Elizabeth Rugel - MUW Dean of Students

Activities

1.      Proof read the student handbook

2.      Collected SEC Freedom of Speech Policy info

3.      Attended Dean of Students and Housing orientation sessions

4.      Attended Parent’s Panel at Orientation

5.      Sat in on meeting with Sirena and a sales rep about a Title 9 Training website

6.      Had lunch with Sirena in the campus cafeteria

Reflection on Practice

This week, I learned a great deal about the many functions of a Dean of Students. First, I sat in on orientation sessions while Sirena explained Title 9 and Sexual Misconduct to students and parents. Also, since Sirena just recently passed the torch to a new Director of Housing, we sat in on the housing session in order to help answer questions. I was surprised to learn that the W has many of the same housing procedures as MSU. I guess that borrowing housing policies is common just as it is with student conduct policies. It was strange realizing how much I knew or could assume, through my housing experience, about the W’s Housing department just by hearing the Director’s session about policy and procedures. I wonder if these universities are so similar because they’re in the same region, or because most all housing departments are the same.

Second, I listened to a meeting between Sirena and a sales representative from a company that sells Title 9 online training. This product is similar to the sexual harassment online trainings that we have all had to complete for our jobs. Sirena is viewing demos and getting quotes in order to enact a Title 9 online test for all students. This training will likely become commonplace at all universities soon. Because the university employs so many students as workers, and because all university employees must complete Title 9 training, the W has chosen to require the training of all students.  The test modules for students contain animated case studies for which students must answer questions about what is and is not sexual misconduct.

            These tests are sold by companies whose revenue comes from creating, maintaining, and updating these training courses. I was shocked to learn that a single online test can cost a university over $1,000 a year. This reminded me of what we have learned in Psychological Testing about assessment costs. It seems that as long as these products are in high demand, they can charge even small universities an arm and a leg.

Application of Course Reading

            This week, Sirena and I talked a lot about supervision styles in the office and I was reminded of Amey and Reesor’s (2009) comments on the subject. First, Sirena took me to lunch and explained several aspects of the campus culture at the W (Amey & Reesor, 2009, p. 10). This is an excellent illustration of Sirena’s caring and considerate supervision style. I feel like she really “gets it” and understands why I am working with her this summer. Every student affairs related thought that comes to her mind she shares with me. Every odd occurrence on campus or in office she will explain the significance of to me. This lunch that we had was jam packed with information about the students, faculty, staff, and administrators surrounding us. The guide book says that “Senior student affairs administrators are responsible for setting the professional climate of the division and promoting a culture that brings new professionals along through support and encouragement” (Amey & Reesor, 2009, p. 10). This is exactly how Sirena works, and I am so thankful that I chose her as my supervisor.

            In contrast, Sirena’s supervisor, Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Miles, has a very different style than Sirena. Dr. Miles is a very private administrator and prefers to have all conversations with only essential staff members and behind closed doors. Sirena always assures me that this a quark of hers and seems concerned that I may be offended. From the beginning, I assumed that this was rather standard protocol and never minded being asked to step out of the room briefly. This week, Sirena explained to me that while sometimes there are sensitive matters to be discussed, the privacy is really more of an odd preference of Dr. Miles’. Even if the subject matter is next week’s lunch meeting, she would rather have the door closed.

            While yes, this is odd, I guess to each his own. But as Sirena pointed out to me, this can sometimes be alarming to new employees. Consider this: Your new boss walks into your office and closes the door behind her. How do you feel? What are you thinking? I know my response is OH NO! WHAT DID I DO?!  But she just wants to ask you about your weekend. Now I understand how this could bother some people.

Reflection and Application of Theory

            Attending orientation sessions this week helped me focus in on the needs of freshman students. Freshman are a population that I do not work with much anymore, although they are a target population within study abroad. For this reason, I challenged myself to focus on their needs, challenges, and development while sitting in on orientation sessions.

            I noticed that most of the questions asked during orientation were questions from parents. This realization led me to remember Perry’s Theory of Intellectual and Ethical Development. I suspect that students were at a loss for questions because many are still in Perry’s Basic Duality position. Basic Duality is characterized by an individual who sees the world as dichotomous. There is good and bad, black and white, and those in authority roles have all the answers (Perry, 1999).

During orientation, I was rather annoyed by how much information emphasis was placed on parents and the role of parents. Parents were informed of resources and encouraged to talk to their students about taking advantage of their resources. During this I kept thinking to myself “um hello… they’re adults now”. But as Perry’s theory suggests, these freshman students may still be relying on their parents, the authority figures, in order to succeed. This means that it is our job as the soon-to-be new authority to challenge these students to move into the multiplicity prelegitimate position, in which they will see that authority is not always correct and that there can be multiple answers and truths (Preey, 1999).

References

Amey, M. J., & Reesor, L. M. (2009). Beginning your journey: A guide for new professional in

            student affairs. Washington, D.C.: NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher

            Education

Perry, W. (1999). Forms of intellectual and ethical development in the college years. New York:

            Holt, Rhinehart and Winston