ACPA Professional Preparation Commission Newsletter
Fall 2002

Chair: Cathy McHugh Engstrom, Syracuse University, cmengstr@syr.edu

Editor: Maureen E. Wilson, Bowling Green State University, mewilso@bgnet.bgsu.edu

 

\ From the Chair

\ Call for Grant Proposals

\ 2003 Research and Writing Awards

\ Commission Sponsored Programs

\Commission Elections

\ Directory Listings

\ Integrating Digital & Interpersonal Communities in a 1st Year Residence Hall

\ Good News

\Announcements

 


From the Chair

Cathy McHugh Engstrom

 

I hope your fall semester has been both productive and rewarding. Our program is certainly feeling the fallout from our weak economy with packed classrooms and lots of papers to read! Commission XII, excuse me, the Commission on Graduate Preparation has been busy over the summer as Carol Patitu oversaw the Sponsored Programs process while unpacking her boxes in Buffalo at the same time. Deb Liddell and Flo Hamrick are revamping our Research grant process and Susan Jones and Michael Ignelzi have informed every listserv possible about our Commission Awards. And of course, thanks to Maureen Wilson for her wonderful leadership with this newsletter (and her very kind reminders). Finally, President-Elect Deb Taub represented us well in the ACPA Summer Leadership Meeting. I want to just steal a few moments to highlight two major issues that our Commission has been or will be addressing: 1) a Commission resolution regarding graduate program deadlines; and 2) a Graduate Preparation Commission strategic planning process.

 

First, many thanks to the initiative of Susan Jones and Deb Liddell in leading the Commission last spring to pass a Commission resolution regarding graduate program deadlines. The resolution (or informally called the Rodgers Manifesto- thanks to Bob Rodgers ability to craft words on the spot!) was as follows:

 

We affirm our responsibility to implement the Council of Graduate School’s resolution regarding graduate scholarships, fellowships, traineeships, and assistantships concerning the date (currently April 15th) for responding to offers of financial support and remind our assistantship and financial support providers of their responsibility to use this date.

 

We affirm that financial support offers can be made at anytime, along with encouragement to respond prior to the CGS’s date using a reasonable timeline, such as two weeks from the date of offer, but we cannot insist upon a response to the offer until the Council’s date.

 

We reaffirm that academic programs and assistantship providers should publish their interview dates in order to reduce, but not eliminate, overlap among these dates with other graduate programs.

 

I ask your assistance in communicating these rights and responsibilities to both faculty and your student affairs colleagues or other graduate assistantship providers.

 

Patrick outlined in the Spring newsletter our decision to engage in strategic planning initiative. We had put this activity on hold last year while ACPA was going through its own strategic planning process. However, the time seems ripe, particularly considering the emergence of the new NASPA Faculty Fellows. With the involvement of faculty on this group, on the Senior Scholars group and other initiatives, what arenas should our Graduate Preparation Commission (I keep wanted to say “Commission XII”) want as our priority areas for the next few years? What are the areas in which our Commission can contribute most significantly to the field, the ACPA organization, and to our members? We had a super turnout at the Commission meeting last Spring and several areas and questions were raised including:

 

·  How can we foster more collaborative endeavors with the graduate preparation faculty who are involved in leadership roles in this Commission, the Assessment Commission, ACPA Senior Scholars, and NASPA Faculty Fellows?

·  Should we take a more active leadership role in the continuing education efforts, including helping define or work with NASPA who is developing a matrix for continuing education. Continuing education is one area that ACPA and NASPA have agreed to develop some “strategic alliances” in the professional development arena. Should we not be at the center of these efforts?

·  Should we revisit our mission or have a broader definition of what we get involved in?

·  In what ways are we successfully preparing master’s graduate students? What areas do we need to more systematically address? What is our relationship to quality assurance in doctoral programs?

·  Should this Commission have more representation/ involvement of graduate students? Should we have a graduate student on the Directorate Board?

·  In what ways do we welcome/include/learn from the expertise of adjunct or part-time faculty on the Directorate? Again, should one “spot” on the Directorate be dedicated to this type of faculty member?

·  Do we need to seek feedback from graduate preparation faculty about their needs, interests and ways in which our Commission could assist and provide leadership?

·  Do we let our status as a Commission in ACPA constrain us? In what ways?

·  How might the priorities and issues most pressing of the ACPA leadership influence our strategic planning process?

 

I think we have learned from the ACPA Leadership Meeting and other forums that many ACPA and NASPA members want more collaborative efforts between the two organizations. We took a hand poll at the Commission meeting and over 90% of the participants belonged to both organizations. We have enormous potential to create bridges and maximize our expertise since our work intersects these organizations so frequently. How do we strategically put ourselves at the center of these efforts?

 

A wonderful group of colleagues have agreed to assist me in discussing these issues (and others that are identified) as we attempt to develop a strategic plan in time for review and conversation at the Spring 2003 convention. If you are interested in joining us in this effort, please send me an email (cmengstr@syr.edu). We hope to start some regular conference calls between mid-November through February.

 

Thanks for the continued hard work, wisdom, and commitment to graduate preparation of our students! I look forward to working with you over the next two years.

 

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Call For Grant Proposals

Professional Preparation Commission Research Grants Program

Debora Liddell and Florence Hamrick


Purpose: To provide funding for research projects directed by faculty and related to issues in student affairs and higher education.

Terms: Typical awards will not exceed $1000, although requests for higher levels of funding will be reviewed on their individual merits. The awards will be made for a one-year period, beginning January 1, 2003.

Deadline: 5:00 p.m., Central Standard Time, December 1, 2002

The Commission will support research projects on a wide variety of topics. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals on any topic related to a current issue in student affairs or higher education administration. Proposals may be submitted by individual faculty members or by teams of researchers. Both full-time faculty and those who serve in adjunct roles are eligible to apply. (Awards made January 1, 2003.)

Contact Debora Liddell at debora-liddell@uiowa.edu with questions.

Click here for proposal guidelines: http://www.acpa.nche.edu/comms/comm12/resgrant.htm

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2003 Research and Writing Awards
Michael Ignelzi and Susan R. Jones

Each year, the Professional Preparation Commission (formerly Commission XII) acknowledges the outstanding scholarship of graduate students in higher education and student affairs programs through the presentation of research and writing awards. We are pleased to announce the criteria, application process, and deadline for this year's awards process. Recipients will be recognized at the 2003 ACPA Convention in Minneapolis, MN, March 29-April 2, 2003.

The purpose of these awards is to honor the writing and research of students enrolled (and those who earned their degrees between March 2002-March 2003) in graduate preparation programs in student affairs or higher education. Please send four (4) copies of each entry, accompanied by a letter clearly specifying the award for which the entry is to be judged. All entries for the following Professional Preparation Commission research and writing awards must be postmarked by December 1, 2002. Entries should be sent directly to:

Dr. Michael G. Ignelzi
Associate Professor and Program Coordinator
Student Personnel Program
Department of Counseling and Ed. Psych.
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock, PA 16057

Please place the author's name on the cover sheet ONLY. Submissions will be judged anonymously.

Burns B. Crookston Doctoral Award
This award recognizes research by a doctoral student or students which must entail original, journal-quality, research that brings greater understanding to student development or the organization and administration of student affairs. The award is $400.

To maintain consistency with journal guidelines, submissions should not exceed 7,500 words (approximately 30 pages of double-spaced, typewritten copy including references, tables, and figures). All writing must strictly conform to the American Psychological Association 5th edition style manual. Content and style should be appropriate for a professional journal in higher education. Entries must include a cover sheet that includes the name, address, phone number, and e-mail address of the author/s.

Gerald Saddlemire Masters Research Award
Submissions must be from students in a masters student affairs graduate preparation program (or a someone who graduated December 2001 or the Spring 2002). Submissions must entail original, journal quality research that gives insight into the learning or development of students or the organization and administration or students affairs practice. The amount of the award is $400.

Submissions must not exceed 15 double-spaced pages, including references, tables, and figures. All writing must strictly conform to the American Psychological Association 5th edition style manual. Content and style should be appropriate for a professional journal in higher education. Entries must include a cover sheet that includes the name, address, phone number, and e-mail address of the author/s.

Roberta Christie Award
This award is presented to a current graduate student for writing an essay that best captures the theme of the conference. This year's conference theme is "Educating Students: One Purpose-10,000 Approaches." The award is $200.

Submissions must not exceed 15 double-spaced pages, including references, tables, and figures. All writing must strictly conform to the American Psychological Association 5th edition style manual. Content and style should be appropriate for a professional journal in higher education. Entries must include a cover sheet that includes the name, address, phone number, and e-mail address of the author/s.

Nevitt Sanford Award
The purpose of this award is to provide financial assistance for research within student affairs. The award may be used to help support dissertations, theses, or specific research projects. The amount of the award is $400.

Entries must not exceed three double spaced, typewritten pages (excluding references). Entries must address the purpose, methodology, and significance of the research and how the award money would be spent. Include a cover page with the author's/authors' name, address, phone number, and e-mail address of the author/s.

All entries must be postmarked no later than December 1, 2002 (no electronic or faxed entries will be accepted). An e-mail confirmation will be sent to all applicants.

The judges reserve the right to make no award in any category in which the quality of the submissions to not reflect award criteria.

Direct questions to Dr. Michael Ignelzi at (724) 738-2276, michael.ignelzi@sru.edu or Dr. Susan R. Jones at (614) 688-3095, jones.1302@osu.edu.

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Commission Sponsored Programs
Carol Logan Patitu


The Professional Preparation Commission received 19 program proposals from presenters requesting sponsorship or co-sponsorship at the Minneapolis Convention. Coordinating Presenters can expect to hear after November 15 via e-mail regarding the status of their proposals.

Thank you to the following proposal reviewers:

Katie Branch, University of Rhode Island
Tony Cawthon, Clemson University
Merrily Dunn, University of Georgia
John Foubert, The College of William and Mary
Flo Hamrick, Iowa State University
Jennifer Hart, Southeast Missouri State University
Richard Herdlein, Buffalo State University
Susan Robb Jones, The Ohio State University
Carol Lundberg, Azusa Pacific University
Daniel Salter, The Pennsylvania State University
Janice Taylor, The University of Akron
Linwood Vereen, St. Cloud State University
Maureen Wilson, Bowling Green State University

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Commission Elections
Patrick Love

If you wish to nominate yourself or a colleague to run for election to the Professional Preparation Commission Directorate Body, please contact Patrick Love at patrick.love@nyu.edu by Monday, December 2, 2002. Members serve a three-year term and are expected to attend the national convention.

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Directory of Graduate Programs

Michael Coomes and Janice Gerda

 

Directory Listings Near 100


The Directory of Graduate Programs Preparing Student Affairs Professionals has been growing! As institutions have joined the Directory, our list of institutions has expanded to 97 online, with two more institutional representatives in the process of preparing webpages. If your program is not already listed in the Directory, please consider joining now. The Directory serves as a vital information site for prospective students, as a recruitment tool for your graduate programs, and as a source of data for researchers in our field and beyond. If you're not in the Directory, you're not visible! To get started on your Directory webpage, e-mail Mike Coomes at mcoomes@bgnet.bgsu.edu.

Some Graduate Programs Caught in a Tear in the Time-Space Continuum!

Stardate 1998: "George W." meant President Washington. September 11 was the date between September 10 and September 12. Impeachment was about Andrew Johnson. The economy was booming. Seinfeld was on TV (not reruns.) Stamps cost 32 cents. And 32 graduate programs last updated their information in the Directory of Graduate Programs Preparing Student Affairs Professionals.

If your program is listed in the Directory, please make sure that your information is current. The Web is a powerful medium to reach prospective students and colleagues, but carries with it an expectation that websites are fresh. Web visitors are savvy surfers, and might dismiss or devalue data (or programs) that are not current. More than two-thirds of our Directory entries have been updated since the 1998-99 print version, most in the last calendar year, but about one-third have not.

If you can't remember the last time you updated your webpage, please go to http://www.acpa.nche.edu/c12/Alpha_Dir.htm to see if you have an "UPDATED!" tag. If not, you're probably still stuck in the 1990s!

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Integrating Digital & Interpersonal Communities in a 1st Year Residence Hall
Will Barratt


Like most of us, I have had students conduct a whole range of class projects. This semester, I have students developing a large scale web site designed to integrate on-line material with interpersonal interaction, involvement, and community building. The web site is being co-evolved with the 300 first-year hall residents to meet their needs, and to reflect the way this group of first year students uses technology. After only 8 weeks, the web site has experienced over 5000 visits.

While many web sites are developed, published and left alone, this site is very dynamic. The web site content is updated weekly or more often, and the site pulls in current information from other information providers. Residents and Resident Assistants are becoming active participants in the site development through an intentional process. The evaluation process is beginning, and results are, so far, positive.

As a class project this is a wonder. The students engaged in this project have varying technological skills; from novice to advanced, and are applying what they know about learning style, needs assessment, evaluation, research, student learning and development, planning, management, group process, presentation skills, and myriad other areas.

This project has cost nothing but time, has used existing ISU resources and technologies, and is transportable to other halls and campuses. The current site reflects the residents this year in this hall, as other sites would reflect other residents, but the basic web site elements can be used in multiple settings.

Please visit http://blumberghall.indstate.edu to see what Andy Corn, Pam Costello, Rene Couture, Shaun Harkness and Amber VanLue, second year MS students, have co-evolved with first-year hall residents. While my name is on the project, the students have provided the energy, vision and results.

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Good News

\ Jane Fried was awarded tenure and promoted to professor at Central Connecticut State University in Spring 2002.

\ Gary Rhoades, chair of the Higher Education department at the University of Arizona, has been elected as the incoming president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education. Amy Metcalf, a doctoral student in the program, has been elected to be one of the graduate members of the ASHE board.

\ Holley Belch was promoted to Associate Professor in the Student Affairs in Higher Education program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

\ Matthew Wawrzynski, on administrative sabbatical from the University of Maryland, was awarded a post-doc fellowship from AERA to conduct research on faculty behaviors and institutional characteristics and their influence on student learning and student engagement. He is also teaching in the Higher Education Student Affairs program at Indiana University.

\ Michael Ignelzi was promoted to Associate Professor at Slippery Rock University.

\ During the 2002 Midwest Meeting of Graduate Students in Student Personnel (MMOGSISP) Conference, Charles G. Eberly, Professor of Counseling and Student Development at Eastern Illinois University, was inducted into the MMOGSISP Hall of Fame by EIU. 

\ Carol Logan Patitu has moved from Texas A&M University to Buffalo State University where she is an Associate Professor in the Student Personnel Administration Program.

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Announcements


North Carolina State University is searching for an Assistant /Associate Professor in Higher Education. Please contact Dr. James Burrow, Chair, Higher Education Search, at  ACCE_SEARCH@ncsu.edu for more information.

 

The Department of Counseling at Indiana State University seeks applications for one tenure track assistant professor position in the graduate program area of Student Affairs Administration. A complete description of the position, qualifications, and application process can be found at http://counseling.indstate.edu/jobs.

 

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This newsletter is distributed electronically only. An e-mail announcement is sent to all members of the Professional Preparation Commission and to the CSP-Talk listserv.

 

 

 

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2003 Convention Home Page

 

 

 

Updated: November 1, 2002