The Professional Development Symposium is designed to advance the knowledge, skills and attitudes expected of student affairs staff, within the context of student success and engagement; robust partnerships across campus and within the community; assessment; and personal and professional wellness. The symposium is the kick-off event to the 2015-16 schedule and will serve as an orientation and overview of the forthcoming semester schedule of events.
The division of student affairs is pleased to welcome symposium keynote speaker Shaun R. Harper.
Shaun R. Harper is on the faculty in the Graduate School of Education, Africana Studies, and Gender Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He is founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education.
Professor Harper has published over 90 peer-reviewed journal articles and other academic publications. His 12 books include Student Engagement in Higher Education (Routledge, 2014), Advancing Black Male Student Success from Preschool through Ph.D. (Stylus, 2015), and the 5th edition of Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession (Jossey-Bass, 2011).
Dr. Harper has received over $11.7 million in grants to fund his research. He has been interviewed on CNN, ESPN, and NPR and featured or quoted in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, and over 400 other media outlets.
He received the 2012 NASPA Robert H. Shaffer Award for Faculty Excellence and the 2014 American Educational Research Association Relating Research to Practice Award. His Ph.D. in Higher Education is from Indiana University.
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Time |
Event |
Speaker |
Location |
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9:00-9:30am |
Check-in with your Cat Card, network and pick up your symposium information |
Check-in table |
COB 102 |
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9:30-9:45am |
Welcome, symposium Information and overview |
VC for UC Merced Student Affairs, Charles Nies |
COB 102 |
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9:45-11:45am |
Keynote Speaker: Shaun R. Harper
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Shaun R. Harper, faculty in the Graduate School of Education, Africana Studies, and Gender Studies at the University of Pennsylvania; founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education. |
COB 102 |
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11:45am-1pm |
Lunch |
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1-2:30pm |
Concurrent Sessions – Participants will Choose One |
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Various Locations |
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Campus and Community Partnerships Series #1: Look to become engaged. What are the different pathways for engagement for UC Merced and within the Merced community? What are the different opportunities to network and build relationships? Can I participate and what is my role? A diverse panel of speakers will provide information on questions like these and more. If you’ve been thinking about becoming engaged, this workshop is for you. Outcomes - Participants will be able to: explain the different pathways for engagement at UC Merced and within the Merced community; explain the different opportunities to network and build relationships at UC Merced and within the campus community; identify an opportunity to engage. |
UC Merced's Steve Roussos, Interim Director for the Blum Center; Vernette Doty, Associate Director for Student Life; Elizabeth Boretz, Director for the Bright Success Center; Steve Lerer, Assistant Director for Student Life |
COB 116 |
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Academic and student affairs partnerships have come to be regarded as one important way to enhance undergraduate education. But what do we really know about the characteristics of effective partnership programs? The purpose of this session is to look at research about academic and student affairs partnerships, identify and describe good practices for such partnerships, and provide opportunities for participants to consider those good practices in their own work at UC Merced. Outcomes - As a result of this session, participants will: know and understand the contexts in which calls for academic and student affairs partnerships have arisen (e.g., reform of undergraduate education, research on student success and engagement, research on institutional conditions for student success); be familiar with examples of research relevant to good practices in academic and student affairs partnerships; identify and use good practices in academic and student affairs partnerships in their work, including knowing when such partnerships are a good idea and being able to form such partnerships effectively. |
Elizabeth Whitt, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education, and Professor, UC Merced |
COB 102 |
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Peer Group Mentoring #1: This place is stressing me out! While some workplace stress is normal, excessive stress can interfere with your productivity and impact your physical and emotional health. Finding ways to manage workplace stress isn’t about making huge changes or rethinking career ambitions, but rather about focusing on the one thing that’s always within your control: you. This workshop will discuss strategies for how to identify and manage stress, thus enabling a healthier environment for you and your students. Outcomes - Participants will be able to: define stress; illustrate how to conduct a body scan; identify foundations for self-care; apply techniques to cope with stress; identify work-related stress; apply techniques for self-care; and identify resources to help oneself and students. |
Myrla Seibold, Ph.D., UC Merced Counseling and Psychology |
COB 105 |
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The Assessment Team Series #1: The State of Surveys at UC Merced: What are we already asking our students? Take an overarching look at institution- and division-wide surveys at UC Merced. Hear about the surveys, what data they yield, when they happen and how we access the information. Learn more about the New Student Survey, Graduate Student Survey, Graduating Senior Survey, National Survey of Student Engagement, University of California Undergraduate Experiences Survey, National Collegiate Health Survey, and the Housing & Residence Life Resident Satisfaction Survey. Outcomes - Participants will be able to identify the surveys conducted institutionally and divisionally; describe the types of questions and subsequent results from each survey; and explain the difference between direct and indirect data.
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Members of UC Merced's Assessment Team: Diana Chavez, Kristin Hlubik, and Emily Langdon |
COB 110 |
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2:30-3pm |
Wrap up and Dessert Join us for dessert as we wrap up, reflect and share highlights of the 2015 symposium. |
VC for UC Merced Student Affairs, Charles Nies |
COB 102 |
