Philosophy of Student Affairs

Term:

Fall 2015

Description:

Part of our assignment for the EDAD 568 fieldwork course was to discuss our current philosophy of student affairs and how it compared to our philosophy a year ago. It challenged us to reflect on how our knowledge and experiences as student affairs educators have shaped the development of our philosophy.

Learning Outcomes:

SWiBAT identify changes in their philosophy as student affairs educator.

SWiBAT synthesize knowledge gained from coursework with practical work as student affairs educator.

Assessment Rubric:

	Advanced	Competent	Basic	Needs Improvement
SLO #1	Able to identify 3 or more changes in their philosophy as student affairs educator and provided examples	Able to identify at least 2 changes in their philosophy as student affairs educator and provided examples	Able to identify at least one change in their philosophy as student affairs educator	Unable to identify changes in their philosophy as student affairs educator
SLO #2	Able to synthesize knowledge gained from course work with practical work by providing examples and explaining how it helped develop their philosophy	Able to synthesize knowledge gained from course work with practical work by providing examples	Able to synthesize knowledge gained from course work with practical work	Unable to synthesize knowledge gained from course work with practical work

Evidence:

Philosophy of Student Affairs Paper

Reflection:

I believe that as a student affairs educator, I have to work harder and more intentional in engaging students to see themselves and their experiences as central to their learning and development. Administrators, student affairs educators and faculty must work collaboratively with students in their learning and development by honoring their intersecting identities and experiences and integrating them to promote transformative learning. It stresses the importance of seeing academic and developmental outcomes as intertwined and taking into account the roles of the faculty, student affairs professionals, and students as educators. Integral to students’ learning and development is also factoring their families, friends, and communities that make up their sources of support and cultural wealth, shifting the way I saw and worked with students.

The first semester of my graduate assistantship in the Titan Dreamers Resource Center, I viewed student affairs educators as professionals so helped who addressed students’ needs and helping them receive the necessary services and resources to persist. I saw our students in a deficit lens and want to “save” them from challenges and barriers. I was working for them rather than working with them, ultimately contributing to their disempowerment and oppression.  Taking EDAD 522 College Students’ Characteristics and Cultures helped me pay greater attention to the importance of engaging the families of students of color. It was in this class and reading about Harper’s Anti-Deficit Achievement Framework that helped challenge commonly held beliefs about lack of preparation, academic underperformance, and disengagement of students of color, especially male students of color. It helped challenge me to look at what resources and opportunities (faculty, staff, family, friends, peers, and programs) are working for students that help them persist rather than just focusing on what is going wrong. It challenged me to look at the cultural wealth of our students and seeing their backgrounds and experiences as sources of their resilience and strength that help them navigate higher education despite challenges they face. This reframing also shift the responsibility of engaging college students on the institutions and its agents.

This shift in consciousness was also due to the courses the cohort took on diversity, access and equity, and student learning and development in summer session. Learning about the power of counterstories to fight oppression opened my eyes. I feel that having these counterstories are essential in instilling not only a sense of pride for our students, but also to help empower and value our students while navigating through college. It has changed the way I interact with our DREAMer students. I learned to ask not only about how I can help them but also inquire about their backgrounds and experiences. When a student is sharing their experiences, I feel a level of connection that is deeper. They feel that they matter. Now I allow them to look at all the options and give them the power to choose for themselves. In the past I felt compelled to tell them the best option and speak for them when emailing a colleague about a situation that the student is facing. I do acknowledge that there are times that students may need to be walked over to feel safe enough going into a space. I am now cognizant of the importance of readiness, challenge, and support in our students’ development and the theories that strengthen our work because of the course on student learning and development with Dr. Hoffman. Multicultural competence and social justice remains a very important factor in my work, but I have become even more intentional and committed to it.  I have learned that being sensitive to our students’ diverse experiences and backgrounds helps me gain insight on to how better serve and empower them. As much as I want our students to examine privilege and bias, I have also been more intentional in examining mine and allowing myself space to step back while interacting with students to try and prevent myself from prejudging our students. I think of oppression differently after taking the diversity, access, and equity course. It has made me more critical of myself and how I contribute to my own oppression and the oppression of others. I would give myself Competent for both SLOs.

Practice to Theory to Practice Project

Term:

Summer 2015

Description:

The purpose of this assignment is for students (groups of 4) to gain skills in applying theory in practice. With their base groups, students will design (or redesign) and present a program using Lee Knefelkamp’s 11 step model and apply it to a specific student population.  Using students’ cultures and characteristics, formal and informal theories, literature, and documents, groups will develop theory-informed interventions that are guided by assessment of students’ needs and improving student learning and development. Our group decided to work with mixed-race students and first year experience programs.

Learning Outcomes:

SWiBAT comprehend PTP model in relation to mixed-race students and first year experience programs.

SWiBAT demonstrate collaboration in a group setting in order to apply the PTP model.

Assessment Rubric:

	Advanced	Competent	Basic	Needs Improvement
SLO #1	Able to complete PTP project and able to describe the purpose of and all 11 steps of the PTP model in relation to first year programs and multiracial students	Able to complete PTP project and able to describe the purpose of and the steps of the PTP model overall in relation to first year programs and multiracial students	Able to complete PTP project but did not understand the steps or purpose of the model in relation to first year programs and multiracial students	Did not understand the importance of the model in relation to first year programs and multiracial students and did not complete PTP project
SLO #2	Worked collaboratively with PTP group members by showing up in meetings, sharing ideas, helping group members, making sure assigned work was completed in a timely manner and gave constructive feedback	Worked collaboratively with PTP group members by showing up in meetings, helping group members, and making sure assigned work was completed in a timely manner	Participated in the PTP group project but worked on their own and not collaboratively	Was unable to meet PTP group expectations

Evidence:

PTP Final Paper here.

Reflection:

Utilizing the PTP model to come up with interventions to help mixed-race college students feel welcomed and create an inclusive environment for them in higher education helped me understand the PTP steps and their importance to our work as educators. Going through the PTP Project was tougher than I expect it to be. However, I learned a lot about being intentional about creating interventions and developing assessment measures and rubrics that are more than just superficial. In regard to understanding PTP I was able to understand the steps and would rate myself as competent. It helped me appreciate what educators do daily with their students and the intentionality and purpose they have for each activity and reading. It has challenged me to use a number of theories written by Renn, Bronfenbrenner, and Schlossberg and applying them to mixed race student. I also gained a better understanding of the struggles of mixed race students as we examined the literature that exist. It was eye opening the many ways they are ostracized by monoracial groups and how their experiences shape how they see themselves and others. I learned about microsystems that help shape their mesosystem.

Through this project I also learned to listen better to my team mates (Ashley, Alyssa, and Dulce) and take more risks in sharing my opinion. It also highlighted the importance of time management, delegating duties, and asking for help. I am very fortunate that my teammates were very supportive and supported me when I was feeling overwhelmed. We really pulled together to get this project done. In this regard I would rate myself competent for collaborating with my teammates.

I will use this entry to inform my work including my fieldwork. Learning from the PTP, I will be intentional about the activities to incorporate as part of the AB 540 Ally Training (e.g. using student learning outcomes, theories, and assessment) to make the program the best it can be.

Next Steps Edu Volunteering

Term:

Summer 2015

Description:

Next Steps Edu, C-REAL and the Department of Educational Leadership will provide general educational support to thousands of students who were displaced by the closure of Corinthian Colleges in spring 2015. Volunteers will help answer students’ questions pertaining to academic planning and advising, admissions, school and credit information. Volunteers will also direct students’ legal and financial questions to qualified Next Step Edu partners.

Learning Outcomes:

SWiBAT identify one a student development theory that applies to displaced students and help them with their work at CSUF.

SWiBAT explain to displaced students the resources available to help them transition.

Assessment Rubric:

	Advanced	Competent	Basic	Needs Improvement
SLO #1	Took the time to gather information on displaced student, identified a student development theory, used theory to guide interaction and uses experience to guide work	Took the time to gather information on displaced student, identified a student development theory and used theory to guide interaction	Took the time to gather information on displaced student and identified a student development theory applicable	Did not take the time to gather information on displaced students
SLO #2	Identified available resources to displaced students, explained details and encouraged student to follow up	Identified available resources to displaced students and explained details, but did not encourage student to follow up	Identified available resources to displaced students but did not explain details	Did not identify available resources to displaced students

Evidence:

Next Steps EDU Volunteer Training Packet here.

Reflection:

I felt determined to be involved with Next Steps EDU partly because I felt such anger about how the students were simply left to fend for themselves without a whole lot of warning as Corinthian Colleges closed up its businesses. In working with Next Steps EDU, I learned more about the students who were mostly low-income. They were left confused by the whole situation. They were also upset that these for profit institutions made promises that they are now not going to fulfill. As a volunteer my task was to provide these displaced students resources to help them to recover their records and look at their options as students to move forward with their education. I really hope that the information I provided was helpful in helping students transition on to their next steps. Although I provided the students important information, I did not think about formal theories to help guide my interaction with them. I would rate myself basic for this. I relied more on what they needed at the time and used informal theory to help them feel that they mattered. I would rate myself basic in providing detailed accurate information for the displaced students. However, I wish that I had signed up to assist students via phone calls to give a more personalized communication. I believe that I could have been more effective in encouraging them to seek other avenues to continue their education.

Volunteering for Next Steps EDU helped remind me of the real need for social justice in higher education, especially for students who have been marginalized and taken advantage of by institutions. I am more cognizant of the important of integrating social justice in my fieldwork for the fall as I work to help develop with AB540 Ally Training for the Diversity Initiatives and Resource Centers.

Museum of Tolerance

Term:

Summer 2015

Description:

Cohort 7 went to the Museum of Tolerance on June 28, 2015. The visit was incorporated as part of the EDAD 524 Diversity, Access, and Equity course for the MSHE program aimed to educate the cohort about the Holocaust and historical issues in both historic and contemporary contexts and help to confront all forms of prejudice and discrimination in our world today. It challenged the cohort to make connections between course readings and themes, and our role as educators and student affairs professionals.

Learning Outcomes:

SWiBAT identify connections between the Holocaust and EDAD 524 (Diversity, Access and Equity) course content as they relate to the understanding historical injustices in higher education through a reflection journal and class discussions.

SWiBAT recall and reflect on stories of Holocaust survivors.

Assessment Rubric:

	Advanced	Competent	Basic	Needs Improvement
SLO #1	Able to identify connections between information learned at the museum and course content, and able to connect concepts from reading through a reflection journal and class discussions	Able to identify connections between information learned at the museum and course content, and able to connect concepts from reading through a reflection journal	Able to identify connections between information learned at the museum and course content	Unable to identify connections between information learned at the museum and course content
SLO #2	Able to recall details of a Holocaust survivor’s story, related them to the experiences of marginalized communities, and how they may inform their work	Able to recall details of a Holocaust survivor’s story and relating them to the experiences of marginalized communities	Able to recall some details of a Holocaust survivor’s story and reflected on it	Able to recall a detail of a Holocaust survivor’s story but did not reflect on it

Evidence:

Reflection:

Hearing from Ms. Elizabeth Mann’s own accounts of the Holocaust and her experiences in Auschwitz was very humbling and inspiring. I could not help but feel great sadness when she talked about her sick brother and how she felt responsible for his death because she had told him to go with their mother. She also shared how “ordinary” people played a part in the atrocities and the genocide the Jewish people endured in Europe. She and the exhibit highlighted the big role of propaganda and censorship had in demonizing the Jewish people and indoctrinating “ordinary” people with hatred against Jews. Books, newspapers, magazines, posters, etc. were used to paint Jewish people as inhuman and responsible for the economic hardships of Germany and other European countries. Jewish businesses were closed and burned, Jewish teachers were fired, and books written by Jewish authors were burned. Hitler and the Nazi Party were determined to wipe the Jewish people and off the face of the earth and silence those who dare challenge it. The Nazis didn’t just persecute Jewish people, they also persecuted Communists. I would rate myself as advanced in connecting my experiences at the Museum of Tolerance and the class course and applying what I’ve learned in the reflection journal and discussions in class. The themes of propaganda and censorship discussed during the trip reminded me of the history propaganda and censorship in American education in the 1920s as examined in Joel Spring’s book The American School. Groups like The American Legion would form to control what children were exposed to, focusing on preventing what they perceived as the encroachment of Communist ideas in schools. They also advocated the firing of teachers who were deemed “disloyal” and demanded that teachers take loyalty oaths. These actions were very reminiscent of events in Europe under Nazism.

I expected the visit to be emotional, but I was caught off guard by how emotional I got listening to Ms. Elizabeth Mann, a Holocaust survivor. When she described her experience, particularly about her brother and how ordinary people turned their backs on the Jewish people, really made me reflect on what I’m doing as an educator to not only increase awareness about oppression and inequalities in higher education but also what actions I can do to include social justice in my work. I would rate myself advanced in this aspect. I am able to tie what I’ve learned from Ms. Mann and the Museum of Tolerance with the important themes of diversity, access, and equity in higher education. I was also able to reflect on how I help perpetuate the notion of supremacy of the dominant White (Anglo-Protestant) culture and contribute to the oppression of others. The atrocities of the Holocaust would not have been possible without the complacency of “ordinary” people.

This entry would remind me to check my biases as I work with students who may already feel marginalized. It would also remind me to not only raise awareness about oppression but also to take action. It would help guide me in helping develop the AB 540 Ally Training by utilizing counter storytelling to challenge negative narratives perpetuated by mass media about undocumented immigrants. The visit and this entry will remind me the importance of questioning the status quo and continue to fight for social justice as an educator and student affairs professional.

CA Commission on Asian Pacific Islander American Affairs Hearing

Term: 

Spring 2015

Description: 

The CA Commission on Asian Pacific Islander American Affairs Hearing was held on April 27, 2015 at UC Riverside, California. The mission of the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs is to elevate the political, economic, and social issues of Asians and Pacific Islanders by contributing to and strengthening how state government addresses the needs, issues, and concerns of the diverse and complex Asian and Pacific Islander American communities. Commissioners of the California Commission on APIA Affairs invited panelists to the hearing to discuss the challenges that Asian and Pacific Islander undocumented immigrants face.

Learning Outcomes: 

SWiBAT identify new bills that will affect undocumented students. 

SWiBAT gain new networks from interacting with panelists and commissioners. 

SWiBAT improve public speaking skills by appropriately preparing for the presentation. 

Assessment Rubric: 

	Advanced	Competent		Basic	Poor
SLO #1 New Bills	Have done research on new bills that affect undocumented students and could effectively advocate for multiple bills		Have done research on new bills that affect undocumented students and could effectively advocate for one specific bill	Have done research on new bills that affect undocumented students but do not know the details	Was not aware of new bills that affect undocumented students
SLO #2 Networking	Introduced themselves to commissioners and panelists, exchanged contact information, and  discussed bills they supported		Introduced themselves to commissioners and panelists and exchanged contact information	Introduced themselves to commissioners and panelists	Did not make the effort to introduce themselves
SLO #3 Public Speaking	Prepared for the presentation and confident in their presentation		Prepared for the presentation and somewhat confident in their presentation	Somewhat prepared for the presentation	Did not prepare for the presentation

Evidence: 

I had been invited by Jacqueline Wu from the Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) to speak about the needs of undocumented Asian American Pacific Islander students. We met at the Community Gathering Event that the Asian Pacific American Center (APARC) and the Asian American Studies (ASAM) had put on. She knew about my work as a Graduate Assistant at the Titan Dreamers Resource Center providing support to undocumented students. When I was offered the opportunity to advocate for undocumented AAPI students I did not hesitate. I knew that sharing my experiences would be helpful. I started researching AB 1366, which would require the California Community Colleges and the California State University, and encourage the University of California, to create Dream Resource Centers on each campus to assist certain students. It would help streamline the access to financial aid and other opportunities for undocumented students. I researched SB 247, which would authorize the governing board of each school district or county office of education to establish Dream Centers in high school to provide information about support services available to undocumented students as they pursue higher education. I also researched the Health for All Bill (AB 4), which would provide health care coverage for all Californians. I felt that I needed to advocate for this bill as well because our students are not just affected by what goes on on-campus, they are also affected by what happens to them and their families off-campus. Health care is a huge need for our undocumented students and their families. I would give myself an “Advanced” for researching new bills.


I would give myself a “Competent” for networking at this event. I was able to go and introduce myself to both commissioners and panelists. I was able obtain contact information from a few of them. I was able to connect with Commissioner EunSook Lee and MaiKa Yang. I also exchange contact information with representatives from the Korean Resource Center and Asian Americans Advancing Justice. It was great to speak to them and find out projects they are working on and possible collaboration we could plan to further advocate for the undocumented AAPI immigrant communities. 

Although I had researched the bills I presented on carefully and practiced my testimony, I still felt very nervous when I began speaking in front of the Commission. I stumbled on a few words in the beginning. However, I kept my composure, and I was actually confident in my answers when the commissioners asked specific questions regarding the bills and experiences of undocumented AAPI students. I was able to also highlight the need to streamline some of the current laws, especially the three year in CA high school requirement to be classified as an AB 540 student. I was able to highlight the struggles of undocumented students who don’t qualify for AB 540 and who have to pay out-of-state tuition. I felt that it was important that they are not forgotten. I would give myself a “Competent” rating for public speaking. 

Here are some pictures from the hearing:

Reflection: 

I really felt good advocating for undocumented AAPI students. I feel that as a community, our narratives or voices are not always heard. This was really a chance for me to voice some of the needs and concerns of our students. It also helped put in perspective why I want to be in this profession and that is to serve marginalized, underrepresented and underserved students. It also reminded me the power in saying “YES” to these opportunities and challenging ourselves to reach higher. Serving our students doesn’t only involve things that happen on-campus. Their lives are more complex and serving them holistically means that we must look at what affects them off-campus as well. It means being cognizant of the needs of their families and their communities. It really was a privilege to be given a chance to do this.