Higher Education Policy Update: Federal and State Priorities for Student Affairs Professionals

Diana Ali is currently the director of policy research and advocacy at NASPA. Diana analyzes emerging policy issues at state and federal levels, creates tools for student affairs professionals to understand and respond to these issues, and organizes and supports NASPA advocacy and civic engagement efforts. Since moving to the area, Diana has been a non-profit advocate and is currently a mental health group facilitator in the Chicagoland community. She served as an AmeriCorps volunteer for two years and graduated with a Masters in Social Work and a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Chicago.

Dr. Jill Dunlap is the Assistant Vice President for Civic Engagement, Policy Research and Advocacy at NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Prior to her current role, Jill worked at three different campuses over a span of 15 years. Jill’s primary background is in equity and justice work, specializing in interpersonal violence prevention and response. Her expertise in interpersonal violence has allowed her to serve as a consultant at the national level, from participating in the federal rulemaking process, serving as a subject matter expert to the Department of Defense and a member of the Peace Corps Sexual Assault Advisory Council. Jill also teaches Political Science at both St. Xavier University and DePaul University in Chicago. She completed her PhD in Political Science and Public Administration at Northern Illinois University. Jill’s research has centered on the experiences of college students and student affairs professionals, and includes a range of topics from interpersonal violence, to advancing racial justice on campus. Her work can be found in several books including Contested Issues in Troubled Times: Student Affairs Dialogues on Equity, Civility, and Safety and Scandal and Corruption in Congress. Jill’s most recent research focuses on equity and social change efforts in higher education and she is proud to have co-authored the recent report, Advancing Racial Justice on Campus: Student and Administrator Perspectives on Conditions for Change.