Overview of the Masters of Arts in Postsecondary Educational Leadership, Student Affairs Specialization

1. Overview of the Masters of Arts in Postsecondary Educational Leadership, Student Affairs Specialization Presented by Marilee J. Bresciani, Ph.D Associate Professor, ARPE and Frank Harris III, Ed.D Assistant Professor, ARPE

2. What does it mean to you to be a student affairs/services professional? What do you expect those professionals to know and to be able to do?

3. The Degree • The Masters in Education with an emphasis in Postsecondary Education Leadership and a specialization in Leadership in Student Affairs/Services curriculum at San Diego State University emphasizes student learning centeredness, integration of the curricular and co-curricular learning paradigms, and analysis, planning, and responsible practice of leaders in a socially just and global environment.

4. The Program is for • Student affairs/services professionals who want to enhance their theoretical knowledge and skills to be student learning centered practitioners. The program emphasizes student development and engagement theories to better facilitate student learning for all students in all types of learning environments. • Administrators desiring professional development to broaden their understanding of what it means to be an institutional learning centered leader. • Academic support specialists who desire to broaden their understanding of how and why some programs are effective in advancing student learning.

5. Program Cornerstones • Student learning centeredness informed by the practical application of student development and student engagement theories • Social justice demonstrated through concepts of universal design, equity, and access embedded into the curriculum and connected to the student’s development through reflective practice • Analysis, planning, and responsible practice modeled on a construct of higher education as a social responsibility within an economically competitive environment.

6. Program Learning Outcomes • Are found in your Student Handbook • Keep in mind, that you will add your own personal learning outcomes in your reflective learning portfolio and through your internship experiences. • We want to have cohorts move through the program in a somewhat “systematic” way in order to heighten learning and engagement.

7. Program Faculty • The program faculty bring diverse expertise to student advising, curriculum design, and its delivery. • Review of Current Status • 2 FT faculty/8 ARPE professors, and 5 Student Affairs Administrators/Adjunct Faculty • Review of Next Year’s Status • Adding 2 EdD program faculty • Invited Center Faculty

8. Program Evaluation • The intentional evaluation of the students’ learning informs conversations for improving the overall design of the curriculum, as well as the improvement of classroom and internship experiences. • Reflective Learning Portfolios provide formative evaluation of the student’s experience so that students and faculty enter into a facilitated and collaborative learning experience. • Comprehensive exams, formal presentations of the learning portfolio, and/or research thesis provide culminating evidence of student learning and professional competencies.

9. Degree Requirements • Are covered in your Student Handbook • The program is 30 semester hours • We plan to continue to refine the curriculum to ensure students’ learning and we desire your assistance in improving the entire learning experience. Areas to consider include: • collaboration with the other degree offerings in the department to leverage faculty expertise and student learning. • consideration of additional certificates to enhance your learning and highlight our administrative and faculty research expertise.

10. Academic Advising • Join me in thanking Linda Libsack- Schmalzel for her fine work • Personal Advising processes have been added with the addition of Dr. Frank Harris III • Group Seminars will continue

11. Internships • Details are covered in your Internship Manual. • Internships are not required but are recommended, as we are still building the infrastructure to support that program. • Dr. Cynthia Avery will coordinate these

12. Graduate Assistantships • Details are covered on the website • Please join me in thanking Dr. Jim Kitchen for making these possible • Dr. Cynthia Avery will continue to coordinate these

13. Reflective Learning Portfolios • Details are covered in your Reflective Learning Portfolio Manual • Take responsibility for your learning and your development. • The portfolio is where you will practice your ability to be a learning centered leader. • The portfolio is where you will practice what you preach.

14. Orientation and Seminars • Orientation has been refined due to the hard work of the 2006 cohort officers. Please join me in thanking them. • Your feedback and your cohort officers will help continue to refine orientation. • See the website for this year’s seminars .

15. Program Research • The Center for Educational Leadership, Innovation, and Policy, created by Ann Morey, is now co-directed by Stephen Barnes and Marilee Bresciani • Stephen is doing some exciting things in the Center to enhance the undergraduate vocational education degree, and is conducting research on teaching critical thinking skills to adult learners. • To enhance our postsecondary educational leadership students experiences, we have the following planned….

16. The Center for Educational Leadership, Innovation, and Policy • Conduct research in student affairs/services leaders’ ability to promote student learning centered environments • Submit grants for student centered learning research • Provide consultation to other institutions in regards to evaluating student learning centeredness • Working to deliver our core courses in two other countries who do not have SA programs

17. The Center for Educational Leadership, Innovation, and Policy, Cont. • Under the direction of Frank Harris, III is research on the following: • College student development • Issues concerning college men and masculinities • Gendered trends in postsecondary learning environments • Equity in student outcomes for historically underrepresented/underserved student populations

18. You will be presented with research and presentation opportunities You will be presented with internship opportunities

19. Stay Professional Involved • NASPA – http://www.naspa.org/ • ACPA - http://www.acpa.nche.edu/ • ASHE - http://www.ashe.ws/ • AERA - http://www.aera.net/

20. Questions for You • What do you hope to learn from engaging in this program? • How will you know you have learned what you expect to learn? • How can we best help you facilitate your learning? • How can you best help you facilitate your learning?

21. "Now is the time, and we are the ones we have been waiting for." - Hopi Elders

22. Questions and Discussion Marilee.Bresciani@mail.sdsu.edu 619-594-8318 Frank.Harris@sdsu.edu 619-594-1551