Natural disasters have a profound and often lasting impact on university campuses, affecting not just infrastructure but also students' emotional and psychological well-being. This program delves into the critical role of student affairs professionals in providing care during times of crisis brought about by natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes. Drawing from the real-world experience of the 2023 wildfires on Maui, the presenters will outline strategies for immediate response, long-term support, and enhancing resilience among the student population. Emphasis will be on navigating crises while upholding JEDI principles. Attendees will leave the session equipped with actionable insights and a framework to prepare for and respond to the unique challenges of natural disasters in the student experience.

This webinar aims to arm student affairs professionals with practical tools and strategies to tackle the daunting challenges of natural disasters. The webinar will blend research-based insights with real-world examples to formulate a comprehensive response framework.

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the way we work in Student Affairs, offering new opportunities to enhance productivity, creativity, strategic planning, and decision-making. In this dynamic webinar, Colin Stewart, PhD (he/him), and Brandon Common (he/him) will guide you through the transformative potential of AI. From understanding foundational tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini to exploring advanced applications like prompt engineering and data management, this session will empower you to rethink your approach to work.

You’ll learn practical methods, such as the RICE prompt engineering framework, how to develop personas and paradigms that will help you master AI’s role, instructions, context, and examples. We’ll also dive into ethical considerations around AI, ensuring that your integration of this technology remains aligned with values of equity, transparency, and control. Whether you're new to AI or already experimenting with tools, this webinar is your chance to learn how to ethically and effectively use AI to reimagine your work.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand AI Tools and Applications: Participants will gain familiarity with a variety of AI tools, including ChatGPT, MS Co-Pilot, and Google Gemini (and others), and learn how these technologies can be applied to improve workflows and decision-making.

2. Learn Prompt Engineering Techniques: Explore the RICE frameworks, paradigms, and personas to develop effective prompts and maximize the capabilities of AI in diverse professional scenarios.

3. Navigate Ethical and Practical Considerations: Understand the risks and ethical implications of using AI, such as data security, control, and unknown factors, while learning strategies to ensure responsible and effective use.

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. 

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 practice applying strategic planning frameworks in their own workplace.

The current higher education landscape demands an integrated and collaborative approach to support student success and engagement. Unfortunately, student affairs professionals often face challenges due to working in isolated departments. By breaking down these barriers, professionals can create a unified and student-centric campus environment. The presenters will address organizational silos and offer strategies for student affairs professionals to foster cross-functional collaborations.

The presenters will explore practical strategies to build relationships across campus and foster collaboration among different departments. Using these strategies, student affairs professionals can enhance student support services and programs, improving student success and engagement. Throughout the session, we will highlight the importance of effective communication in fostering cross-functional collaborations. Active listening and empathetic dialogue are essential for building relationships and promoting cooperation among diverse campus stakeholders. "Lack of effective communication can perpetuate organizational silos, hindering collaboration and impeding student success" (Johnson & Smith, 2018, p. 42).

We will also emphasize the significance of leveraging existing networks and platforms within the campus community. Engaging in committees, task forces, and online communities can facilitate connections and create opportunities for collaboration across departments. "Utilizing existing networks and platforms fosters connections and cooperation among diverse campus departments, breaking down silos" (Brown & Wilson, 2019, p. 75). The presenters will discuss the importance of effective leadership as a crucial role in driving collaboration and breaking down silos. We will discuss leadership strategies for promoting a shared vision, advocating for cross-functional teamwork, and cultivating a culture of collaboration. "Leadership that promotes a shared vision, and a culture of collaboration can break down silos and foster cross-functional teamwork" (Miller & Davis, 2020, p. 102).

Real-life examples of successful cross-functional collaborations in student affairs will be shared, showcasing innovative programs and partnerships that have positively impacted student success and engagement. These examples will inspire and give attendees practical insights to implement in their institutions. The presenters will provide opportunities for participant involvement, including discussion and effective practice sharing. Participants will have the chance to share their own experiences and ideas, facilitating a collaborative learning environment. This presentation will equip student affairs professionals with practical strategies to break down organizational silos and build cross-functional collaborations. By fostering relationships across campus, professionals can create an integrated, student-centered environment that enhances student success and engagement.

Learning Outcomes

1. Participants will understand the concept of organizational silos and their impact on student affairs professionals and student success.

2. Participants will recognize the benefits of cross-functional collaborations in student affairs for fostering student success and engagement.

3. Participants will recognize the importance of leadership in promoting a shared vision and cultivating a culture of collaboration.

4. Participants will identify and leverage existing networks and platforms within the campus community to foster collaboration and break down silos.

The goal of this webinar is to enhance participants' capacity to address religious, secular, and spiritual (RSS) inclusion on campus. Participants will learn about relevant dimensions of the campus and engage with a tool to assess how welcoming a campus climate is for diverse worldviews. Participants will learn how to help their colleges and universities identify areas for continued improvement.

The notion of “welcoming” is both perceptual and affective. In the context of RSS diversity, it is a measure of how receptive students feel the campus is to people of different faith and non-faith-based traditions (e.g., atheists, Buddhists, evangelical Christians, Hindus, Jews, Latter-day Saints, and Muslims). The INSPIRES Index was created using data gathered through the Interfaith Diversity Experiences and Attitudes Longitudinal Survey (IDEALS) and provides research-based benchmarking and recommendations to institutions. In this session, we'll explore the background research, introduce the assessment tool, and provide tips from partner campuses on how to use "assessment as intervention" to align your institution with best practices.

Learning Outcomes

1. Participants will be exposed to leading research related to campus religious diversity and the student experience.

2. Participants will evaluate some of their own campus' practices by taking a portion of the Index.

3. Participants will identify the next steps for using assessment to drive institutional change.

Predictive analytics continue to have an increased focus on the tools we purchase and the initiatives we support. More and more frequently, stakeholders at many levels of the organization want to know the return on investment in initiatives, which students are at risk of stopping out or otherwise failing to finish, and whether outcomes are equivalent across different demographics of students. The focus of many of these models is on academic data about student performance or student demographic characteristics. While these elements are important, research suggests that co-curricular activities outside the classroom may have a more lasting effect on students. Along with improving retention and academic success, co-curricular activities have been shown to enhance career readiness and development. Adding these data to predictive models thus provides a more well-balanced view of the student experience and can provide insight into which activities are most impactful.

This lecture will walk attendees through the process of developing a useful predictive model and provide a summary of the results of a machine learning model that includes academic, demographic, and co-curricular elements about students. Presenters will provide the pros and cons of using such data, a case study review of how results were used to impact campus initiatives, the impacts of these initiatives on student success metrics, and suggestions for future adjustments to the model.

Learning Outcomes 

1. Participants will identify a variety of co-curricular practices that have a positive impact on student success metrics.

2. Participants will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of using co-curricular data in predictive models.

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.

This webinar will offer a primer on how the First Amendment comes into play in the public square on a public university’s campus. Following the establishment of a legal and policy foundation, presenters will offer a framework to explore the creation, implementation, and outcomes of an effective First Amendment and Student Activism Task Force. The overarching goal of the presentation is to position attendees to lead and participate in meaningful institutional evolutions that can address the many competing demands related to free speech on public campuses. Learned skills will include consideration of the equitable implementation of the protocol, development of user-friendly educational resources, communications strategies, legal implications, safety, finances, planning, logistics, and community relations.

Learning Outcomes

1. Participants will understand how federal law narrows to policy and practice within public postsecondary education. Session attendees will receive resources for consideration in educating their campus population on freedom of expression rights law.

2. Participants will examine a model for institutional and community engagement that can lead to enhanced collaboration, understanding, and alignment amongst parties impacted by public square speech in postsecondary education.

3. Participants will complete a worksheet to help them think about which stakeholders to engage on their campus and what areas they should examine to determine if their practices and policies align with law and their campus values.

4. Participants will engage in dialogue to identify culturally responsive practices that can help guide institutional strategy when addressing the complexities of freedom of expression on campus in postsecondary education.