Student conduct is a critical topic addressed on university campuses across the country. This month we talk with Dr. Jennifer Waller from the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA). Topics discussed include resources available and tips for dealing with conduct issues as well as suggestions for success for higher education professionals working in the area of conduct administration and conflict resolution.
Andrew Hibel, HigherEdJobs: Dr. Waller, you are the Executive Director for the Association of Student Conduct Administration (ASCA). What are the primary goals of ASCA?
Jennifer Waller, The Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA): The primary goals for ASCA are to provide education, training, support, and advocacy for student conduct and student affairs professionals working in higher education.
Hibel: What are your primary responsibilities at ASCA and what prior functions led you to your current position of working with a higher education association?
Waller: I have two primary responsibilities as the Executive Director of ASCA. The first is administrative and includes providing leadership, vision and supervision to the central office. The second is strategic and includes working with the ASCA Board of Directors to promote the interests of the association to various internal and external constituents. Prior to coming to work for ASCA, I worked for more than 17 years in Residence Life. I was employed at five different institutions of higher education including Texas A&M University, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Texas Tech University, the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, and Eastern Illinois. Working in residence life gave me a wide variety of experience. It was a microcosm of the university. I had oversight with staff supervision and fiscal administration while gaining valuable experience in crisis management, event planning and student conduct. Additionally, I served on student affairs division and university-wide committees providing expertise and input from the student life perspective. All of these experiences have prepared me to step into the Executive Director role.
Hibel: ASCA has standing committees that work to fulfill goals of the association, but also has Communities of Practice comprised of association members who have an interest and/or expertise in a relevant topical area. Would you explain more about the Communities of Practice and how their work benefits other association members and higher education professionals in general on campus?
Waller: The idea behind the Communities of Practice is that they are more organic and as stated allow members to gain education and contribute content in relevant topical areas. These are also areas that may overlap into other areas of campus. For example, we have a Mental Health Community of Practice. When a campus is addressing a possible mental health issue related to a student, it may involve representatives from Student Counseling, Student Health Services, University Police, Residence Life, Student Conduct, and others. The ASCA Mental Health Community of Practice has been exploring and researching some promising practices specifically related to how an institution might respond to an incident on campus. We also have a Residence Life Community of Practice that has been working on developing a training workshop to provide development for addressing student conduct issues within residence halls. The overall goal of our Communities of Practice is to provide a network, resources, and a knowledge dissemination outlet for those issues relevant to our members for utilization in their daily practice.
Hibel: The 2014 ASCA Annual Conference is coming up in February. What are some of the relevant or pressing topics or cases occurring on campus that will be addressed?
Waller: We are very excited about our upcoming conference, February 5-8 in St. Pete Beach, Fla. We will have four featured speaker sessions, which include our annual case law and legislative updates. We also have Professor Peter Lake, who will be talking about current law and policy issues in higher education. Just last week, we finalized the addition of Rachel Gettler, a staff attorney with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights who was one of the primary authors of the April 2011 Dear Colleague Letter. In addition to these featured sessions, we have five Spotlight sessions that highlight current practices in the profession, specifically conflict resolution, assessment in student conduct, women in student conduct, and conduct board training. The final Spotlight session will introduce several white papers on which our communities of practice have been working. I also need to add that we will have more than 90 concurrent sessions throughout the conference. As I said, we are very excited about this conference.
Hibel: In 2013, several students at Dartmouth accused the administration of violating the Clery Act. When some students participated in a demonstration, they were accused of violating the student code of conduct. First, what is the Clery Act and how does it affect a campus? Second, what are your general thoughts on this case?
Waller: The Clery Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities that receive federal financial aid monies to report campus crime statistics. It was originally passed in the early 1990s as the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act. It has been amended several times and was renamed in 1998 to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act in memory of Jeanne Clery, a college student who was murdered in her residence hall room on campus. The Clery Act has four basic requirements: publish an annual security report, maintain a crime log, provide crime statistics, and provide timely warnings. For specific information about the Clery Act, I encourage individuals to read “The Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting” that is published by the U.S. Department of Education. As far as the Dartmouth case, I think it is important to point out at the onset that we don’t know all the facts and there are multiple sides to this story. On reading the published account of the case, the students participating in the demonstration were asked to leave by campus officials and refused to do so. So questions to which I would want answers are as follows: Are there university policies on campus demonstrations? Did this group and these individuals follow those policies? I don’t know who is right as I have not heard the facts of the case. But one of the most significant lessons that I have learned working in higher education is that you, as a university administrator, have to follow your own policies and procedures. When you don’t, this is where we see the court system rendering judgment against colleges and universities.
Hibel: What does the ASCA consider some “best practices” in regards to student conduct administration for student affairs and other higher educational professionals to implement on campus?
Waller: I think the most significant best practice is a student conduct process that balances fundamental due process with student learning. We have been talking recently about making sure that we focus on being learning centered. As members of the higher education community, it is vital that our mission in student conduct aligns with the institutional mission to educate students. Because of this, we promote student-centered educational student conduct processes where student learning is one of the overriding goals.
Hibel: How is an institution evaluated in regards to how successful they are handling student conduct issues?
Waller: I am not really sure how to answer this question. Student conduct offices vary by institution in terms of how many staff review and adjudicate student conduct cases, how many cases are adjudicated in a year and what the recidivism rate for students is. In our profession, there is no matrix to demonstrate success. I think if I asked my student conduct colleagues some would say getting through the academic year without a lawsuit would be a successful year. Student conduct is often a thankless profession, because many times students and parents are not happy with the outcome of the process, especially in cases that involve expulsion or suspension from the institution. However, it is a process that can directly impact student learning. It is not often where a student has the opportunity to meet face-to-face with an administrator to discuss and reflect on their choices.
Hibel: How, if it all, does the due processes of handling student conduct issues differ at public or private institutions?
Waller: The major difference between public and private institutions regarding due process in student conduct is that public institutions are required to afford students their constitutional due process rights, which includes notice that a violation of the student conduct code has occurred and an opportunity for some kind of hearing. Private institutions are not mandated to do this. However, if a private institution includes due process rights in their student code of conduct and student conduct process, they must follow the process they have articulated.
Hibel: This March 12-16, ASCA along with other higher education associations, will be gathering in Baltimore for The Placement Exchange (TPE.) Over the past few years, we have asked our guests from associations involved with TPE to provide some words of wisdom to candidates who may be interviewing at this event. What are your words of advice?
Waller: I want to encourage candidates to make sure to plan and schedule appropriately for their interviews. I recommend that individuals give themselves at least a half hour between each interview. It will give you a chance to relax and reflect on the interview you just had, write a quick thank you note, and prepare for the next interview. I really discourage back to back interviews and urge people to avoid them if you can. Finally, get plenty of rest and be sure to take time to eat something healthy and drink plenty of water. TPE is a wonderful opportunity, and you want to bring your best self to the interview table.
Hibel: If you were interviewing a more experienced candidate for a position on campus as a Senior Conduct Officer, what would an ideal candidate look like?
Waller: I think for me an ideal Senior Conduct Officer is someone who has between 7-10 years of experience and may have worked at a couple of different institutions. This individual would be well versed in providing a fundamentally fair student conduct process focused on learning, has experience dealing with upset parents, students and/or faculty, has a track record of being a partner with various offices on campus, and has some supervision experience.
Hibel: For a newly seasoned higher education professional who is looking to start their career in conflict resolution and conduct administration, what advice would you offer to successfully beginning their career in this area?
Waller: Take the time to listen and learn the culture. I would make sure to thoroughly read the student code of conduct. Keep a copy on your desk and refer to it often. Don’t try to memorize it. After working atfive different institutions, I couldn’t remember which policy applied to which campus. I had my handbook highlighted and tabbed for quick reference. Also, talk with more experienced student conduct administrators about their experiences, positive and negative. Be informed about the basics of student conduct and adjudication processes then be prepared to learn how they apply at the different institutions you are considering.
Hibel: Working in the area of student conduct administration and conflict resolution may involve working with some difficult circumstances. What do you advise campus managers do in order to avoid “burnout” of staff or officers dealing with these sometimes emotionally demanding cases?
Waller: I recommend finding a way to have some positive interactions with students. As I have said, student conduct is often a thankless job and if the only exchanges you are having with students is negative, it can skew your perception. I recommend advising a student organization or teaching a class. If these options are not available to you, get involved in something in the community, volunteer somewhere, for example, your local animal shelter or children’s museum. Do something where nobody cares what your job is; they just appreciate your help and time.