In 2014, the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) conducted a census of the asexual community, receiving over 14,000 responses. Results showed that the most common age of self-recognition of an asexual identity is 17 years old. Further, 25.1% of asexual people have never come out, and for the 74.9% of those who have, the most common age of first disclosure is 19. These two statistics show that asexual individuals are first recognizing their asexual identity and coming out to others (if they come out at all) during a time that they will possibility be attending higher education institutions. This makes it crucial for asexual representation and understanding within identity-based departments and organizations of higher education. Participants of this program will gain knowledge of asexuality and the need to build ally curriculum at their own institutions.

As a new upcoming academic year’s recruitment cycle begins, institutions prepare to recruit and hire the best diverse candidates for their open positions. Likewise, many professionals are starting their search for the next best career opportunity that affords them career advancement, promotion, or broad experience in the field. For many higher education institutions, one of the most important pieces of the recruitment process is retaining diverse employers. Accordingly, from the perspective of both the hiring authority and job seekers, are you fully equipped to implement your recruitment plans?

Research has proven that increasing diversity in the workplace is not just a subject matter around social justice. Diversity in the workplace allows for different opinions and experiences to be considered, which makes a decision-making group better informed, innovative, insightful, resourceful, and successful. McPahil and Boggs (2016) and Romero (2017) articles both note that increased diversity such as age, disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, religious belief, sexual orientation and socioeconomic among groups offer multiple perspectives and broad methods to handling complex challenges found in higher education settings today. Although many institutions set out to recruit and hire diverse faculty and staff; many find themselves not able to retain them, which in turn continues the disproportion of diverse individuals in positions at our institutions. Which brings about the question: has your institution examined their strategies to ensure the recruitment, hiring, and retention of people from our underrepresented groups? Alternatively, for the job seeker, have you outlined your “must haves” in a future employer?

This program focuses on how to improve institutional recruitment strategies, establish or advance an inclusive hiring process, create a retention plan for diverse employees in institutions of higher education and share inclusive programs, and support that underrepresented groups who are job seekers should look for during their employment search.   

This program provides definition, data and policy information, and research on gender identity and trans students.

Needs description

The current state of gender in higher education is awash in trans* oppression, be it through attitudes, behaviors, policies, and/or hiring practices. This trans* oppression doesn’t just exist at the institutional level, but is (re)enforced socially. For example, 11 states sued the Obama administration for the right to determine which public restrooms trans* people can use. As such, the time to explore gender expansive practices in higher education, and how to implement in meaningful ways that positively influence the life chances for people with diverse genders is long overdue.

In this program, presenters discuss the current realities surrounding gender on campus, particularly as it relates to compliance with Title IX and other federal laws. Given these realities, they provide an emerging model from a recent empirical study that examined practitioner/educator attitudes regarding gender inclusion in sexual violence prevention work. Presenters also discuss the ways this model can be used to create broader thinking about what it means to be ‘gender inclusive’ on our campuses, and how we can be more effective advocates for transformation of our institutions by moving beyond a ‘culture of compliance’ and into a framework of gender expansive praxis.

Student affairs practitioners must have clear guidance to meet the needs of trans and nonbinary students and provide them with support in today’s hostile political climate. Participants in this session will learn about the updated and expanded Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals’ - Promising Policies and Practices for Supporting Trans and Nonbinary Students. Attendees will be provided concrete actions ranging from day-to-day practices to departmental and institutional policies to enact campus-wide change.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Learn about the development of promising policies and practices for supporting trans and nonbinary students
2. Gain an understanding of the types of organizational policies and practices (i.e., specific to a multitude of campus areas) that can expand inclusion, equity, and belonging
3. Receive guidance about concrete actions participants can take to implement these new policies and practices on their campuses

Continuing Education Credits

Session Credit Eligibility: 1.0 CSAEd-CORE credit or 1.0 CSAEd-SJI credit 

To receive CSAEd credit, attendees must complete the feedback survey that offers the certification in each session. 

Once you have attended all the live sessions or watched the on demand sessions for which you would like to request credit, visit the Continuing Education (CE) website to fill out the Student Affairs Education Certification Request Form for all the sessions.  

 All certificants must fill out one for the live session and a separate one for the on-demand sessions.  

 Visit the Continued Education (CE) website to learn more regarding deadlines and receive your certificate of completion for the Virtual Conference.

In this program, participants will learn to develop their own professional engagement strategy; expand their understanding of professional engagement opportunities at the state, regional, and national level, and their benefits; and deepen their familiarity with NASPA/ACPA Professional Competencies for Student Affairs Practitioners.