WASC Academic Resource Conference 2016

Term:

 

Spring 2016

Description:

 

The WASC Academic Resource Conference was held on April 6-8, 2016 in Garden Grove, CA. It brought together faculty, student affairs professionals, administrators, and students to examine higher education’s contributions to the public good. It highlighted how institutions address broad societal needs while also promoting individual student success. Presenters shared best practices and ways their institutions are planning for the future of our students, our institutions, and society as a whole. The Titan Dreamers Resource Center was invited to present on best practices to better serve undocumented students in higher education.

 

Learning Outcomes:

SWiBAT apply the information they received from attending sessions to their graduate assistantship and work as a student affairs educator

SWiBAT practice their presentation skills on their own and in collaboration with their supervisor and student assistants

Assessment Rubric:

	Advanced	Competent	Basic	Needs Improvement
SLO #1	Student was able to identify sessions that pertains to their graduate assistantship and their own philosophy of student affairs.  Student was able to relate how the information could be applied to their work currently and in the future as a student affairs educator.	Student was able to identify sessions that pertains to their graduate assistantship.  Student was able to relate how the information could be applied to their work currently and in the future as a student affairs educator.	Student was able to identify sessions that pertains to their graduate assistantship.  Student was able to relate how the information could be applied to their work.	Student was able to identify sessions that pertains to their graduate assistantship.  However, student was unable to relate with the presentations.
SLO #2	Student practiced their presentation skills on their own and in collaboration with their supervisor and student assistants multiple times. Student gave their feedback to improve the presentation and delegated who would be responsible for specific slides.	Student practiced their presentation skills on their own and in collaboration with their supervisor and student assistants multiple times. Student gave their feedback to improve the presentation.	Student practiced their presentation skills on their own and in collaboration with their supervisor and student assistants	Student practiced their presentation skills on their own.

Evidence:

Reflection:

Attending the WASC ARC Conference was a great experience. The theme this year was serving the public good. The keynote speaker was Dr. Kal Alston who is a professor of Cultural Foundations of Education and Women’s and Gender Studies in Syracuse University. She was able to highlight how higher education, has in the past, made mistakes in engaging communities that they serve. She was able to stress the importance of campuses to work with the communities, rather than having an attitude that higher education has all the answers to solve the problems of the communities. It really resonated with me because this is precisely how our cohort approached working with the community of Maywood for the Maywood Education Fair utilizing Yosso’s (2005) concept of Community Cultural Wealth as a framework to take an asset-based perspective in working with the residents of Maywood. It is also how I approach working with our students. I believe that engaging our students and the communities we serve this way, empowers them to tap into the resources that they already have around them. This work, however, must include them. Dr. Alston reminds us to take our time to get to know our students and surrounding communities not only to find out what they need but also to engage them in the decision making process and work together for change. This also reminds me of the how Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers and the Titan Dreamers Resource Center empower our students by highlighting the resources that they have and help them navigate the campus to be successful students. However, this does not mean that we take action for them or “solve” things for them. We enable them to decide for themselves and take an active role in their learning and development. It really is a partnership. I was able to attend several sessions that examined best practices that help promote access, diversity, and inclusion in higher education. I attended a session on supporting first-generation students by fostering a sense of belonging in higher education. We were asked to participate in an activity where participants were to move from one side of the room or the other based on the statements made by the facilitator. It was supposed to foster connectedness between faculty and first generation students. However, a couple of the statements used felt marginalizing for me and my colleagues. For example, some participants were asked why they were unable to go directly to college after high school. Another statement I thought was triggering was regarding financial aid and waiting for it to buy books. I think it was not her intention to harm or trigger anyone, but the activity definitely triggered me, my supervisor and students. We had to speak up and just remind the presenter that all of our students, specifically undocumented students, are able to access financial aid and to be mindful of the intersections of identities that our students hold. It really highlighted the importance of faculty, student affairs educators, administrators, and students to keep working together to create inclusive environments. It was also a reminder to keep educating myself and being mindful of my own biases because whether or not I intend to harm or trigger students with my words and/or actions the impact can be damaging. I would rate myself Advanced for SLO #1.

I really enjoyed presenting with my supervisor and our student assistants. The process of preparing was also very enjoyable. We met to work on the content and editing the presentation to fit the 25 minute maximum we were given. We divided the slides amongst us and practiced on our own. Additionally, we also met to practice together and it really made a difference in smoothing out transitions but also in our confidence. I went in the day of the presentation very nervous, but it worked out really well. Our supervisor was really impressed in the passion that our student assistants and I showed. He remarked that it was one of the best presentations that he had been a part of. It was really great to see that there are many faculty, student affairs educators and administrators were in the audience to learn from the work we have been doing in the Titan Dreamers Resource Center. They were very engaged and asked very thoughtful questions on how to better support undocumented students on their campuses. I would rate myself Competent for SLO #2.

National Conference on Campus Sexual Assault & Violence

Term:

Spring 2015

Description:

The 2015 National Conference on Campus Sexual Assault and Violence was held on February 24-25, 2015 in Berkeley, California. The conference brought together scholars, trainers, activists, survivors, elected officials, and university professionals who are committed to addressing the issue of sexual assault and violence from diverse viewpoints. Attending the conference, I wanted to learn about current efforts and policies to help educate and prevent the occurrence of sexual assault: how to respond to reports; and care for survivors.

Learning Outcomes:

SWiBAT identify one new concept or idea they learned and can apply in their work by attending conference workshops.

SWiBAT gain new networks from interacting with attendees.

SWiBAT gain a better understanding of rape culture by participating in workshop discussions.

Assessment Rubric:

	Advanced	Competent		Basic	Poor
SLO #1 New Concept	Attended various sessions at the conference and gained new information that can be applied to professional work		Attended two sessions at the conference and gained new information but could not understand how to apply to professional work	Attended one session at the conference but did not gain any new information		Did not attend any sessions at the conference
SLO #2 Networking	Attended more than two social events where I was able to connect with at least one new network		Attended at least two social events and initiated conversation with others but made no new networks	Attended one social event but was not able to gain any networks		Did not attend any social events
SLO #3 Discussion	Participated in all of the discussions and activities and remained engaged the whole time		Participated in most of the discussions and activities	Occasionally participated in discussions and activities		Did not participate in discussions

Evidence:

At the National Conference on Campus Sexual Assault and Violence, I marked down the workshops and presentations that I was unfamiliar with and really interested in learning more about. The keynote presentation titled “Risky Business” was an interactive theater presentation that shows the complexity of assault education and compliance through a very dramatic scene. Before this presentation, I didn’t expect to be triggered by the conference. However, the presentation was so real to me that it triggered an emotional response from me. It really impacted how I interacted with the other attendees and with the workshops. I thought that the activity of having to unpack with strangers after the presentation really put me in an uncomfortable and exposed feeling that didn’t sit well with me.  It really set the mood for the two days I was there. I didn’t feel like networking at all. So, I didn’t attend the mixer event the second day. I would rate myself as “Poor.”

Although I didn’t feel like meeting new people, I really wanted to learn something new. One of the workshops that I really enjoyed was on sexual violence and the LGBTQIA communities. I learned that about 10% of hate crimes gay men and lesbians include sexual assault and even when LGBTQIA survivors do report the crimes, they are often victimized again by stigma and microaggressions perpetrated by people who are supposed to help them. Learning that just by using inclusive language often make LGBTQIA survivors feel more supported, I am more intentional in using inclusive language that would help our LGBTQIA students feel more welcomed and supported. I also intend to incorporate experiences LGBTQIA survivors when I create a presentation for Fall 2015 about intimate partner violence in immigrant communities. I would rate myself “Advanced” for learning a new concept and integrating it to my work.

I remained engaged in all of the workshops I attended.  I participated in most of the discussions facilitated by the organizers.  I really enjoyed the workshop on rape culture on college campuses and the roles of the media and pop culture. We were able to get into small groups and examine movies, music and social media and the impact they have in shaping our attitudes about rape and survivors. I got a chance to see popular media in a different light. Songs and movies that seem harmless, like Baby It’s Cold Outside and 500 Days of Summer, perpetuate the notion that when a person says “NO,” you could just keep on insisting until they say “YES.”  It was eye opening how rape culture is normalized in the media.  It was great I was able to ask questions and hear from younger people talk about new movies or songs I haven’t heard of and seeing them deconstruct them and synthesize the information in their own experiences. It really gives me hope. I would rate myself “Competent” for discussions.

Here are some pictures from the conference:

Reflection:

Although I was triggered by the keynote presentation, I didn’t let it keep me from participating and learning valuable information about sexual assault and violence on college campuses. I also gave myself permission to take time for myself to deal with my emotions on my own terms.  At that moment I needed space for myself and refused to continue unpacking the presentation. I had to take care of myself.  I’m glad that I did. I think sometimes I try to suppress my emotions and distance myself from particular subjects.  I cannot expect myself to always appear to be “put together.”  The conference also allowed me to get to know my cohort mates better.  Rachael, Mai Moua, Johanna and I really hit it off.  We were able to discuss the workshops and what we have learned. I also appreciate that the conference consistently highlighted that gender violence is not just a “women’s issue” and encouraged the engagement and education of men in all levels of higher education to become allies in prevention efforts.

Graduate Assistantship in Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers - Titan Dreamers Resource Center

Term:

Fall 2014

Description:

The Titan Dreamers Resource Center is the first in the CSUF system and only second in the nation. We are proud to give support and a safe space for our undocumented students.  As a graduate assistant, I assist the coordinator of Titian Dreamers Resource Center helping support and provide resources to our undocumented students by creating programs, through education, outreach, ally training, promoting resources available and the center, and cultivating a supportive environment. We provide assistance with completing the AB 540 Affidavit, the CA Dream Act application for financial aid, referrals to reliable resources for legal advice, mentoring support, ally training, counseling and wellness support, and workshops and programs.

Learning Outcomes:

SWiBAT create programs that promote resources available for undocumented students.

SWiBAT gain a greater understanding of his strengths and weaknesses.

SWiBAT fostering growth in students and student assistants by applying student development theory.

Assessment Rubric:

	Advanced	Competent	Basic	Needs Improvement
SLO #1	Create programs collaborating with partners on campus and addresses intersections of identity	Create 5 programs collaborating with partners on campus	Create 5 programs	Creating less than 5 programs
SLO #2	Student will identify strengths and weakness as a leader and use their strengths and the strengths of their team.	Student will identify strengths and weakness as a leader	Student only identifies strengths as a leader	Student did not identify strengths and weakness as a leader
SLO #3	Student will meet one on one with students assessing their needs. Student will also meet with students to assess areas for improvement using theory.	Student will meet one on one with students assessing their needs and give support.	Student will meet one on one with students assessing their needs.	Student will not assess students’ needs

Evidence:

Creating Programs: I find that collaboration with partners on and off campus creates stronger programs. With all programs I helped create for the Titan Dreamers Resource Center, we collaborated with other departments at CSUF. We collaborated with faculty, Financial Aid, Asian Pacific American Resource Center, WoMen’s Center, an immigration attorney, the Student Health and Counseling Center, and others to help students, faculty, and staff learn about not only about the challenges undocumented students face but also the resources available, the intersections of identity, and to help support our undocumented students by encouraging them to continue pursuing their educational and career goals. We created programs that tackle issues like domestic violence, healthcare access, professional panel, laws and policies, and undocumented Asian Pacific Islanders. I would rate myself “advanced.” Here’s a sample of a PowerPoint presentation I created on undocumented Asian Pacific Islanders.

Understanding strengths and weaknesses: Being a very empathetic person helps me a great deal in gaining trust and insight.  Being a great listener also helps me assess what the student needs even if just a person to listen to them. But being empathetic I found that I do experience burnout as I sometimes take to heart students sharing painful experiences and their emotions.  I’ve had instances where I felt drained after a student had confided in me.  But being in a supervisorial role has made me cognizant of the line between friendship and professionalism. I’ve had to hold a student assistant accountable for not completing assignments on time. I worked with her one on one to come up with ways to complete assignments on time like setting up deadlines.  Early into the assistantship, I knew I wanted to work on my presentation skills and indicated it to my supervisor. Giving successful presentations have given me a boost of confidence communicating in general. I would rate myself “advance.” Here are some pictures from Days of Discovery:

Fostering growth in students using theory: My graduate assistantship at the Titan Dreamers Resource has shown me that I need to learn more about being a good supervisor. Amey & Ressor states that it sometimes means relinquishing some control to those you supervise, so that they are able to challenge themselves and grow professionally and personally (as cited in Hirt & Terrell, 2011).  Our student assistants help me research, come up with titles, and write proposals for our programs and utilize their strengths and interests as well.  They are not just filing or answering phones, they are also learning critical thinking, analytical, interpersonal, and leadership skills that will help them in the future.  In turn, my supervisors have greatly helped me become a better supervisor and become more intentional in my work by giving me feedback on our contact meetings and going through my performance evaluations to help address skills that I want to improve.  I feel that their guidance has helped me become more comfortable seeing myself as a leader and a professional. I would rate myself “competent.” I feel that I still have a lot to learn in terms of theories and forming my own philosophy. Here are pictures of our great team:

Reflection:

Working at the Titan Dreamers Resource Center, I have seen that the importance of access and support in helping minority students persist. But, the center is also a space for all students, faculty, and staff where they can learn to become allies and foster a just campus community and multicultural competence.  I believe that multicultural competence in very important in our profession, especially as we interact with students with many intersecting social identities who may feel marginalized and need extra support.  I have learned that being sensitive to our students’ diverse experiences and backgrounds helps me gain insight on to how better serve them.  We have seen many undocumented students come into the center on feeling overwhelmed and defeated trying to find resources to help them stay at CSUF and upon us meeting with them and showing them resources and other options, they would start crying because of the huge relief they felt. 

Being a graduate assistant as TDRC also helped me grow personally. The experience allowed me to examine my own privileges and biases and reminded me to keep myself in check.  I feel that the supportive team at Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers really adds to my experience. I am learning a lot from my colleagues.