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  • Contains 18 Component(s), Includes Credits Includes a Live Web Event on 07/21/2025 at 3:00 PM (EDT)

    This short course is designed to guide student affairs professionals through a comprehensive understanding of holistic well-being.

    Dates: June 16 - July 21, 2025
    Description

    Designed by members of the NASPA Health, Safety, and Well-being Initiatives team, this short course is designed to guide student affairs professionals through a comprehensive understanding of holistic well-being. Focusing on fostering a shared commitment to well-being in educational environments, particularly through the integration of research-based strategies that support mental, emotional, physical, and social health, the course includes interactive discussions, reflection activities, and actionable insights aimed at enhancing campus and community engagement. Through this course, participants are encouraged to cultivate an inclusive culture that prioritizes the health and well-being of the entire campus community.

    Learning Outcomes
    1. Define the concept of well-being within the context of higher education.
    2. Analyze and apply the principles outlined in the Okanagan Charter to guide health promotion efforts in academic settings.
    3. Evaluate and integrate various health promotion models and theories to inform the design and implementation of comprehensive well-being programs.
    4. Recognize the roles and responsibilities of key team members, including administrators, faculty, staff, and student leaders, in promoting well-being on campus.
    5. Understand and apply the Collective Impact framework as a collaborative approach to addressing complex social issues within the college context.
    6. Assess and evaluate the effectiveness of well-being programs.

    Course Outline

    Section 1 - Understanding Well-being in Higher Education

    Section 2 - Roles, Collaboration, and Collective Impact on Promoting Well-being

    Section 3 - Developing a Comprehensive Well-being Strategy on Campus

    Section 4 - Cultivating a Well-being Culture

    Section 5 - Assessing and Evaluating Well-being Programs for Sustainability and Long-Term Planning

    Course Live Session Dates

    Monday, July 21, 2025 at 3:00 PM ET (Not recorded, mandatory attendance for CSAEd credit)

    Course Commitment and Expectations

    The course will require 1-2 hours per week with assignments, engagement, and live sessions. All participants are expected to contribute to discussions and be present during live sessions. The course requires participants to have access to a computer, wifi, and webcam. All live sessions will be via Zoom, providing presentation slides and closed captioning. 

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    Guidelines for earning CE credit: 

    4 CSAEd Core CEs are awarded for completing this course. Completion includes viewing all recordings and completing the Feedback Survey. 

    No partial credit will be awarded; full completion is required. 

    Participants must also complete the feedback survey in the Online Learning Community.

    To receive CSAEd credit, attendees must complete the Feedback Survey in the online event offering the certification. Once the survey is completed, your Certificate will be available in the event modules. The Certificate of Completion, which will show the event and credit earnings, is available for download and/or print from the event in your Online Learning Community.

    NASPA has been approved by the Higher Education Consortium for Student Affairs Certification to provide CE credit for Certified Student Affairs Educators (CSAEd). NASPA is solely responsible for all aspects of this program.

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  • Contains 1 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 07/17/2025 at 1:00 PM (EDT)

    This course equips student affairs professionals with a strategic understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) and its practical applications in higher education. Participants will explore the opportunities and challenges AI presents while gaining hands-on experience with key tools to streamline workflows and enhance student engagement. The course emphasizes both practical implementation and ethical considerations, ensuring participants can make informed decisions about AI use. By the end, learners will be prepared to integrate AI strategies that align with institutional goals and student needs.

    June 14-August 15, 2025

    Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming higher education, and student affairs professionals are at the forefront of this evolution. This 5-week online course introduces foundational AI concepts and provides a strategic framework for thoughtfully integrating AI into student affairs practice. Using Ethan Mollick’s Co-Intelligence as a guiding text, participants will explore ethical considerations, identify AI applications that enhance student support services, and gain hands-on experience with practical tools such as generative AI platforms, chatbots, and data-driven communication tools.

    The course is designed to balance strategy with practice, giving participants opportunities to engage in real-world exercises, discussions, and case studies that highlight both the promise and pitfalls of AI. Special attention will be given to topics such as bias, privacy, and institutional policy, helping professionals anticipate challenges and confidently navigate them. By the end of the course, attendees will have built a working knowledge of AI’s potential, along with a tailored action plan for applying AI tools and strategies to better serve their students and meet evolving institutional goals.

    Learning Outcomes
    • Describe key AI concepts and explain their relevance to student affairs practice.
    • Recognize ethical considerations, including bias and privacy, and understand institutional policies that guide AI use.
    • Assess and experiment with AI tools that support student engagement, communication, and administrative efficiency.
    • Develop a practical action plan for integrating AI tools and strategies into your own student affairs work.
    Course Prices 

    Member:             $449 

    Non-member:     $649

    Live Session

    The five 60-minute live sessions will be held every Thursday from 1:00- 2:00 p.m. ET. 

    They are scheduled for the following dates:

    July 17, 2025 

    July 24, 2025 

    July 31, 2025

    August 7, 2025 

    August 14, 2025 

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    Michael Butcher, Ed.D.

    Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

    College of Coastal Georgia

    Dr. Michael Butcher is the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at the College of Coastal Georgia (CCGA), as well as the Founder and President of the Center for Artificial Intelligence. With nearly two decades of experience in higher education, Dr. Butcher is a national leader in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to drive organizational and educational innovation. His expertise lies in integrating advanced technologies to enhance efficiency, communication, engagement, and assessment across various industries.

    Dr. Butcher holds a Bachelor’s in Information Technology, a Master’s in Public Administration, a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, and a Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence Business Innovation. This interdisciplinary academic background provides a solid foundation for his deep understanding of AI and its practical applications in higher education.

    Nationally recognized for his thought leadership, Dr. Butcher has delivered keynote addresses at EDUCAUSE, the Georgia Council of Human Resources (GCHR), and the Southern Association of Colleges and Employers (SoACE). He has also presented on AI ethics, accessibility, and its transformative impact on higher education at regional and national conferences, including NASPA. Most recently, he developed CCGA’s inaugural course, “Artificial Intelligence and Business Innovation,” preparing students for success in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

    Week 1: Introduction to AI and Its Impact on Higher Education
      • Overview of AI concepts and trends; guided reading of Mollick’s foundational chapters.
      • Reflection: Where is AI already showing up on your campus, and what questions does it raise?
    Week 2: Ethics, Bias, and Policy in AI Use
    • Deep dive into ethical considerations, bias, privacy concerns, and institutional responsibilities.
    • Case study: Real-world scenarios of AI successes and challenges in student affairs.
    Week 3: Exploring AI Tools for Student Affairs
    • Hands-on demos of key tools: Copilot, ChatGPT, chatbots, early alert systems, scheduling assistants.
    • Workshop: Crafting and testing AI prompt engineering for practical tasks.
    Week 4: AI for Communication, Engagement, and Support
    • Strategies for using AI to personalize outreach, support services, and enhance engagement.
    • Assignment: Develop a draft communication or engagement plan using AI tools.
    Week 5: Building Your AI Action Plan
    • Synthesis of course learnings: strategy, tools, ethical considerations, and next steps.
    • Present and peer-review a tailored AI integration plan for your department or institution.
  • Contains 4 Component(s), Includes Credits Includes a Live Web Event on 06/23/2025 at 12:00 PM (EDT)

    Discover how kink and BDSM can serve as pathways for healing and empowerment for individuals navigating life after sexual trauma.

    Julia Hagen

    Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

    Julia Hagen (she/her), is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Minnesota specializing in relationships, sexuality, and identity, and trained in the Anchored Relational Therapy Model for processing trauma and dissociation with a focus on neurological, developmental, and person-centered treatment intervention. Julia’s clinical practice includes individual and couples’ therapy with a systemic feminist framework and focuses on issues relating to sexuality and gender, sense of self, sexual behaviors and pleasures, kink, BDSM, non-monogamy and polyamory, and sexual shame.

    Julia has a background in developing and facilitating workshops and courses relating to identity, sexuality, and gender-based violence including workshop development and facilitation for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Leadership and Involvement, Kansas State University Center for Advocacy, Response and Education, and adjunct teaching undergraduate level Human Sexuality within K-State’s College of Health and Human Sciences.

    Culture of Respect's webinar The Role of Kink and BDSM in Healing from Sexual Trauma explores what is and isn't kink, with specific focus on the role of developmental, neurological, chemical, and dissociative factors in consenting to and engaging in kink / BDSM practices. Participants will address the role that kink and BDSM activities play in sexual identities and behaviors of some people who have experienced sexual trauma, and ways that these practices may be healing or harming depending on the established understanding of the factors covered. Finally, participants will understand some of the key practices that individuals and systems cam employ to engage in kink and BDSM activities to encourage ongoing and informed consent, particularly for individuals with a history of sexual trauma. 

  • Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits Includes a Live Web Event on 06/17/2025 at 12:00 PM (EDT)

    At WSU Tri-Cities, approximately half of the student body identifies as BIPOC, are first-generation students, and pay no out-of-pocket tuition. Motivated to provide a diverse community with transformational experiences that address access, inclusion, and equity, the presenters will share how Counseling & Wellness, Multicultural Center, and Career Center utilized on-campus employment as a vehicle for delivering evidence-based, high-impact programs, and the intersectional approach applied to promote personal growth, identity exploration, professional development, and holistic wellbeing. In addition, we will discuss the second year of managing the peer education programs, a year after their inaugural campus launch.

    Sylvia Rangel van Breda Vriesman, M.A. LMFT

    Assistant Director of Student Services / Student Counselor

    Washington State University Tri-Cities

    Sylvia Rangel van Breda Vriesman, M.A. LMFT, is a licensed Marriage, Couple, and Family therapist, who specializes in the treatment of co-occurring disorders, who serves as the Assistant Director of Student Services / Student Counselor at Washington State University Tri-Cities since July 2020. She is passionate about social justice, advocating for student mental health, peer education, mindfulness, and using the Cultural Context Model in her clinical work. When not at work, she loves spending time at her house, gardening, cooking, and enjoying spa/movie nights with her family. Her goal is to continue working with the collegiate population and pursue a doctorate in Psychology.

    Laura Sanchez

    Director of Student Services / Deputy Title IX Coordinator

    Washington State University Tri-Cities

    Laura Sanchez has dedicated over 20 years to the higher education and non-profit sectors in central and eastern Washington State. As a proud first-gen Chicana, Laura maintains a steadfast commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice within her work that includes roles within admissions, career services, alumni relations and diversity and inclusion at both state public and private liberal arts institutions. Currently, Laura serves as the Director of Student Services at Washington State University Tri-Cities, where she oversees multiple departments critical to student success.  

    In this webinar, the presenters will delve into the methodically crafted evidence-based program design process deeply rooted in mentoring research, anti-deficit inquiry, and the recognition of cultural wealth. Our journey will explore the preparation and launch of four student peer programs led by Counseling and Wellness, Mobilizing Opportunities for Student Advocacy, Inclusion and Culture (MOSAIC) Center, and Career Center and go into a deep dive into two peer programs as case studies that expand over two years. 

    Integrated into the programs, Cougs Reaching Cougs, Peer Health Promotion, EmPOWERment Fellows, and Peer Career Coaches, the respective student supervisors serve as mentors to guide students individually, and as a team, and provide ongoing training along with opportunities to apply learned techniques and tools that reinforce skill development through immediate and continual practice. The mentoring relationship allows for authentic listening and sharing that provides insight that supervisors can incorporate through activities and dialogues on topics such as identity, advocacy, mental, emotional, and physical wellness, navigating college, and career exploration. 

    Shared training and professional development opportunities are included for all student employees in these offices, while tailored components can be added to the experiential learning that is outlined as part of the program design. These three offices work together to create an intersectional approach to student development by focusing on personal growth, identity exploration, professional development, and holistic well-being. Using the pedagogical approach of “meeting students where they are”, we maintain a judgment-free environment where aspirations for the program needs are met, along with the personal, professional, and academic goals of the student employees. As we launched three new peer education programs at the same time, we provide and receive systemic support and advice to continuously improve and grow our programs, preventing burnout as student affairs professionals. 

    Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005) 
    Stereotype Threat (Steele, 1995)  
    NASPA’s Certified Peer Educator Training, The Cultural Context Model (Dr. Rhea Almeida)
    Eight Dimensions of Wellness (SAMSHA)
    MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership (2005) 
    The Case for a Conceptual Base for Minority Mentoring Programs (Haring, M. J.,1999)

    Learning Outcomes

    1. Understand the process for crafting an intentional program design that includes (1) development through a social justice lens, (2) an anti-deficit framework, and (3) a research-based mentoring approach

    2. Gain awareness of the considerations for launching and managing peer-based programs that includes best practices for capturing data and analysis for program evaluation and improvement. 

    NASPA has been approved by the Higher Education Consortium for Student Affairs Certification to provide CE credit for Certified Student Affairs Educators (CSAEd). NASPA is solely responsible for all aspects of this program.

    Participants who complete the course will be eligible for Continuing Education (CE) credits in the Core Student Affairs Educator Certification (CSAEd).

    Guidelines for earning CE credit: 1 CE is awarded for attending this live session OR on-demand for ONE category of Continuing Education. You can not receive more than 1 credit hour total.

    No partial credit will be rewarded.

    To receive CSAEd credit, attendees must complete the Feedback Survey in the online event offering the credit. Once the survey is completed, your Certificate will be available in the event modules for you to download at your convenience.

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  • Contains 2 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 06/12/2025 at 1:00 PM (EDT)

    Join Peer Education Initiatives and fellow advisors for a lively, virtual roundtable to swap success stories, tackle challenges, and ignite fresh ideas for your peer education programming. Connect, collaborate, and leave inspired with new strategies for the year ahead.

    Looking for new programming ideas or solutions to common challenges? Connect live with peer education advisors from across the country for an open, interactive discussion. This virtual roundtable is a chance to share programs that worked well, lessons learned from challenges, and creative approaches for the upcoming year. Whether you are a seasoned advisor or new to the role, your experiences and insights are valuable to the conversation. No formal presentations, just real conversations designed to spark collaboration and innovation. Come ready to share, ask questions, and walk away with actionable ideas and renewed energy for your peer education work!

    Learning Outcomes:

    1. Discuss successful peer education programs implemented on other campuses
    2. Analyze common challenges faced in peer education programming
    3. Develop at least two new programming ideas or enhancements to bring back to your campus


    Janel Molnar

    Director, Recreation & Wellness

    Ashland University

    Janel Molnar serves as the Director of Recreation & Wellness at Ashland University, where she has been in that position since 2009.  In 2020, her department began to oversee wellness for both students as well as faculty/staff.  Molnar serves as the advisor for the "Student Wellness Team", which is a peer education group housed within wellness.  The Student Wellness Team is composed of 19 students who share wellness information with campus, promote a healthy lifestyle and serve as wellness resources on campus.  Under Molnar's leadership the Wellness Team President (Sarah Watson) received the "Outstanding Peer Educator of the Year" award at the 2025 NASPA Strategies conference, the Student Wellness Team won "Outstanding Student Organization of the Year" and Molnar won "Outstanding Staff Member" at the 2025 Ashland University Leadership Awards.

  • Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits Includes a Live Web Event on 06/12/2025 at 1:00 PM (EDT)

    The presentation covers strategic planning frameworks, research, and best practices. Participants will have an opportunity to get involved through a strategic planning exercise followed by a discussion of how to apply the frameworks at their institution.

    As a concept, strategic planning promises opportunities for an organization to become more successful by assessing the future, setting goals, and devising ways to bring about those goals (Dooris, Kelley, & Trainer, 2004). This intentionality is critical in all types of functional areas and at all levels of organizations. However, in practice, strategic planning is often confusing given the number of models, methods, ideas, tools, and procedures. Confusion can also set in when professionals try to adapt a strategic planning process from a business centered field to student affairs. These challenges and countless external pressures make it difficult to successfully develop and implement a strategic plan in a unit, and/or for a division. 

    Given these challenges, this presentation's intent is to initiate a conversation about a strategic planning model that works for student affairs. Specifically, the primary goal of this session is to develop, through discussion and application, the skills needed to successfully begin a strategic plan in an individual unit and/or for a student affairs division. The program has three additional goals; (1) develop an understanding of how to use assessment findings in a strategic plan; (2) evaluate frameworks and determine which framework is most applicable to their organization; and (3) the consideration of psychology and behavior that supports the successful development of a strategic plan. Covering each of these goals is critical given the growing need for strategic thinking and planning for all professionals.

    Dooris, M. J., Kelley, J. M. and Trainer, J. F. (2004). Strategic planning in higher education. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2004, 5-11. https://doi.org/10.1002/ir.115

    Learning Outcomes

    1. Participants will understand strategic planning in the student affairs assessment context.

    2. Participants will learn about different strategic planning frameworks.

    3. Participants will learn how to apply strategic planning frameworks in their own workplace.

    Ania Peczalska

    Director of Student Affairs Assessment, Research, and Planning

    University of North Carolina Wilmington

    Ania Peczalska has been involved in student affairs strategic planning for over three years with expertise in developing, tracking, and/or revising strategic plans and priorities at the university, divisional, and/or unit level. She worked for over ten years at Indiana University Bloomington in a variety of student-facing and administrative positions where she obtained an in-depth understanding of student affairs assessment and postsecondary student experience. Ania obtained her undergraduate degree at Saint Olaf College followed by a Master of Library Science, a Master of Arts in Folklore and Ethnomusicology, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Indiana University.

    Ania also has a strong background in both quantitative and qualitative research with research centered around student success, assessment, and institutional support for students. Her publications include articles within the peer-reviewed journal Innovative Higher Education and the NASPA Leadership Exchange magazine. Ania additionally teaches a graduate assessment course at University of North Carolina Wilmington, holds a leadership position in the NASPA Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community, and regularly presents her research and assessment best practices at national conferences.

    Kimberly Kruchen-Spaulding

    Associate Director of Operational Excellence

    University of Colorado Boulder

    Kimberly Kruchen-Spaulding is an accomplished leader in supporting strategic initiatives, currently serving as the associate director in the office of the executive vice chancellor at the University of Colorado Boulder. In this pivotal role, Kim provides high-level strategic support to ensure the successful implementation of campus-wide initiatives. She excels in managing complex projects by formulating and executing long-term goals, optimizing organizational capabilities, and driving sustained success across these initiatives. Kim’s expertise spans change management, data-informed decision-making, and organizational effectiveness. Kim began her career at CU Boulder as a student activities coordinator, where she adapted programs that impact student success. At the University of Virginia, she earned her master's degree, conducted research, and contributed as an intern for the Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS). Most recently, Kim led the Division of Student Affairs' efforts in assessment, research, and data analytics as its director, leveraging data-driven insights to enhance the student experience and organizational performance. With research interests in student development, mattering, and organizational psychology, Kim is an active volunteer in the field and currently serves as co-chair of the NASPA Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community.

    NASPA has been approved by the Higher Education Consortium for Student Affairs Certification to provide CE credit for Certified Student Affairs Educators (CSAEd). NASPA is solely responsible for all aspects of this program.

    Participants who complete the course will be eligible for Continuing Education (CE) credits in the Core Student Affairs Educator Certification (CSAEd).

    Guidelines for earning CE credit: 1 CE is awarded for attending this live session OR on-demand for ONE category of Continuing Education. You can not receive more than 1 credit hour total.

    No partial credit will be rewarded.

    To receive CSAEd credit, attendees must complete the Feedback Survey in the online event offering the credit. Once the survey is completed, your Certificate will be available in the event modules for you to download at your convenience.

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  • Contains 8 Product(s)

    Gain access to all of the webinars in the 2025 PRACTICES Professional Development Series at a discounted rate and earn up to 9 CE credits! Click on the package title to view all of the webinars included.

    The NASPA Advisory Services PRACTICES Professional Development Series offers nine 60-minute webinars focused on topics spanning across our signature framework, PRACTICES. The framework focuses on student affairs and services’ policies, resources, alignment and partnerships with academic affairs, compliance, technology, inclusion, community, evidence-based practices, and student success efforts. This webinar series is a flexible, effective way to provide a comprehensive professional development series to your staff.

    PRICE

    Members:  $349

    Non-members $599

  • Contains 1 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 06/11/2025 at 1:00 PM (EDT)

    This course guides participants through the entire survey process step by step. It will provide a blueprint for institutions that choose to administer a survey using only “in-house” resources or minimal external assistance. This training builds a foundation for further data collection and assessment strategies, including general climate surveys and analysis of internal sexual misconduct case data.

    June 9- June 27, 2025

    In 2014, the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault first advised American higher education institutions to conduct regular student sexual misconduct climate surveys. The Department of Justice called these climate surveys an important tool to gather knowledge about the scope and nature of sexual harassment and violence in their communities. In the following years, climate surveys have moved from a best practice to a mandate. Not only have around a dozen states passed legislation requiring the administration of regular climate surveys, but the 2021 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act added a requirement for all colleges and universities to conduct a survey as well. In addition, multiple Canadian provinces and European countries have either mandated or strongly encouraged sexual misconduct climate surveys for their own institutions: this mandate to make assessment a core part of the work is taking hold across the globe.

    But in recent months, there has been a rising need for general climate surveys assessing the needs of campus communities with regards to issues intersecting with Title VI compliance. Now more than ever, it is imperative to gain a stronger understanding of the current attitudes and behaviors of your institution’s faculty, staff, and/or student populations, as well as the institutional policies and procedures that influence the level of respect for individual needs, abilities, and potential. 

     However, surveys not based on science and best practices may not accurately measure a campus community’s climate nor sexual misconduct. Universities may have both the capacity and the will to conduct meaningful climate surveys, but they might not be sure of where to start, how to conduct the survey, and what questions to ask. 

     In partnership with Rankin Climate, NASPA is providing a comprehensive course to meet that need: this course guides participants through the entire survey process step by step. This training will provide a blueprint for institutions that choose to administer a survey using only “in-house” resources or minimal external assistance, culminating in participants building their own climate assessment plan. This training builds a foundation for further data collection and assessment strategies, including general climate surveys and analysis of internal sexual misconduct case data and the programmatic assessment to measure the impact of the efforts you and your colleagues are conducting to move the needle on the indications from your overarching community survey work.

    Learning Outcomes
    • Understand how to balance legal mandates with institutional needs in conducting sexual misconduct climate surveys (SMCS).
    • Learn the best practices related to the assessment of SMCS from the research literature, specifically to (1) evaluate and select survey instrument(s), evaluate data collection and analysis strategies, and (3) reconcile data from different instruments historically used by the institution.
    • Organize information from across literature and institutions to determine the key to a successful SMCS administration at your home institution.
    • Evaluate different approaches to action planning and be able to apply the theory to data
    • Identify themes within and across survey results to develop clear action steps for immediate implementation.

    Live Sessions

    • June 11 from 1:00-3:00 (ET) 
    • June 18 from 1:00-3:00 (ET) 
    • June 25 from 1:00-3:00 (ET) 

    This course will be synchronous and asynchronous, with weekly live sessions. Depending on the content and speakers of each live session, the session may be recorded for viewing at a later date. Attendance and participation in the live session are highly encouraged, as they offer an opportunity to engage in activities and knowledge sharing that will add to the learning experience.

    Meredith M. Smith, JD, MS Ed

    Senior Vice President

    Rankin Climate

    Meredith Smith spent a decade working in Title IX and nearly two decades in higher education administration overall, serving as the Title IX Coordinator for the University of Virginia and the Assistant Provost for Title IX and Clery Compliance and the Sexual Misconduct Response/Title IX Coordinator at Tulane University. Meredith is a founding member of the Administrator Researcher Campus Climate Collaborative (ARC3) and works for the Victim Rights Law Center as a Department of Justice Violence Against Women grant consultant. She has participated in the Office on Violence Against Women roundtable on sexual violence adjudication and the American Bar Association’s recommendations on college sexual assault investigation and adjudication. She contributed a chapter to Addressing Violence Against Women on College Campuses (Temple University Press, 2017). She was also a guest editor of The Society for Public Health Education’s journal Health Education & Behavior‘s 2020 journal supplement on college sexual assault policy and prevention. She is currently serving on a National Science Foundation grant on sexual misconduct climate surveys. For her work on the Tulane Sexual Misconduct Climate Survey and subsequent culture change initiatives, she was honored with a 2019 Visionary Voice Award from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Meredith has a BA (magna cum laude) in English-Creative Writing from Miami University, a JD  from The Ohio State University, and a MS Ed in Administration and Policy from Northwestern University.

    Kevin Swartout, Ph.D.

    CEO and Partner

    Rankin Climate

    Kevin Swartout leads Rankin Climate, bringing deep research and academic expertise after spending more than 15 years teaching and conducting research on university campuses. Kevin received his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a concentration in social psychology. He most recently served as a professor in the Department of Psychology at Georgia State University, earning tenure in 2017 and achieving the rank of full professor in 2020. His research focuses heavily on the influencers and psychology of decision-making. A significant portion of his work has centered on identifying and engaging distinct and diverse subpopulations.

    Susan Rankin, Ph.D.

    President

    Rankin Climate

    Dr. Susan (Sue) Rankin retired from Pennsylvania State University in 2013, where she most recently served as an Associate Professor of Education and Associate in the Center for the Study of Higher Education. Dr. Rankin has presented and published widely on the intersections of identities and the impact of sexism, genderism, racism, and heterosexism in the academy and intercollegiate athletics. Dr. Rankin has collaborated with over 200 higher education institutions to implement campus climate assessments and develop strategic plans for social justice issues. In her advocacy work, Dr. Rankin is a founding member of the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals, a network of professionals doing advocacy work for LGBT people on college campuses, and the Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition, a network of individuals and organizations across the Commonwealth committed to securing and defending full civil rights for LGBT individuals. 

    Week One: Introduction to Climate Surveys and Planning Your Process
    • History of Campus Climate Surveys and Sexual Misconduct Climate Surveys
    • Current Legal Landscape: Who has to do it, and what do we do?
    • What We Know From Current Research About Sexual Misconduct in Higher Education
    • What to Consider When Deciding to Conduct a Survey
    • Articulating Survey Goals
    • Working Within Your Budget
    • Looking Ahead to Future Administrative Decisions
    Week Two: The Science Behind Surveys
    • Laying Out A Survey Approach: Do It Internally or Externally?
    • How to Choose a Survey Instrument
    • Switching Surveys and Reconciling Different Data
    Week Three: Administration Nuts & Bolts
    • Forming a Climate Survey Working Group
    • Customizing a Survey Without Breaking the Measurements
    • Sample Approach or Census Approach
    • Whether or Not (and How) to Submit to IRB
    • Creating a Communications/Marketing Strategy and Toolkit
    • Incentives: What Works and Maximizing Your Budget
    • Conducting Data Analysis
    • Creating Data Dashboards
    Week Four: Action and Community Engagement
    • Shifting from a Climate Survey Working Group to an Action Group
    • Overview of Public Health Strategies of Prevention and the Socio-Ecological Model
    • Synthesizing Other Institutional Data for Comparison and Context
    • Evaluating Different Approaches to Design Action Plans
    • How to Identify Your Key Findings
    • Creating Solution-Oriented Action Items to Address Key Findings
    • Sharing the Results with Your Community: How to Report Out
    • Solidify Assessment Plan for Future
  • Contains 8 Product(s)

    State and federal legislative and policy changes can significantly impact the work of student affairs professionals. This Public Policy hub is designed to serve as a tool for NASPA members to better understand policy and regulatory changes, and potential implications of proposed legislation that impact the student affairs profession and broader higher education field. This resource is only available to current NASPA individual members. If you have questions about your membership status or would like to join or renew, please contact membership@naspa.org

    The Public Policy resource hub consists of a compilation of policy research, coalition work, and resources from NASPA, other associations, non-profit organizations, and think tanks with expertise in various areas of higher education. Based on input from staff, organizational partners, and members, NASPA has curated this centralized resource to include policy trackers, articles, fact sheets, legislative summaries, and informational videos that outline  state and federal legislative and policy changes for student affairs professionals.

    This resource is only available to current NASPA individual members. If you have questions about your membership status or would like to join or renew, please contact membership@naspa.org

    NASPA staff wants to hear from members about the policy areas that would be helpful for us to follow and report on. We are also interested in hearing from members if there are additional resources that would be helpful in their work. 

    NASPA Policy Feedback Form

  • Contains 2 Component(s)

    Rooted in the communal learning traditions central to the cultural history of first-generation students, this webinar explores the critical role of faculty and staff engagement in student retention and persistence. By grounding research and data on faculty and staff engagement within a culturally relevant framework, this session will highlight practical applications for faculty and staff collaboration to enhance first-generation student’s academic, social, and professional development.

    Student engagement is an age-old question that continues to stump higher education professionals. With changes in student trends as noted by Seemiller and Grace (2015) and more minority students attending higher education, finding culturally relevant engagement strategies that leverage the expertise of all higher education constituents is key. This webinar pays homage to the communal cultural roots of many first-generation college students as a means of creating an asset-based environment that validates students’ experiences and embraces new engagement strategies that uplift students’ collegiate experiences.

    This webinar will look at the Shared Governance and Faculty Engagement Model to propose collaborative efforts that can increase student engagement to support first-generation students’ year-to-year persistence and retention. Noting research by Nunn, L. M. (2021) and Romero, Gonzalez, Clark, Ibanez & D’Anna, Hernandez (2020) this webinar will provide a look at existing data that shows the importance of implementing frameworks for collaboration. 

    Learning Outcomes:

    Participants will:

    • analyze the assets of faculty & staff through the lens of the Shared Governance and Faculty Engagement Models;
    • gain a deeper understanding of how intentional engagement strategies can create inclusive, empowering environments that honor and uplift the cultural experiences of first-generation students; and
    • understand current data and research that promotes the importance of collaboration among faculty and staff for student engagement.

    Nancy Gonzalez Reyes

    EOP STEM Counselor and Academic Success Coach

    UC Santa Cruz

    Nancy Gonzalez Reyes is an EOP STEM Counselor and Academic Success Coach at UC Santa Cruz, where she supports students from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds in navigating their academic journeys. With seven years of experience in both K–12 and higher education, Nancy is passionate about equity, access, and student empowerment. As a first-generation college graduate and daughter of immigrant parents, she is deeply committed to breaking down systemic barriers and fostering inclusive educational environments.

    Nancy earned her B.A. in History and Education from UC Santa Cruz and recently completed her M.Ed. in Higher Education with a focus on Student Engagement at Pennsylvania State University. She strives to be a trusted resource and advocate for students, offering guidance and creating supportive spaces where they can thrive.