1 SPRING 2015

^

FALL/SPRING 2015 First T

he

Issue ^

24 PAGES OF FASCINATING ARTICLES HIGHLIGHTING HOT TOPICS, EMERGING

TRENDS, AND SELF BRANDING

CHALLENGE, INNOVATE, AND LEARN.

2 SPRING 2015

Hello and Welcome! This is the first issue of [Professional Development] @Suffolk! Within the division of student affairs, the professional development committee has worked, tirelessly, to think of new and effective means of providing high quality outcomes and learning opportunities for its divisional members. The truth is, it’s hard! I know that. You know that. We all know that! Every person is different, but many times we find that new professionals, as nerve-racking as it may be, are incredi-bly eager to put themselves out there. They end up signing up for every webinar, drive-in, regional, and national confer-ence. As time goes by, these pro-fessionals find themselves at another fork in the road; they have to decide which path is right for them. Either the path of continued interest in learn-ing from others, or deciding that they may not necessarily need those platforms to achieve goals and do their jobs well. Of course, that’s a black and white example and we all know that’s not how life always functions. Now take this second and reflect. Have you ever had these thoughts? Where are you in your professional journey? Yes, mid-level and senior-level profes-sionals, you’re not excluded. Understanding that even

the most ambitious and lifelong learner can’t make it to every conference or webinar, we have decided to provide divisional partners with the opportunity to continue learning, developing, and gaining a new level of respect for what our colleagues have to share with our community. This magazine will be entirely written by Suffolk University professionals. These authors will engage and challenge you around hot topics, emerging trends, relevant issues, cultural norms, and all centered around the Suffolk University experience and how it impacts our work. As this magazine continues to grow, we are looking for interested writers to produce articles that are captivating, energizing, and challenging for the readers. Write about relevant issues or emerging trends we see happening, or impacting our work! We believe that leaving the guidelines vague will provide us with an abundance of ideas and interest. Who can submit articles: Graduate Fellows Staff Assistants New Professionals Mid-Level Senior-Level

What to write about: Relevant to your

professional (or personal) experience;

Relevant to your work with students;

Emerging Trends; Hot Topics; Work-Life balance;

Anything! Thank you for reading the first issue of the [Professional Development] @Suffolk Magazine!

Warmest Regards,

Welcome from the Editor

3 SPRING 2015

10

Features

4 6

Welcome from the Dean

The Clash of the Rankings

17

Digital Personalization

13 STEM Myth

Suffolk leaves IMPACT

21

19Undocumented Students in Education

Pro Devo Opportunities

4 SPRING 2015

Welcome from the Dean To the Student Affairs staff:

Welcome to the first issue of the Professional Development Magazine! My congratulations to the Staff Development Committee and editor, John Rodriguez, for this new initiative.

This magazine represents our Divisional commitment to the professional development of our staff through as many vehicles as possible. Staying current with hot topics in our profession and best practices for responding to current challenges is essential for career enhancement. This learning also makes each of us a better practitioner and consequently, more effective in providing services and programs to students. As stated by Susan Komives, Professor Emerita, University of Maryland, student affairs professionals need to “ensure that all your professional decisions are grounded in the ethics, values, principles, historical perspective, theoretical frames and related skills and competencies of our field.” This magazine is one opportunity, among many, for you to continue to build that framework for your work.

I hope you enjoy this first issue.

Nancy C. Stoll, Ed. D.

Dean of Students

5 SPRING 2015

6 SPRING 2015

THE CLASH

OF THE RANKINGS

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Popular College Rankings and its impacts. By Kelli Connors

America is obsessed with ranking systems,

and the rest of the world is following our lead.

When it comes to evaluating systems of higher educa-

tion, rankings in prominent periodicals, most nota-

bly the U.S. News and World Report, drive consum-

er choice and institutional action across the board.

The system keeps on growing, with the addition in

2014 of three new ranking systems to the already

overwhelming ranks. As student and parent reliance

on these systems of information increase, and guid-

ance counselors who are stretched thin point to

them to help guide students’ choices, research has

exploded, and pros and cons to this system emerge.

Bowman and Bastedo, who have published

an extensive array of research studies in this area in

recent years, note that there are some obvious posi-

tive outcomes for institutions related to their ranking.

Institutions ranked in the Top 25, or who move up

from Tier 2-4 to Tier 1 see an increase in applica-

tions, and an increase in academic excellence among

its students, as defined by class rank and SAT scores.

In a subsequent studied, they also found that institu-

tions which rank highly can expect higher alumni giv-

ing, are more likely to receive research grants from

the federal level, and are able to increase out of state

tuition, as they become more desirable and thus more

economically valuable. Ehrenberg finds that “when

an institution improves its rankings the next year

it...sees a great proportion of its accepted students

enroll...and can reduce the amount of institutional

grant aid that it spends to attract its class”. It is clear

from these works that in the rankings game, individu-

al institutions who can move up and improve can ex-

pect to reap many benefits in subsequent years.

Finally, Alter and Reback (2014) find that

popularized rankings that emphasize quality of life

characteristics, such as student happiness and facili-

ties, can help high school students see themselves on

a campus, or eliminate more easily schools that may

not fit with their view of college life. For example,

students who choose not to partake in alcohol may

find schools labelled as party schools less appealing

and may choose to focus on schools that are listed as

sober friendly. They find that “colleges” efforts to en-

hance their reputations as places with happy students

and beautiful campuses may attract high school stu-

dents with stronger academic credentials.

What is most surprising in examining this

issue is that the scholars above, among others, also

make note of limitations and criticisms of the popu-

larized ranking system, sometimes even in the same

exact study, and note some specific cons for students.

Returning to Bastedo and Bowman, consumers, or

students and families, need to be careful to not rely

too heavily on these somewhat arbitrary rankings as

indications of educational excellence or quality

(2009). Additionally, external evaluation may direct

institutional planning, where colleges spend more

and more money on improving their reputation

through focusing on the arbitrary methods used to

rank them. McDonough et al. found that while it is

plausible that newsmagazine rankings can be used by

students to bolster their confidence in their choice of

school, they are mainly used by middle and upper

class, academically prepared and motivated students,

who have a better understanding of the meaning of

college and the benefits inherent with a diploma

(1998). The team also notes that “most students

need more basic information such as how to choose a

college, figuring out what kind of college would suit

them...etc.” and conclude that these rankings are the

wrong source of information.

Finally, Marc Meredith’s research shows that

rankings are problematic, because they are susceptible

to manipulation by institutions, and that schools can

provide incorrect or misleading data.

If we are to weigh the information presented

in these works, and take into consideration the case

of Missouri University where Princeton Review has

FIX THE RIGHT NUMBER OF PAGES TO THE MAGAZINE!

—>

7 SPRING 2015

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tive outcomes for institutions related to their ranking.

Institutions ranked in the Top 25, or who move up

from Tier 2-4 to Tier 1 see an increase in applica-

tions, and an increase in academic excellence among

its students, as defined by class rank and SAT scores.

In a subsequent studied, they also found that institu-

tions which rank highly can expect higher alumni giv-

ing, are more likely to receive research grants from

the federal level, and are able to increase out of state

tuition, as they become more desirable and thus more

economically valuable. Ehrenberg finds that “when

an institution improves its rankings the next year

it...sees a great proportion of its accepted students

enroll...and can reduce the amount of institutional

grant aid that it spends to attract its class”. It is clear

from these works that in the rankings game, individu-

al institutions who can move up and improve can ex-

pect to reap many benefits in subsequent years.

Finally, Alter and Reback (2014) find that

popularized rankings that emphasize quality of life

characteristics, such as student happiness and facili-

ties, can help high school students see themselves on

a campus, or eliminate more easily schools that may

not fit with their view of college life. For example,

students who choose not to partake in alcohol may

find schools labelled as party schools less appealing

and may choose to focus on schools that are listed as

sober friendly. They find that “colleges” efforts to en-

hance their reputations as places with happy students

and beautiful campuses may attract high school stu-

dents with stronger academic credentials.

What is most surprising in examining this

issue is that the scholars above, among others, also

make note of limitations and criticisms of the popu-

larized ranking system, sometimes even in the same

exact study, and note some specific cons for students.

Returning to Bastedo and Bowman, consumers, or

students and families, need to be careful to not rely

too heavily on these somewhat arbitrary rankings as

indications of educational excellence or quality

(2009). Additionally, external evaluation may direct

institutional planning, where colleges spend more

and more money on improving their reputation

through focusing on the arbitrary methods used to

rank them. McDonough et al. found that while it is

plausible that newsmagazine rankings can be used by

students to bolster their confidence in their choice of

school, they are mainly used by middle and upper

class, academically prepared and motivated students,

who have a better understanding of the meaning of

college and the benefits inherent with a diploma

(1998). The team also notes that “most students

need more basic information such as how to choose a

college, figuring out what kind of college would suit

them...etc.” and conclude that these rankings are the

wrong source of information.

Finally, Marc Meredith’s research shows that

rankings are problematic, because they are susceptible

to manipulation by institutions, and that schools can

provide incorrect or misleading data.

If we are to weigh the information presented

in these works, and take into consideration the case

of Missouri University where Princeton Review has

8 SPRING 2015

stripped the school of a rating due to the discovery of

false data, it is clear that popularized rankings as they

stand now are not telling the whole picture. To

ensure that we are providing the general public and

potential students, with accurate and fully-developed

institutional profiles, we need to look past simple

statistics like SAT scores of applicants, and get to

more important details that may be indicators of

academic excellence, such as graduation rates or

employment outcomes.

While the Obama administration has taken

steps to provide better data, we may need to take

things further by educating Americans that major deci-

sions regarding college choice should not be based

solely on what is increasingly become a vanity project

or popularity contest. If we hope to continue the

mission of providing access and equity to historically

marginalized groups, we need to remove the stigmas

associated with a low ranking to showcase

institutions that lack the clout to make it onto the

front page. There are institutions across the country

who are doing well, despite having less presence on

the national stage, so let’s let the unique profiles of

each school speak for themselves, and help consumers

make more informed, not just popular, choices.

9 SPRING 2015

November 15 - November 18, 2015 Manchester, NH

10 SPRING 2015

[ suffolk leaves IMPACT] article

[inspiring news]

IMPACTFUL Story. By Adam Nelson

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11 SPRING 2015

As many of you know, our men’s basketball team

has been working with 8-year old Luke Giuffrida since

January. Luke is a member of Team IMPACT – an

organization that matches terminally or chronically ill

children with sports teams. We had been trying to get

involved with Team IMPACT for quite a while. It is very

hard to get matched with someone – there are so many re-

quirements that you must meet. We were very lucky to be

finally be matched Luke just before Christmas.

Luke suffers from

Cystic Fibrosis - a life-

threatening disorder

that causes severe

damage to the lungs

and digestive system.

Not only has Luke

been a part of our

team, but we have

welcomed his family

as well. His mom

Sherry, Dad Carmen,

twin brother Gianni,

and twin sisters Gia

and Olivia have been

around our team a lot

as well. We have

definitely been

welcomed into their

family!

Personally,

this has been an

amazing experience. I

am glad that we have

been able to make a

difference in Luke’s

life, and I am blown

away on the effect

that it has had on our

student athletes! I am

very proud of each and every one of our men’s basketball

players. I believe this experience goes beyond school and

basketball for them, and will be something that will always

be a meaningful part of their lives.

I think that we have gotten some nice press from

Channel 7, Boston Magazine, and a bunch of North Shore

newspapers, but our relationship with Luke is MUCH

more than what people see. Our guys have really formed a

bond with Luke and his family. Our players correspond

with Luke on almost a daily basis through text and email.

They forward me some of the emails because they love

some of the things that Luke tells them. He loves to talk

about wrestling, basketball, and video games, so he fits right

in with our guys! They understand that they are very

important in Luke’s life and take this responsibility very

seriously.

During the season, Luke sat on the bench during

our games, attended our pre-game meetings, and spent a lot

of time shooting around on the court. Because of Luke’s

outgoing personality, it did not take very long for our guys

to warm up to him. He has been in our locker room after

wins and losses, and always manages to have something

funny to say. There are so many stories that our guys

already tell about him, and they all start with, “you’re not

going to believe what Luke just said to me….” He really

makes our guys laugh! People say that we are there for him,

but there are some days that I truly believe that he is here

for us!

We had a great experience a few weeks ago when

our team went up to Methuen to attend a karate class with

Luke and his family. Karate is a great way for Luke to exer-

cise – he is not allowed to play team sports, but he goes to

karate three times per week. We had a great time spending

the afternoon with Luke and getting to see what he enjoys

doing. We all participated in his class, and we all worked

HARD! Luke really looks up to our players, and they are

aware of this. They took this class very seriously because

they know that Luke does. I was so proud of all of them –

we received so many compliments that day. Not only were

our guys gentlemen, most people there commented that

they could tell our players really care about Luke.

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12 SPRING 2015

The STEM

Recently, concern has been expressed that

the United States is falling behind other developed

countries because too few graduates are entering the

fields of science, technology, engineering and mathe-

matics (STEM) after college graduation. For the

United States the threat of losing the title of global

innovator sparks fear. The United States has a long

history of innovation; from the Industrial Revolu-

tion, to Henry Ford inventing the assembly line, to

the Manhattan project, to landing a man on the

moon, to Google and the iPhone in the late twenti-

eth century. Innovations such as these created an

identity for the United States as a country of ideas,

innovation and technology. This identity is a source

of pride for many Americans. Facing an American

identity crisis, researchers, educators, employers and

politicians suggest that the United States needs

more skilled employees in the science, technology,

engineering and mathematics fields. Therefore, post-

secondary institutions need to build a better pipeline

and funnel more undergraduate students in-

to STEM fields to supply knowledgeable and quali-

fied employees into these fields. Howev-

er, is this really the case? Is there really a shortage of

talented and qualified STEM employees?

In 2014 the Bayer Corporation

published their findings after asking talent recruiters

at Fortune 1000 companies whether or not the lack

of qualified STEM employees was a reality or myth.

Bayer surveyed STEM and non-STEM Fortune 1000

companies and asked individuals in talent recruiter

positions questions about the employees their

companies sought to fill STEM and non-STEM

positions. Bayer’s research concluded that there is a

shortage of qualified employees; “of those who say

they cannot find adequate numbers of qualified

STEM job candidates, the vast majority believe it is

because there is a shortage of qualified candidates.”

Talent recruiters reported that “the lack of qualified

candidates has led to a significant number of open,

unfilled jobs. Dr. Xueli Wang echoes the Bayer

Corporation’s concern about unfilled STEM

positions and believes that the problem is the result

of a weak pipeline at colleges and universities. She

writes “...the supply side of the STEM pipeline still

reports a serious shortage of students pursuing

STEM disciplines…American postsecondary

With all of the good that has come out of our

relationship, it is hard when the reality of Luke being sick

sets in. Last month, he ended one of his emails by telling

one of our players that he has been in his lung vest for an

hour, and how uncomfortable it is. It’s very difficult to hear

that – when Luke is with us, he is a very happy, go lucky kid.

The reality is that he’s not always like that. I think our play-

ers have realized that they play a big role in keeping his

mind off of his CF.

Unfortunately, Luke had to spend a few days in the

hospital last week. When I told our team about what had

happened, they were obviously very concerned. With-

out me telling them, each of our team members

contacted Luke to see how he was doing. His mom said that

this was so special for him, and it really helped keep his

mind off of not feeling well. Fortunately, Luke is home now

and doing better, and we are awaiting his next visit!

As our relationship continues, we are very excited to watch Luke grow, and be there for him. As we recruit new players, we tell them about Luke and how he is part

of our team. Some of our incoming freshman have already asked if they could reach out to him to introduce themselves! As we move forward, I hope our players continue to grow from this experience and appreciate the opportunity that they have to make a difference in someone’s life.

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13 SPRING 2015

The STEM Myth

Recently, concern has been expressed that

the United States is falling behind other developed

countries because too few graduates are entering the

fields of science, technology, engineering and mathe-

matics (STEM) after college graduation. For the

United States the threat of losing the title of global

innovator sparks fear. The United States has a long

history of innovation; from the Industrial Revolu-

tion, to Henry Ford inventing the assembly line, to

the Manhattan project, to landing a man on the

moon, to Google and the iPhone in the late twenti-

eth century. Innovations such as these created an

identity for the United States as a country of ideas,

innovation and technology. This identity is a source

of pride for many Americans. Facing an American

identity crisis, researchers, educators, employers and

politicians suggest that the United States needs

more skilled employees in the science, technology,

engineering and mathematics fields. Therefore, post-

secondary institutions need to build a better pipeline

and funnel more undergraduate students in-

to STEM fields to supply knowledgeable and quali-

fied employees into these fields. Howev-

er, is this really the case? Is there really a shortage of

talented and qualified STEM employees?

In 2014 the Bayer Corporation

published their findings after asking talent recruiters

at Fortune 1000 companies whether or not the lack

of qualified STEM employees was a reality or myth.

Bayer surveyed STEM and non-STEM Fortune 1000

companies and asked individuals in talent recruiter

positions questions about the employees their

companies sought to fill STEM and non-STEM

positions. Bayer’s research concluded that there is a

shortage of qualified employees; “of those who say

they cannot find adequate numbers of qualified

STEM job candidates, the vast majority believe it is

because there is a shortage of qualified candidates.”

Talent recruiters reported that “the lack of qualified

candidates has led to a significant number of open,

unfilled jobs. Dr. Xueli Wang echoes the Bayer

Corporation’s concern about unfilled STEM

positions and believes that the problem is the result

of a weak pipeline at colleges and universities. She

writes “...the supply side of the STEM pipeline still

reports a serious shortage of students pursuing

STEM disciplines…American postsecondary

Critical Issues in Higher Education. By Perry Doherty

14 SPRING 2015

institutions are therefore facing an unprecedented

need to increase the number of students who study

in STEM disciplines.”

Unlike the Bayer Corporation and

Dr. Xu, Michael Anft points to a sign that suggests

the claim of a shortage is a myth: the

unemployment rate in STEM fields.

Unemployment in STEM fields is slightly lower

than the overall unemployment rate (about 7%)

and is higher than it has been in recent years. The

increase of unemployment in STEM fields

demonstrates a shortage of positions available, not

a shortage of qualified candidates. Michael

Teitelbaum, also offers a contrasting opinion to the

Bayer Corporation and Dr. Xu’s argument. Salaries

for employees in the STEM fields have remained

stagnant. Salary stagnation often indicates that

there is surplus of labor, not a shortage. Anft also

discusses the inadequate compensation for

individuals in STEM fields; “At the postdoctoral

level, the over-supply of low-salaried, perpetual lab

workers is well documented…Postdocs on average

earn $46,000 per year, according to federal statis-

tics.”

Considering this information about

the current state of education and employment in

STEM fields, it is difficult to ignore the probable

biased of the Bayer Corporation. As a STEM

corporation, Bayer directly benefits by publishing

an article emphasizing the dire need for additional

employees in STEM fields. If the fields are flush

with well-educated, skilled and qualified candidates,

Bayer and other STEM companies do not need to

offer positions with more competitive salaries or

more appealing benefits because the competition

for positions will remain stiff. If more

undergraduate students who studied STEM fields

knew that salaries were stagnant and that

unemployment was comparable to the average

national rate, they may choose to pursue other

opportunities outside of STEM fields after

graduation. Therefore, their skills and

qualifications would be in demand and STEM

companies would need to invest more resources in

their human capital. In order to spend less and

increase profits, it benefits STEM companies to

publish information claiming more undergraduate

students are needed to study STEM fields. Like

corporations, higher education institutions also

benefit financially from building the STEM

pipeline.

As Anft points out, colleges and universities

receive $3.1 billion dollars annually from the

federal government to stimulate STEM programs in

addition to grants and scholarships from

government agencies and companies with a stake,

like Bayer, in the STEM myth. Another aspect of

the argument for more STEM students is the threat

to the American identity. Employers, politicians

and educators leverage the United States’ fear that

the country will fall behind other nations in

technology and innovation and therefore, the

American economy will suffer. Leveraging this fear

cuts to the core of the American identity and is a

motivator towards change. Student affairs

practitioners must consider the possibility that the

15 SPRING 2015

shortage of STEM employees is a myth. Taking

this under consideration, the most important

focus of universities and employers should be

fostering students’ natural talents and passions,

whether that is in STEM or other fields of study.

Image from STEM Academy

16 SPRING 2015

DIGITAL PERSONALIZATION:

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Junior Captain Caleb Unni

In the beginning, my expectations were high because I

knew that we would develop a great relationship with

Luke. Still, this experience exceeded my expectations

because at first, I thought only a few of my teammates

would talk with Luke. As time went on, I saw each play-

er individually connect with Luke and make him feel

that he was a part of the team. Seeing this made me very

happy. Also, this impacted Luke in a positive way and

made him come out of his comfort zone and talk with

us.

The message I would want others to take away from this

experience is to not take this experience for granted

because even doing something minute can impact a kid's

life tremendously. Coach Nelson told our team that

Luke was always excited to see us and he loved being

around this. This showed our team that the little we did

to interact with Luke made him feel like he was our

little brother.

Junior Captain Adam Chick

I knew that this experience was going to be a fun interac-tive way to develop a relationship with a kid you can make a long lasting impact on. This experience has matched my expectations and in a lot of ways exceeded my expectations. Luke and his family have been so warm and welcoming to let our team join their family, as well as our team welcoming Luke with open arms. Both sides of this relationship support each other and help one another get through the tough times, but also embrace and enjoy the fun times. This has made a huge impact on me personally, and I am very grateful that I have been offered this opportunity.

P O V

Team

17 SPRING 2015

Your digital “selfie”: composed of social network (netWORTH), clouds, self-publishing platforms, user made sites, offline activities that jump to online (statuses about you, pictures of your night last night), and much more. A footprint and/or shadow that follows you through the infinite dimen-sions of technology and the Internet. In student affairs, we constantly talk about these tools in conjunction with your “authenticity.”

So, let me tell you how I use these re-lated sites:

Twitter: Personal and Professional Facebook: Intended for Personal Usage but “Like” and connect with colleagues through pages and such Google+: Professional (rarely use… Sadly) LinkedIn: Professional Electronic Resume, essentially Flickr: Used it in 2008…. I think. WordPress: My LIFE (professional and personal)

The ability to socialize and re-trieve peer reviewed articles, facts, knowledge from colleagues, and men-tors across the country through a social platform is beyond amazing, in my opinion.

I am a strong proponent for institutions of higher learning, compa-nies, celebrities, company stakeholders, and any other individual or organiza-tion to have such technology and cre-ate social contact with their constitu-ents. For example, I fly pretty often for certain events and, more often than not, I tweet at the airline I am flying with; usually something like:

“Got my bagel from @DunkinDonuts and I’m so excited to board the @JetBlue flight to IND and see some fabulous @phikappatheta collegiate men.”

Each tag is a way to advertise, market, and support organizations, companies, and people to network with and gain some form of following.

Well, once in a while, I send a tweet (very similar to that one I just men-tioned above) and receive a response back! Once, in particular, from JetBlue asking me, “Hey @johnorodriguez, what flight are you on?” I replied and thanked them for the follow. I contin-ued to tweet about my experience with the flight attendants and spacious seat-ing because I was very pleased with the services. They then replied back and stated they appreciated the love and support and had a small form of appre-ciation. Little did I know that they would bump me to an empty isle with more space!

Understanding and enhancing your digital brand. By John Rodriguez

DIGITAL PERSONALIZATION: MANAGING SITES & AUTHENTICITY

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Image from johnorodriguez.com

18 SPRING 2015

So of course, me being me, I had a Bridesmaids (the movie) moment:

A few minutes after, I received a DM from @jetlbue providing me with free priority boarding and extra leg-room seating for my next flight back. I was in complete and utter shock.

That is what I call proper net-working and use of such digital tools. I instantly tweeted what they did for me and the amount of favorites and re-tweets was incredible. They knew that at that moment, I would make the deci-sion to fly JetBlue, any chance I had a say in it. That is how to use these tools to communicate with others and mar-ket products to the public.

With my work, it’s no different. On a weekly basis, I make it a duty of mine to search twitter handles and hashtags that relate to my residence hall and campus, to make sure that if there are any issues that arise, I handle them in a timely manner. Students are quick to post their feelings on a subject on so-cial media but will not email the appro-priate individual who can help solve the issue.

For example, I had a student complain that the building’s dryers were all broken (which they were). I saw the tweet because the hashtag she used was one my building’s twitter page

uses a lot. When I saw it, I immediately tweeted back and stated, “Please go see

your RA on duty in the lobby and tell them. They will han-dle it and they will be working in the morn-

ing! ” We got the dryers fixed that night and when she realized they were really fixed she tweet-ed back saying that she loved the build-ing and the build-

ing’s twitter account for keeping the building up to date! What an amazing feeling. That student hash tagged and tweeted to every possible campus offi-cial’s account and we, my staff and I, received a lot of positive feedback for it.

Some tips I’ve learned along the way are:

√ Personalize Yourself!

In fraternity and sorority life, we emphasize the phrase: “People like people” or “People join people.” People are more open to interacting and con-necting when they know the people who they are doing it with! This will make you approachable, online.

Tip: If you manage a division, depart-ment, residence hall, building, or equiv-alent or your own a company that has an account on such platforms, write and tag those who manage the account (if acceptable). This way, your constitu-ents know who they are talking to.

√ Know When To Switch Accounts!

Tip: Similar to the tip above, this is very important! For the most pressing questions from your students, switch from responding with your building

Twitter account to responding with your personal account. This way you can provide a personal exchange with the branding effect of your residence hall remaining intact.

√ Character Building Through Expe-rience & Interaction!

Tip: Participate in #FF (follow Fridays) and continuously thank and welcome new followers to your social media page! Making that instant connection is incredibly important and will make the new follower(s) feel welcomed and in-cluded into the new community!

In higher education, we have a saying that goes like this: “As we con-tinue to age and get older, our students stay the same age.” As we continue to work in this field, our 18-22 year old population never fluctuates outside of the normal curve. With that, as tech-nology continues to advance, commu-nication and preferred means of com-munication, will change. We, as profes-sional staff and faculty, need to be up-to-date with these new and emerging trends to be able to understand our students.

Again, yes, I think it is a good thing but it’s all in proportion. I am able to (personally) balance my own account and am able to talk to friends and see how they are doing but also release informative and relative articles to my followers and friends. I am able to make connections, both personal and professional, through social media. I admire and seek out preferred ven-dors or companies who can use social media appropriately to converse and network with their customers. This is the future, now.

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ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION

FOR UNDOCUMENTED

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STUDENTS The AB540 and Following Those Progressively Leveraging Education. By Arianna Gulbis

For several years, undocument-ed students have been fighting the uphill battle for their education. Only a small percentage of undocumented youth continue on to post secondary education. Emily Wilson discussed in the Diverse Issues of Higher Education, about the new AB540 and Undocu-mented Student Center on the University of California, Davis campus. The AB540 and Undocumented

Student Center is “unique in the US system and even in the coun-try” (Wilson, 2015). The center re-ceived its name as AB540 refers to the law passed in California that “allows students to pay resident tuition if they have attended a California high school for at least three years, graduated, and met other requirements” (Wilson, 2015). The Undocumented Student Center offers academic, emotional, and

legal counseling and the “center’s goal is to give students a sanctuary” (Wilson, 2015). Ana Maciel, a junior at UC Davis and the academic coordinator for the center, is undocu-mented herself. Undocumented students need the support from student affairs professionals. It is important to be aware of the AB540 and Undocu-mented Student Center as it promotes a safe environment for undocumented

Image from scholars.activateminds.org

20 SPRING 2015

students and presents advantages and disadvantages to the discounted tuition rate and access to higher education.

In 2002, California law Assem-

bly Bill 540, stated that undocumented students would be given the in-state tuition rate as long as they had met the requirements as listed above and signed an affidavit that the individual will ap-ply for legal status if given the oppor-tunity (Enriquez, 2011). In 2006, it was estimated that 1,630 undocumented students were enrolled in California State University and University of Cali-fornia institutions and approximately 5,000 were attending California Community Colleges (Enriquez, 2011). Ana Maciel, the academic coordinator for the Undocumented Student Center is a product of the opportunities the in-state resident tuition will create. Maciel stated that she thought she would never get to the point she is at now. Maciel states, “In my personal state-ment, I exposed my status. That was the first time where I actually started talking about being undocument-ed,” (Wilson, 2015). Maciel reflects back on her experiences and says that she remembers thinking about not going to college, but it was encourage-ment from her mother that helped her achieve her goal. Second, many of the arguments for providing undocument-ed students access to education have the foundation of what type of “investment” and “profits” the economy will see as a result (Rincon, 2010,). Rincon (2010) states that it is “rarely argued that equal access to higher education is a matter of civil or democratic rights and that its ultimate benefit is to the young people themselves and society as a whole.” Currently, the United States’ population is filled with retiring seniors. Immigrant populations are “demographically opposite of the United States”(Eusebio, Mendoza). There are some undocumented

students that can apply for work permits. However, in order to “contribute substantial amounts in payroll taxes, they first need access to well-paying jobs only attainable with a college degree”(Eusebio, Mendoza). There are several benefits to giving undocumented students in state tuition, which can be seen through the success of Ana Maciel, her help creating the Undocumented Student Center, and the economic benefits for the United States.

Undocumented students, even

when enrolled in school, are continuously fearful of deportation and feel as though they are isolated on campus. “Negative interactions at school, however, are fueled by teachers’ raced, classed, and gendered perceptions of students’ ability and willingness to succeed” (Enriquez, 2011). Situations like this make it harder for undocumented students to succeed because they lack the emotion-al support that other students are receiving. Although these students are receiving the emotional support at home, students are simply stating that their families are “not here [school]” (Enriquez, 2011). Another issue with undocumented students receiving in state tuition is that they are still not eligible for federal financial aid. There are some scholarships availa-ble to undocumented students, they are hard to come by and there are not nearly enough to support the popula-tion. Students that receive these scholarships “must demonstrate extreme resourcefulness to access higher education” (Diaz-Strong, Gomez, Luna-Duarte, Meiners, 2011). “Luz” a student interviewed by Diaz-Strong states “It’s possible for undocumented students to apply, but the way everything is set up, it’s so expensive and you’re not going to get any financial aid, so it’s kind of like they’re teasing you.” In this situation,

“apply” does not equal access due to the fact that the current federal and state policies on financial aid and immigration deny access for most of these students. A solution offered by Diaz-Strong et.al, (2011) is that “community colleges are the pathway” for undocumented students. Commu-nity colleges promote “open-access and affordability as part of their mis-sion” (Diaz-Strong et.al. 2011). When the high school seniors were asked about how they chose their institution, they responded that they did not choose and were practically forced into that decision for the reason of affordability (Diaz-Strong et.al, 2011).

Undocumented students

should be recognized as strong role models on college campuses. Giving in-state tuition to these students should be an easy decision for policy makers. Not only would access to higher education be granted throughout the country, paths to success would be drawn for these students. In addition, the United States would economically benefit from a decision such as this. As student affairs professionals, it is important to be aware of undocument-ed students and the assistance and support they need to access higher education. Establishments such as the Undocumented Student Center will help better support these students and will hopefully start a trend on college campuses throughout the United States.

What can you do as a student

affairs professional, mentor, or friend to help implement these resources on your campus?

21 SPRING 2015

Interested in writing for the magazine? Contact us!

We are looking for interested writers to challenge the status quo and

educate colleagues on related issues and areas that impact all of

our work, effectiveness, efficiency, and attitude towards student

success and development.

@johnorodriguez jrodriguez9@suffolk.du

Click the icon to connect and share interest:

22 SPRING 2015

[ professional development]

Conference Opportunity: —Present— —Attend— —Job Placement Conference— 2015 New England Student Affairs Placement Conference (NESAPC) will be taking place at Framingham State University on May 28th-29th. This is an excellent opportunity for employers to interview candidates who are interested in working specifically in the northeast & for those interested in pursuing new job opportunities. **Click on image above for conference details. Registration is not open yet.

June 18 – June 20, 2015 University of Massachusetts, Amherst Massachusetts Bringing together the most diverse and talented educators in the field of men and masculinities research and practice, the Conference on College Men has become the premier venue to explore and examine issues related to men and masculinities in higher education. As particular populations of college men continue to struggle in their postsecondary transitions and engagement, the Conference on College Men will challenge attendees to critically reflect upon how their own identification and expression of gender influences their work with college and university students while also treating them to the most recent scholarship and services in the field. IMPORTANT DATES October 01, 2014: Registration Opens October 15, 2014: Call for Programs Opens January 20, 2015: Call for Programs Deadline April 10, 2015: Early Bird Registration Deadline May 22, 2015: Regular Registration Deadline **Click on image above for conference registration.

23 SPRING 2015

[ professional development]

&

Conference Opportunity: —Present— —Attend— 2015 New England Latino Student Leadership Conference at Dartmouth Col-lege on April 24-25, 2015. **Click on image above for conference registration.

Please join us for the inaugural Student Affairs Camp. Student Affairs Camp is a brand new model of personal and professional development for those working in higher education.

This 2-day, outdoor, physical and mental wellness-based program will focus on reviewing and reflecting on the past year, renewing the spirit and passion we have for the field through creating personal balance, and re-launching campers into the coming year with a set of tools, colleagues, and connections to enhance their work and work-life balance going forward.

Dates: June 29 – June 30 Location: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 375 Church Street North Adams, MA 01247 Cost: $70/person (some exceptions may apply, see registration for details) **Click on image above for conference registration.

Sponsored by:

24 SPRING 2015