to my mind for Student Affairs work: having a clear sense of purpose/mission, developing good judgment, maintaining high energy and enthusiasm, cultivating an institutional perspective, really understanding the needs and interests of your constituents, and demonstrating respect at all times, to everyone. And is probably true with any professional success, working hard. There is an old Peace Corps bumper sticker that read “The hardest job that you will ever love.” I think that applies to Student Affairs. I have always thought that Student Affairs is not for the faint of heart. Would you agree or am I being too idealistic?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts and being in touch tomorrow. Good night.
Hi Dr. Rissmeyer!
ReplyDeleteI am a graduate of the CSA program from Danielle DiRosa's class. I am an academic advisor here at USF and am working on my Ph.D. in Higher Education administration.
I agree that having a good supervisor is important, because inevitably you will need his/her support for dealing with difficult or complicated situations. I also think that having good co-workers is important. You need to know that you can rely on those people that you work with and being able to work together effectively is essential to sanity in the workplace.
What advice do you have for those of us who are at the early/midpoints of our careers who are interested in holding higher-level administrative positions one day?
Hello Dr. Rissmeyer,
ReplyDeleteI’d like to address your question about what makes a good supervisor in student affairs/ higher education. Here is my perspective as student affairs personnel.
Although I am still considerably new in my student affairs career and have only had one supervisor, she is great and I have gleaned knowledge from her in from her role as a department leader in higher education. I think what has been most important to me is the fact that she is not a micro- manager, however, she is well entrenched in affairs when she needs to be. She understands that some workers are at their best when they are able to be creative and have a feeling of autonomy as to be effective contributors to the institution. At the same time, my supervisor makes it clear that she is available when needed and that she will not always have the right answers. However, she does not shy away from a challenge but communicates effectively to each impacted constituent to find the best solution possible.
I think good student affairs supervisors are just as you said in that they have a clear sense of the purpose of the institution. I believe that this drives their vision which in turn affects day-to-day interactions toward fulfilling the mission.
Dr. Rissmeyer:
ReplyDeleteIn conjunction with our class reading this week - the question arose concerning Theory or Practice and which is more important As a fellow Catholic institute student affairs professional, I know my preference, but would be interested (and hopefully my fellow classmates would as well) in your perception of would you rather hire a staff member with limited theoretical knowledge (perhaps has an MBA or other graduate degree) but a wealth of practical experience OR an individual with a degree in higher education administation (or similar degree) but limited student affairs practical experience? (Sorry not going to let you pick a combination of both!) - Kenneth Posner, Assistant Vice President for Student Services, Saint Leo University.
Thank you for sharing your perspective, Edna, on what makes a good supervisor. It sounds as if you have had the benefit of a good supervisory role model. In these days of increased accountability, I think that it challenging for supervisors not to micromanage. Your description is hopeful.
ReplyDeleteKenneth poses a challenging question, and a situation that I have faced and I suspect he has faced in filling vacancies in a competitive market. The truthful answer is that in most situations I would hold out until I found a candidate that possessed the right academic credential and professional experience. I have re-opened searches and I have made interim appointments in response to a weaker pool of candidates. Without question, it is ideal to have both. Certain positions in student affairs (athletic training, counseling, nursing) require the academic credential and a license. An argument has been made that in order to professionalize student affairs administration we should move in that direction. Overall, I value academic preparation and our colleagues on the faculty and in other administrative areas do as well. Personally, my knowledge of higher education and my understanding of students have earned the professional regard of my colleague vice presidents, deans and the president. That having been said, I have hired several residence hall directors and assistant directors of student activities with bachelor’s degrees and significant experience as undergraduates in the residence halls, on programming boards, in student organizations, on orientation leader teams. At a small college, it would be challenging to do the job in those departments with only a theoretical understanding of students and student affairs. However, as I reflect on who these individuals are, most majored in psychology and/or education at the undergraduate level and came to their position with an understanding of adolescent/young adult development. All were open to pursuing an advanced degree and professional development and did so.
Of course, as I write this I am thinking of several excellent colleague deans/vice presidents who have law degrees. It is certainly not clear-cut. But if we don't need the academic preparation, is what we do only 'common sense' or can be learned 'on the job'?
Test
ReplyDeleteDr. Rissmeyer --
ReplyDeleteThanks for blogging our class! This is your first blog and mine as well!
I wanted to address two of your questions -- the one on supervisors and "faint of heart".
I've worked at USF for a very long time and on reflection I thought about the most important issues that made a difference in my experiences here and I focused on supervision (really leadership and mentoring). The best experiences here were with leaders/supervisors that were confident, humorous and (esp) ethical and concerned about those they supervised. All other things being equal -- I've come to the conclusion that the thing that makes the difference in job satisfaction and career ascention is mentoring. Without nurturing and mentoring, I would have floundered for years here. The funny thing is there is also a level of intrusion if a leader decides to mentor someone -- they may see something special in a person that can be developed and encourage that development -- however (and my own attempts to mentor bear this out) a person must want to be accepting of this guidance or it really just seems like intrusion.
As I think more about the relationships between institution's structures and types, I'm, more and more, appreciative of the human issues (relationship issues) and their effect on the quality of lives and wellness of persons in the organization. But because I like to think about institutions as organizations, I more prone, now, to think about the structures and approaches that "cause no harm" to those things that people to do sustain relationships and make the workplace a pleasent place to work.
On your "faint of heart" question, just briefly, I agree with you that its not for the faint of heart. But, for the same reasons, student affairs is also an attractive field. What can be scary, especially for someone new, are the politics and the unpredictability. If a person is shaken by these two things, student affairs can be challenging. I think one way to deal with it is to accept the politics as one of its realities, understand that change is anxiety producing but is inevitable, and be able to deal with ambiguity. But, above all, you really, really, have to have a good sense of humor!
Dr. Rissmeyer,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your time! Your expertise and mentorship through this blog are exactly what makes academic preparation relevant!
"It is certainly not clear-cut. But if we don't need the academic preparation, is what we do only 'common sense' or can be learned 'on the job'?"
I am not in the field of student affairs, but in most professions the academic preparation is insufficient to do a job well but is helpful as we experience the situations classrooms simply can't simulate. As an educator, the experiences I've gained from my own classroom far outweigh any I've picked up in a particular college course. While academic preparation is helpful, I think all of those attributes Rob just mentioned are what make an effective leader.
Rod...not Rob...sorry.
ReplyDeletei just wrote 4 paragraphs and they all got lost.
ReplyDeleteDr. Rissmeyer,
ReplyDeleteThank you for investing so much time with our class. This is proving to be a very valuable learning experience.
Nearly as diverse as the national student population are the nation's institutions. I have travelled a serendipitous route to find higher education through the student ministries on public campuses in the South as an undergraduate through serving as a Pastor to Middle and High School students professionally. I read myself into some of your comments in response to Ken regarding theoretical grounding and practiced (field) experience. My experiences as a Pastor to Students have informed and served as an interpretive frame for me to observe Student Affairs work.
I am curious to read your comments about institutional "feel" citing your experiences at both smaller Catholic institutions and larger public institutions like UMass-Amherst. Do the students influence the institutional mission, or is it the reverse, does the institutional mission influence the student? I would imagine that students interpret and internalize the mission of the institution in unique ways and may "move it" incrementally and I would think (and hope) that the institutional mission impact and enrich students in meaningful ways. Interested in your response...Rob
hi, this is maria and I am trying to use this via OpenId... I hope this works.
ReplyDeleteDr. Rissmeyer it was a pleasure reading your comments. I agree that this work is not for the faint at heart. I have learned over the years and through my career that development happens at many levels. Our role in the lives of students is very important but the role of supervisors can be more important. We have the opportunity to shape and transform lives and minds, without appropriate supervision and mentoring, we can be producing the wrong fit for the field. I believe a 'good' supervisor is one who is honest and trustworthy. For me a supervisor who does not possess those two qualities causes me great unrest.
I have to say with Ken's question on 'hiring', I would go with the person who show intent and genuine concern. Theory can be taught, but care and caution used for and with students is innate.
My question for Dr. Rissmeyer... do you feel non-Catholics can succeed just at well as Catholics in the Catholic environment in terms of institutional mission and purpose??
So many great comments and I have only one more day!!! I think that I will use today's blog to answer Maria's question as it relates to Dr. Miller's original question about what makes my institution unique. In response to Maria - believe that non-Catholics can be as successful in the Catholic environment as Catholics. Maria uses the terms institutional mission and purpose and understanding these is the key to success in any institution. Some non-Catholic professionals with whom I have worked have demonstrated a greater interest and commitment to the Catholic intellectual tradition and the ideals of the founding religious order than their Catholic colleagues. Absolutely, 100%, people of other traditions can be successful at Catholic College. Please ask Dr. Miller about this. He was a shining example at Canisius.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to how my institution is unique - we openly discuss matters of religion and faith and require 12 credits in philosophy and religious studies. We promote social justice and advocacy for the poor and marginalized and do so within the Catholic Social Tradition framework. Our service programs include reflection and in many cases prayer. And (to get to the areas most often associated with Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges) although we do allow overnight visitation in the residence halls, we also have a statement in our student handbook, " . . . it is important to emphasize that as a Catholic College, Emmanuel does not condone sexual activity in the residence halls and calls student to behave in a moral, ethical and respectful manner at all times." We do not provide condoms in our Health Center. We have a very strong sense of community on our campus and although that characteristic of small colleges but many associate with the 'care for the individual' that is linked with a religiously affiliated institution.
We are an urban college with limited space and that influences our every day life. Our spaces must be multi-purpose. For example, one of the rooms in our student center is turned over (with different set-ups) multiple times a day -- for a meeting, a lecture, a social, as a green room for a performer etc. We couldn't offer the number of programs that you would expect without multi-purposing space. As an urban campus (in the Northeast) we are intentional about educating our students to being friendly -- opening doors, saying hello. The streets around are busy, and the people are not making eye contact. We strive to be true to our mission of providing a caring, friendly community.
We are a formerly women's college and many of our traditions have a feminine feel. But we have been coed since 2001 and we have been very successful at building on our wonderful traditions and adding new and interesting programs. By far, being part of that has been one of the most exciting parts of my career.
In summary, although there are some challenges to working in student affairs at a Catholic college (in particular some of the issues having to do with sexuality education), for the most part, the philosophy, mission and tradition of 'developing the whole student' (to quote the Jesuits) is quite consistent with student affairs. Students really matter and programs and services and professionals that develop them do too.
Tomorrow I will address my last question having to do with a difficult situation. That topic will be budget cuts.
I really appreciate your reflections.
Dr. Rissmeyer: Thanks so much for your willingness to blog with our class! I too have learned much from these posts. I'll await your post on budget cuts and hope you'll address your strategy for budget development in tough economic times. Do you have several "plans" in place depending on differentials in revenue flow?
ReplyDeleteMelanie Jackson
Thanks for you input Dr. Rissmeyer. I am Catholic and I know of many non-practicing Catholics! LOL. I was just wondering on the acceptance and preservation of Catholic tradition and your comments gave me good insight.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend and it was nice interacting with you.