Reflection of this Semester; Planning for the Next

It is true that having a schedule that is incredibly full sucks your time and your energy from you. However, it is also true that when your schedule is incredibly full, you manage your time more wisely and become even more (dare I say it?) energized. In class last night, Dr. M drew a bell curve on the board with "productivity" on the Y-axis and "commitments" on the X-axis - that there is a threshold (that is, of course, different for different people) to the amount commitments one can have and be at their peak with regards to productivity. (This was all in response to a discussion about busy students and the important lesson of learning how to say "no" to involvements.)

Anyhow, I met with my advisor, Dr. E, last week to discuss the past, present, and future over lunch - as we usually do during advising. She asked me how I was doing with my three classes and working full time. I told her that it's actually going quite well - I think these three classes, and where things are right now, I'm really at my peak. I am challenged, I am able to stay on top of my readings and papers, and I'm getting a decent amount of sleep, too. (No all-nighters yet, though I will admit to taking a day off from work to work on a paper.) I've even managed to watch a decent amount of tv. No, I don't spend a ton of time doing "fun" things over the weekend, but, well...fun to me is sitting in a cafe and reading and writing. (I'm not the stay out late and party hardy kind of gal, in case you haven't noticed.....) Anyhow, I really feel like I'm thriving. Yes, it would be better if I could squeeze in gym time and all, but overall, I'm really happy with where I am. I am also very aware that just one more thing could push me over (and then I'd be sliding down the other end of that bell bell curve.....)

But back to meeting with Dr E...It's always fun to talk to professors -particularly in their offices when you can peruse their bookshelves!- they're always busy, involved, and full of ideas. Due to my decision to go full time this semester, once this semester is over, I'm actually only 9 credits away from being done. Make that 6 credits and my "plan B." Actually, make that 3 credits, higher ed law or finance, and my "plan B." (By the way, can we change the name to something else? Isn't that the name of like...emergency contraception?)

So those extra three elective credits I need...well...I came up with this awesome idea. I realized that I'm interested in the following things: 1) teaching, 2) research, and 3) technology. This semester I've been doing research on online social networking, but wouldn't it be great to learn more about teaching and perhaps...get some experience doing some online teaching? I presented my idea to Dr E - I could take internship credit with her and be a TA for her online research methods course! That way I'd get some actual experience on the "other side" and will give me some direction and motivation for doing some research on online pedagogy. Dr. E thought it was a great idea. Yay! I'll keep thinking and we'll start meeting in December to discuss the class. =) So excited!

In the News.....

So much news to cover! Last week I felt I didn't have as much in The Chronicle that jumped out at me...this week, however, was overload!

Well, I guess we'll start out with the APA 6th Edition ordeal. *sigh* Well, at least we'll be able to cite youtube now, right???

I didn't read the full length of this article, just perused it, but I think it's interesting. It's about God and evolution in higher education. I think it's important to note that some people have grown up believing only in creationism, knowing nothing else and others (like myself) grew up with evolution and literally knew nothing about creationism. While there is bias on both sides, I think it's a good idea for everyone to at least learn about both sides and talk about it...else we walk around in our own worlds not knowing what everyone else thinks and knows...you know?

Related to that, Mark Bauerlein presents an article here on ideological bias on campuses. Now without getting too political, I think that many in academia due tend to lean to the left. I recall that on my college campus, that was a large criticism...our student (and faculty/staff) body was so incredibly diverse in every way...except perhaps politically. Yep, at a women's college where homosexuality was totally okay and totally normal, "the closet" was where the republicans, NOT the lesbians, hid. Those that I knew that claimed to be republicans said they were socially liberal, and I've had several friends that entered college as republicans, and exited college as democrats or moderates.

Another important difference is presented in this great little piece, about what I think is often the big "diversity" elephant in the room...socioeconomic status. I didn't feel completely out of place at my college's campus, but I definitely thought there was more they could have done with regards to SES. (I've heard that more attention has been paid to this since I've left.)

I thought this author made an interesting point in drawing parallels between Project Runway and graduate school (imagine Tim Gunn in the advisor role...) It's fun. Check it out!

This article may well be my Chronicle Article of the Week! Eric Hoover discusses several perspectives out there about the millenial generation. It's long, but totally worth the read.

Talking a little more about generational differences this is a fabulous reflection written by a professor who participated in a theatre production where he got to see students "backstage" and talks about some of the differences between his undergraduate education and that of students these days. Yep, the world is a different place now and students are very busy people! It's great to see professors pondering how to engage with students.

I had hoped to have time to blog and reflect on the surprise (shock, really) that our president, Barack Obama was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. There was so much talk about it - good, bad, and ugly. My thoughts? Well, initially it was a combination of, "good for him!" and "but what has he done?" After more consideration and thinking about the attitudes and rhetoric of our past leaders when it comes to the U.S.'s role in the world (i.e. UN), Obama has definitely carried with him a message and an air of diplomacy. Admit it, Americans are very insular in their views. Many citizens of other countries have a better understanding of the world than we do...I think it was commedienne Kathy Griffin that said the U.S. is kind of like the "Mary Kate and Ashley" of the U.N. -I thought it was hilarous, but true. We care about other countries, insofar as we are getting the return...a very..."We don't care about you. Unless it concerns us or you have something of interest to us."

Anyhow, Rachel Maddow had an excellent segment on her show about Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize that I hope you take the time to watch. I think it says something that an international body awarded the peace prize to Obama based on "what he has done" and while we can ask "what has he done?" perhaps being an American leader that embodies diplomatic ideals in and of itself is a big enough change to our neighbors around the world.

Leslie Wilcox, Education, & Adventures in Journalism

So I've seen some reference to this on a couple friends' facebook pages (thanks Kealoha and others!) and will add this blog to my blogroll. 

Leslie Wilcox is well known in Hawaii for her many years in broadcast journalism and most recently as CEO & President of PBS Hawaii. I recall watching her on KHON Channel 2 morning news with Kirk Matthews...little did I know I would have an opportunity to work with her on a town hall project when I was a senior in high school called "Hawaii 2000." (Scroll to the December 16, 1999 article.) -A connection which later led to a fabulous summer internship at KHON. 

I'm really glad this came up because I've actually been reflecting on those experiences recently, particularly "Hawaii 2000." That town hall project was actually the first time I really fell in love with education. -I had always loved school and learning and all, but it was the first time I had really talked to teachers and counselors and administrators about the field of education - the problems in the system, and what drove them to do what they do. They obviously weren't in it for the money - they worked with their hearts - in a system that barely appreciated them. The biggest rewards (and often the only rewards they got) were the intrinsic - memories of the students that came in and out of their lives. Here's a quote about my experience doing "Hawaii 2000" from the young me, foreshadowing what would be my future:

This really changed me. It made me realize what demands the future holds for us. As for my future, I've become motivated to become an educator, so I can personally follow through with our plans to improve education.

Anyhow, we were split into groups and my group's mentor/leader was Leslie Wilcox. I recall being extremely excited because of all the reporters that were leaders, Leslie was my favorite. Though I didn't get to know her personally from that experience, I did email her a couple years later, asking about internship opportunities at KHON. I was finishing up my sophomore year at Mount Holyoke College and was going to do my "semester abroad" in Washington, DC in an intensive journalism program with American University's "Washington Semester" program the following semester and thought to myself, "Gee, maybe I should get some journalism experience before I head out there!" 

Lucky for me, Leslie forwarded my email to the managing editor, a fabulous man named Mark Matsunaga. I alternated between coming in at 5:30am and coming in the evenings to get an idea of what went on around the clock. I went out on many assignments with the camera guys, and wrote my own articles side-by side with people like Bernadette Baraquio (who was now doing the morning show with Kirk Matthews as Leslie had been promoted to evening news!), Tina Shelton, and Greg Takayama. Though my voice was never on the news, I wrote the words that came out of Joe Moore's mouth! -Pretty awesome!

After returning to Hawaii several years later, most of the group that was at KHON while I interned was gone, but I was so glad that Leslie Wilcox was on to bigger and better things...and now, I'm so glad she's got a blog to share with the world!

I ended up eating, sleeping, and breathing journalism for only that summer in Hawaii at KHON and the following semester in DC. The semester in DC was an amazing experience where we had intensive classes 3 days a week, and an internship for 2 days a week. Almost every class involved at least one, if not two or three or more "field trips" and guest speakers. My internship was amazing as well. I had a late start on my internship hunt and my final choices were either being a "gofor" girl at This Week With Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts or actually being an intern reporter with Market News International. The choice was obvious to me - I wanted to write. 

Market News International was amazing. The office was in the National Press Building, I loved the people who worked there, and I had fabulous opportunities to report at the senate gallery and at the IMF/World Bank Conferences! (I saved my credentials, too! They're in a box somewhere....) It was somewhat intimidating being someone who knew so little about economics and policy, but it was an amazing experience and my articles were actually published with my name in the by-line on their real-time financial newswire! 

In both my intro to higher ed course and my student affairs seminar we've been talking about the importance of learning that occurs "outside" the classroom and the "bridges" to be built between academics and the real world. I truly can't say enough about the Washington Semester program and if anyone out there, reading my blog is considering it, my advice is DO IT. Even though I eventually decided that while I loved writing and the adrenaline rush of deadlines, it was just not the career for me. Luckily, the experiences I had in DC are ones that I will remember for a lifetime - not to mention all that writing which definitely helped me sharpen my writing skills!!!

So glad Leslie has a blog. So glad I spent a semester in DC doing journalism. So glad I fell in love with education. 

And the answer is...

...yes, it's political.

According to "Right Wing Watch," the NAS was founded to bring together conservatives in academia to fight the 'liberal bias' on college and university campuses and to target multiculturalism and affirmative-action policies. They are indeed, a conservative organization with funded by conservative organizations.

It's interesting because if you read that short, little paragraph on their website of "Who We Are" their mission doesn't sound incredibly conservative...but read further and you'll eventually get the gist, especially in the section "Is it dangerous to join?" --You can even have the info shipped to your home address in case you are afraid that fellow colleagues will find out about your association with this group.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not against academic freedom. I'm also not against a balanced academic curriculum or healthy debate...I just thought I smelled some familiar, far right, conservative rhetoric in their statement "Rebuilding Campus Community: The Wrong Imperative." As I mentioned in my previous blog, I don't think this is a common view among professors. Yes, academic snobbery exists, but to attempt to take down holistic student development with such weak arguments??? It's kind of making sense now...

After re-reading my previous post today (now that some time has passed) I am unsure if I actually communicated the heart of what I was trying to say. The answer, I think, is to change the way this discussion is framed on campuses. Like I said, I'm not against a healthy debate, but perhaps in environments where we are trying to promote bridges between academic faculty and student affairs, it's best not to view it in the "NAS vs. SLI" perspective. We should be framing our thoughts specifically around our students and the issues on our campuses, that way, we aren't arguing against each other, but trying to achieve a common solution. 

Response to NAS Statement and SLI

I read the NAS statement last Monday and - almost a week later - I still haven’t managed to re-group sufficiently. If you’ve seen me wandering around campus, muttering to myself, it’s because I’m debating myself about the NAS statement. At first I thought about creating two responses – one, a “rant”, and the other, a more “collected” statement. After several days, I’ve decided that neither is appropriate. 

Where do we begin? Do we start off by confronting the obvious flaws of their arguments? Or do we perhaps question exactly what they think the imperatives that they so vehemently oppose are? It seemed to me they were perhaps judging a different set of imperatives than the SLI actually has and were instead dreaming up some “hidden agenda” that the “imperativists” are trying to indoctrinate college students with. 

SLI ARGUMENT OR POLITICAL ARGUMENT? 

Reading this article really reminded me of the arguments that people to the far, far right of the political spectrum are making regarding healthcare reform – taking statements that are completely false (for example, that the public option has a hidden agenda to kill old people) and using these lies scare the public. They go as far as comparing Obama to Hitler! Is this something that traditional conservatives agree with? No. It is simply a fringe of the far right that is screaming loudly. Now maybe I am naïve, or perhaps I am just optimistic, but I do not want to believe that the NAS statement is something that the vast majority of faculty and scholars actually ascribe to. I think the people wrote this are on the fringe and are, likely, incredibly conservative and afraid that educating the whole student will lead to an army of ACORN-loving liberals. (Don’t even get me started on that one….)

I also do not believe this statement by the NAS was actually written specifically as a rebuttal to the SLI. I think it was a misplaced response to the incident at the University of Delaware. I cannot claim to know exactly what happened there, but it seems to me that this impassioned statement by the NAS is really directed towards that incident, and fear of a politically liberal indoctrination that places student affairs professionals at the target, and are trying to take the SLI and “whole student” education down with them. 

SCOPE OF NAS SENTIMENTS

Between my college education (undergraduate at Mount Holyoke College, semester exchange at American University, post-baccalaureate studies at Johnson & Wales, graduate education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa) and my employment at Brown University, I have never seen a display like the NAS statement against the education of the whole student. Yes, many professors think they are “above” student affairs professionals - which I attribute to a combination of social awkwardness, and academic snobbery- but these attitudes are very different from the attitude displayed in the NAS statement. This is one of the reasons I would like to believe the NAS statement represents a fringe minority of faculty. From my experience, faculty members do care about students and student development they just often see student development as the responsibility of student affairs while they see themselves as responsible for academic learning. 

ARGUMENT FLAWS

I’m sure many of you also noticed the flaws I saw in the NAS statement. One, that “Imperativists are not scholars.” I will not elaborate on this as I think most of you will agree that many student affairs professionals do have worthy credentials! Another argument flaw is that the statement seems to imply that faculty need to take back a role that it seems they actually do not want. In reality, faculty have become so focused on research that their primary goal is usually not even teaching, let alone guiding students in their development! Another flaw (from my perspective) is that this statement seems to focus on the academic learning of students, and not on anything else. Hrm. Perhaps they don’t know that psychosocial and moral development enables cognitive development…..(just saying…) 

This is all leading up to what I see as the primary flaw of the NAS statement: The SLI is hostile to liberal education. On the contrary! Liberal education goes hand in hand with whole student development. -Anyone at a liberal arts college could have told them that! 

THE FUTURE? 

I don’t think we can be dreamy about a faculty and student affairs staff holding hands and singing kumbaya around a holistic, transformative learning tree. I do, however, think that it is possible to bridge the gap between faculty and staff for the common goal of educating students. I think that one way of doing this may be to put the SLI and the NAS statement aside and come together to identify problems and solutions. Are our students getting the education they need to succeed? How can we help? This may also be a good place to insert assessment of students and graduates. Faculty, administrators and staff can argue about imperatives, objectives, and goals all they want, but if students indicate they are not receiving the education or services necessary to succeed in life and in their careers, we must come together to find a way to meet the needs of the students (and breathe life into what may be a failing institutional mission). 

CONCLUSION

As I have mentioned at least a couple of times, I think this statement may not actually have been a direct response to the SLI, rather, a minority, fringe, conservative response to what they perceive to be a liberal, left-wing movement that they fear the student affairs profession brings to the table. 

I have identified some of the flaws in arguments set forth in the NAS statement and have identified what I think is the way to combat the problem of “faculty vs. student affairs staff” which is simply to stop the SLI/NAS war. Let’s do some assessment and get together and talk bout what is going on at our own, individual institutions and identify problems and propose solutions together.