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Upon completion of a Master of Education in Student Development and Leadership, I hope to continue my career in higher education. I currently work as a Pathways Advisor at Midland College in Midland, Texas. I hope to continue working as an advisor for several years.

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The NASPA website focuses on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965. Title IV is discussed in detail and the history of the reauthorization is described (Hinds, 2018). NASPA has listed priorities that will be impacted by the reauthorization. NASPA provided coverage of the National Students Affairs Day of Action that took place this summer (Hinds, 2018).

NASPA supports discussion of Title IX and sexual violence on college campuses. The SUNY Spectrum Conference was covered by NASPA (Greenstein, 2018). The Spectrum Conference focuses on prevention and education on sexual violence against LGBTQI+ students. Culture of Respect, one of NASPA’s initiatives to end sexual violence on campuses, was able to host workshops and sessions at the conference (Greenstein, 2018).

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When I transitioned to working professionally with colleges and universities on improving their responses to campus sexual violence, I was nervous. I did not want to the perpetuate frequently-aired criticisms of the movement: an over-emphasis on moral outrage only about violence against privileged bodies and identities; an over-reliance on binary thinking about who commits sexual violence and who experiences it; and, an uncontested examination of the role of criminal justice system in preventing and responding to violence. Yet, over my two years working on Culture of Respect, NASPA's initiative to help colleges and universities address sexual violence, I have found the work rewarding precisely because of the many opportunities there are to define and redefine what the campus sexual violence movement can accomplish. One of those rewarding moments, was attending SUNY Spectrum conference last month in Albany, NY.

The conference, hosted by the State University of New York (SUNY) system, focused on preventing and responding to violence against LGBTQIA+ students. With four days of programming and over 600 attendees from across the country, it was an ambitious, challenging, and illuminating professional development experience. Perhaps what drove the success of the conference was this shared perspective of attendees and presenters: we need to do more for LGBTQIA+ students on our campuses. Over four busy days, we spoke about actionable ways to help our institutions get there including, creating more inclusive prevention programming; facilitating more nuanced conversations about gender and sexuality; and allowing queer student and staff voices to lead the way.

A highlight for me was the closing panel on the first day of the conference, featuring four SUNY presidents who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, speaking about the challenges and opportunities they face in their jobs leading SUNY institutions (see picture below). They spoke about their own experiences being queer on campus and in the workplace, and what they have done to support their institution's efforts to address sexual violence, focusing on the needs of LGBTQIA+ students. For me, their conversation cemented a sobering sentiment: though we have come so far, there is still much more to do to create communities that welcome, affirm, and celebrate LGBTQIA+ people.

Spectrum Presidential Panel: (left to right) Libby Post, Panel Moderator; Kristin G. Esterberg, President of SUNY Potsdam; Dustin Swanger, President of Fulton Montgomery Community College; Marion Terenzio, President of SUNY Cobleskill; and Michael R. Laliberte, President of SUNY Delhi. Photo credit: Joe Putrock, [email protected]

Culture of Respect was lucky enough to host a pre-conference workshop and two breakout sessions. We were enthusiastic about the opportunity to use our framework for organizational change to focus on what campuses can and should do to think about LGBTQIA+ students in their policies, programs, and communications. The sessions were full of engaged, passionate professionals (see picture below) who work in many capacities on and off campus such as: victim advocacy; Title IX; university leadership; campus safety; academic affairs; prevention; and health services. The most exciting moments in those sessions were the thoughtful, productive disagreements. These were not about the importance of responding to violence against sexual minorities, but the best way to get there. We discussed questions like: How can we write policy definitions that don't communicate assumptions about survivors and perpetrators? How can we invite queer students, faculty, and staff to the leadership table without tokenizing them? How can we effectively communicate the urgency of high rates of violence against LGBTQIA+ students without sensationalizing?

While we did not walk away with answers to all these tough questions, we did leave the conference with many gifts: a renewed enthusiasm for our work to end violence on campus and tangible strategies for creating inclusive environments, combatting homophobia and transphobia, offering compassionate support, and implementing effective awareness-raising programs.

To learn more about the conversations, panels, and content at the SUNY Spectrum Conference, visit their webpage or follow the conversation on Twitter: #NYPrevents.

Culture of Respect Breakout Session: Sarice Greenstein (left) and Allison Tombros Korman (right) presenting to SUNY Spectrum attendees during their breakout session: What are you trying to say about me? Addressing Assumptions and Exclusion in Sexual Violence Programming and Policy

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QUEERING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT SEXUAL VIOLENCE ON CAMPUS AT THE SUNY SPECTRUM CONFERENCE

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When I transitioned to working professionally with colleges and universities on improving their responses to campus sexual violence, I was nervous. I did not want to the perpetuate frequently-aired criticisms of the movement: an over-emphasis on moral outrage only about violence against privileged bodies and identities; an over-reliance on binary thinking about who commits sexual violence and who experiences it; and, an uncontested examination of the role of criminal justice system in preventing and responding to violence.

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The AACC website provides several articles on the recent signing of the Strengthening CTE for the 21 st Century Act. AACC’s goals for the Act are listed on the website. AACC will work with Congress to implement the Act and better Career and Technical Education in community colleges (“Congress,” 2018).

AACC provides information on the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018. The BSIRA is a lengthy process that will provide citizenship to a small percentage of the Dream Act population. The BSIRA would impact community colleges and the opportunities to those on the path to becoming citizens (“Analysis,” 2018).

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Congress has cleared for President Trump's signature a six-year reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, the Strengthening CTE for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2353). Legislation that emerged from the Senate HELP Committee in early July was approved with amendments by the full Senate on July 23 rd, and the House approved the same legislation two days later. This process eliminated the need for a House-Senate conference committee meeting to resolve differences between the bills.

Although the association did not formally endorse the reauthorization legislation, its approval represents attainment of one AACC's primary legislative objectives for this Congress. The reauthorization puts the program on stronger political footing and will hopefully help sustain the recent momentum for significant funding increases. (The House appropriations committee has approved a $115 million increase for next fiscal year.) The extraordinary bipartisan support for the bill reflects strong Congressional support for career-related education and training. The Trump Administration has also stated its strong support for the program. That said, the final legislation did not enjoy the same degree of support from major stakeholders, including the Association of Career and Technical Education and Advance CTE (which represents CTE state directors), than the earlier-passed House version of the bill.

As outlined below, the legislation addresses many of AACC's priorities for the Act, though implementation of the new law will be critical. The bill's final text in some areas could have better reflected the avowed intent of Congressional members and staff, so report language and the bill's legislative history will be important to fully achieving some of the following:

Modernization: Practices such as dual enrollment, work-based learning, career pathways and others that have grown in prominence since the statute was last reauthorized in 2006 are featured throughout the bill.

Continued Emphasis on Sub-Baccalaureate Education: Changes in the definition of "career and technical education" and "eligible institution," which were intended to better align the act with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), could potentially be interpreted to open postsecondary funding to 4-year programs, despite there being no intention to do so by the bill's sponsors. Here, legislative history and report language will play a role in how the Department of Education (ED) guides states on this issue.

Greater Alignment with WIOA: Key terms employed in the Act are cross-referenced to those in WIOA. The bill also emphasizes coordination at the state and local level between CTE programs and WIOA initiatives. Most notably, Congress has modified the bill's performance indicators to better match with those in WIOA. Again, ED's implementation will be integral to the efficacy of these statutory changes.

Increased Emphasis on Business and Industry: The legislation requires funded programs to have closer ties to state and local businesses. For example, funded institutions must conduct workforce need assessments and demonstrate cooperation with business, and, as mentioned above there is greater emphasis on workplace learning.

AACC looks forward to working with Congress and the ED on implementing the new law. For now, the Association commends Congress for renewing legislation that is vital to ensuring that community college students have access to the best CTE programs in the world.

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Congress Reauthorizes Perkins Career and Technical Education Act - AACC

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Congress has cleared for President Trump's signature a six-year reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, the Strengthening CTE for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2353). Legislation that emerged from the Senate HELP Committee in early July was approved with amendments by the full Senate on July 23rd, and the House ...

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An article in Inside Higher Ed (Whitford, 2018), discusses a recent termination at Brandman University. Christine Zeppos, former dean of the School of Education, was fired this week, possibly for advocating for a harassment-free work environment.

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Many a dean leaves the position amid some disagreements with higher-ups, and with a polite announcement about returning to faculty duties. But Christine Zeppos isn't such a departing dean. She posted to Facebook her view that she was forced out of her position at Brandman University after advocating for a harassment-free workplace.

Before her employment as dean of the School of Education was terminated Friday, Zeppos said, the university first offered her a severance package and the opportunity to resign if she agreed to confidentiality. She said no and chose instead to speak up about what she described as "culture of gender bias, discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation and defamation" at Brandman.

Zeppos spent eight years at Brandman, a private college in Irvine, Calif., and part of the Chapman University system, before she was fired Friday. In a Facebook post, Zeppos wrote that the decision to terminate her employment was made in late July, and she believed it was a result of her "vocal insistence that women at the university be afforded a harassment-free environment, as well as the same HR processes and practices afforded to our male colleagues -- particularly in higher levels."

She is currently planning to file a complaint in state court to challenge the university's decision. Joseph Preis is representing Zeppos, and wrote in an email that he believes the outcome of the case will be "reinstatement, damages and a positive change to the environment and culture" at Brandman.

It was unusual for Preis, who usually represents defendants, to take on Zeppos's case. "We take on a select few (very few) plaintiff cases in an effort to effect positive change where there is a demonstrably acute need for that change," Preis wrote in an email.

Preis and Zeppos declined to discuss specifics of her allegations.

Brandman University denied Zeppos's allegations in the statement below.

"Brandman University is deeply committed to providing an inclusive, welcoming environment for our students and faculty which emphasizes respect for all individuals regardless of race, gender, age, religion, sexual or gender orientation. We take any allegation contrary to this commitment extremely seriously," the statement read. "We regularly follow a specific and thorough process for investigating claims that includes independent, third-party review, in accordance with our published Code of Ethics, Equal Employment Opportunity and Title IX policies. We categorically deny the allegations being made against the university and stand behind a process that was both fair and thorough. Preserving an environment of inclusion is essential to fulfilling our mission as a university and we will continue to work to ensure that all students and faculty are welcome and treated with the respect they deserve."

Gary Brahm, Brandman University chancellor, echoed the statement in an email to Brandman faculty and staff.

"While we appreciate the contributions that Dean Zeppos made during her tenure, the decision to replace Dr. Zeppos was made following a very thorough, independent, third-party review," he wrote. "We categorically deny the allegations being made against the university and fully stand behind the process that led to this decision."

Several other former and current Brandman employees, who wish to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, spoke with Inside Higher Ed and agreed with Zeppos's descriptions of gender bias, discrimination and hostility among Brandman's leadership. They also named other current and former employees who had experienced discrimination or been forced out of their positions in instances similar to Zeppos's.

Brahm declined to comment on the anonymous allegations and did not answer questions about whether the university has plans to change the work environment or culture.

Zeppos hopes that Daniele Struppa, Chapman University president, and the Board of Regents will re-examine the situation.

"I have faith that the Board of Regents, and specifically Chapman President Daniele Struppa, will take a close look at this situation (now that he is aware) and perhaps ensure that justice prevails," Zeppos wrote in her Facebook post.​

A petition calling for Zeppos's reinstatement has been circulating on social media. Nearly 300 supporters had signed it as of Tuesday evening.

"Brandman University needs to recognize how this decision impacts their reputation and the retention and recruitment of students. The values Brandman purports do not match their actions against Dr. Zeppos," the petition read. "Please sign and share this petition to show our solidarity and support for Dr. Zeppos. We demand reinstatement at the same position or higher with the same compensation and authority as Dr. Zeppos' male counterparts."

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Dean says she was fired for fighting workplace harassment

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Many a dean leaves the position amid some disagreements with higher-ups, and with a polite announcement about returning to faculty duties. But Christine Zeppos isn't such a departing dean. She posted to Facebook her view that she was forced out of her position at Brandman University after advocating for a harassment-free workplace.

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A recent protest at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is covered many times in Inside Higher Ed (Jaschik, 2018). The protest and destruction of a Confederate statue are described. The author discusses the arguments that have been taking place for years and the events that led to the protest.

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Protesters Monday night toppled Silent Sam, the Confederate statue at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Press accounts in North Carolina said that the protesters used ropes to pull down the statue after first covering it with banners, one of which said that it was time for "a world without white supremacy." When the statue fell, people cheered.

Video posted by The News & Observer shows the scene as the statue was pulled down and protesters celebrated.

The action came after years of debate. As many other colleges and universities removed Confederate statues and symbols, UNC officials said that they lacked the power to remove the statue, with the campus deferring to the system, and the system board last month saying that any decision needed to come from a state agency, and that the system had no plans to ask that agency to act.

Student and faculty activists have been asking for Silent Sam to be taken down for years, but the violence last year in Charlottesville, Va., gave the effort a new sense of urgency. Governor Roy Cooper said UNC could remove the statue, but the university said it did not have "clear legal authority to act unilaterally." Meanwhile, protests continued until last night, when protesters brought down the statue. (The governor is a Democrat, but system board members are appointed by the General Assembly, which is controlled by Republicans.)

Silent Sam, representing all Confederate soldiers, was put up by alumni and the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1913 to honor alumni who fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. The photo at right shows the statue as it appeared on campus.

On some campuses, such as the University of Texas at Austin and Duke University, statues of Confederates have been vandalized (and then cleaned) in the debates leading up to the university decisions to remove the statues. But in those cases, protesters did not take down the statues.

Carol L. Folt, chancellor at Chapel Hill, issued a statement late Monday condemning the protesters.

"The monument has been divisive for years, and its presence has been a source of frustration for many people not only on our campus but throughout the community," Folt said. "However, last night's actions were unlawful and dangerous, and we are very fortunate that no one was injured. The police are investigating the vandalism and assessing the full extent of the damage."

On Twitter, Governor Cooper criticized the protest.

The North Carolina Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans tweeted a photo of the toppled Silent Sam with the caption: "This is what injustice looks like in America today!"

But many are applauding the protest.

Tarik Woods, a student at UNC, wrote a column for The Daily Tar Heel, the student newspaper, in which he described feeling "hopeful" in the wake of the removal of Silent Sam.

"I've only lived in two cities my whole life, both in North Carolina and both home to Confederate monuments," Woods wrote. "I have seen the protests and unrest, the increase in racial tensions and the violence they cause. I've been asked repeatedly 'what the big deal' is about these statues, and why our society should condemn them. I've heard excuses repeatedly for keeping it where it is, such as 'inanimate objects like Silent Sam can't be racist,' and 'by removing the statue we would be erasing history.'"

Woods went on to say why the statue was a big deal.

"I strongly believe the most prevalent feeling among my fellow students, including myself, toward Silent Sam is anger," he wrote. "Anger that a symbol of discrimination and hate would be allowed to remain at the forefront of our campus for more than 100 years. Anger that our fellow students were jailed and punished for attempting to rectify this wrong. Anger that our efforts to persuade our administrators, the Board of Trustees and the Board of Governors of this internal abuse was met with further attacks on our fight against injustice."

On Monday, hours before the protest, UNC's Center for the Study of the American South, a research and education center, issued a statement saying that "we cannot lead critical conversations in or about the region if we do not address the controversies on our own campus. As we study the South at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, we are compelled to confront the fact that Southerners are as hostile to one another as we are hospitable. Southerners created the Confederacy, and they also created the civil rights movement. We are now in another moment when UNC's legacy will be forged in powerful ways that reach beyond the politics of our state."

The statement did not condone Monday night's actions. But it said that the failure of UNC to act was "immoral," explaining that "excessive deference to process over people can itself be a form of violence when it makes the obvious solution to end suffering seem impossible."

The statement went on to both urge the removal of the statue and to caution that doing so would only be one step needed in the state and the country.

"The Center for the Study of the American South recognizes that removing the statue will not, by itself, erase attitudes of white supremacy, eliminate racial violence in our society, provide equal protection to immigrants who enter lawfully, or redress the other injustices that are standing in the way of our nation's progress," the center said. "Removing a toxic symbol from our campus, however, will free the University of North Carolina to fulfill its promise to facilitate research, knowledge, ideas, and frameworks that do address these problems. Taking Silent Sam down opens the door for reconciliation and will allow UNC to declare itself a true home for all."

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Protesters tear down Confederate statue at UNC Chapel Hill

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Protesters Monday night toppled Silent Sam, the Confederate statue at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Press accounts in North Carolina said that the protesters used ropes to pull down the statue after first covering it with banners, one of which said that it was time for "a world without white supremacy."

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Legal and Ethical Issue of Interest to Me

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Legal and Ethical Issue of Interest to Me

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After exploring legal and ethical issues in higher education, I am interested in the issue of sexual violence on college campuses and what is being done to end it through Title IX. Over the summer, I read many articles about students who have experienced this violence and the little action that colleges are taking to assist these students.

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While searching the Angelo State University Library, I found a book that supports the conversation of sexual violence on American college campuses. In “Campus Sexual Assault”, Lauren Germain focuses on the experiences of college women who were assaulted. Their stories and the reaction of others, including their schools, are shared.

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campus sexual assault: college women respond

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rape in universities and colleges - united states

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rape in universities and colleges;united states.

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rape victims - rehabilitation - united states

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rape victims - united states - psychology

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women college students - crimes against - united states

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campus sexual assault; sexual violence; rape; campus crime

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social science / sexual abuse & harassment

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social science/sexual abuse & harassment

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Campus Sexual Assault: College Women Respond

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A 2014 report issued by the White House Council on Women and Girls included the alarming statistic that one in five female college students in the United States experience some form of campus sexual assault. Despite more than fifty years of anti-rape activism and over two decades of federal legis...

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Know Your IX is a website to inform college and high school students about their rights through Title IX. Know Your IX discusses discrimination, sexual violence, harassment, how to report violence, and the requirements schools must follow.

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Our survey of more than 100 student survivors who formally reported sexual violence to their schools found a massive failure on the part of schools to fulfill their obligations under Title IX. In fact, 39 percent of survivors who reported sexual violence to their schools experienced a substantial disruption in their educations. Read our latest publication, The Cost of Reporting: Perpetrator Retaliation, Institutional Betrayal, and Student Survivor Pushout to learn more and read our recommendations.

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Our survey of more than 100 student survivors who formally reported sexual violence to their schools found a massive failure on the part of schools to fulfill their obligations under Title IX. In fact, 39 percent of survivors who reported sexual violence to their schools experienced a substantial disruption in their educations.

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Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sexual discrimination, harassment, and violence in educational institutions (“Title IX,” 2018). Schools that receive federal funding are required to respond to reported incidents of discrimination, harassment, and violence. Title IX will conduct timely investigations of these reports and provide rights to the accuser and accused (“Title IX,” 2018).

Sexual violence continues to be an issue on college campuses. Colleges and universities across the country are under investigation for possible violations of Title IX (Germain, 2016). This issue will continue to grow if these students and incidents are ignored. Colleges must make their campuses safer environments and must provide adequate prevention and education to end sexual violence.

As an academic advisor, I need to be aware of Title IX requirements and procedures to follow when reporting an incident. Advisors spend a small amount of time with students. However, many students disclose personal information to their advisor during appointments and when communicating through emails. Advisors can be a voice for students who have experienced violence on campus. They can also assist in prevention by providing resources and tools to students and staff.

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Analysis of House Immigration Bill’s DACA provisions. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.aacc.nche.edu/2018/06/21/analysis-of-house-immigration-bills-daca-provisions/

Congress reauthorizes Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.aacc.nche.edu/2018/07/27/congress-reauthorizes-perkins-career-and-technical-education-act/

Germain, L. J. (2016). Campus sexual assault : College women respond. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Greenstein, S. (2018). Queering the conversation about sexual violence on campus at the SUNY Spectrum Conference. Retrieved from https://www.naspa.org/rpi/posts/queering-the-conversation-about-sexual-violence-on-campus-at-suny-spectrum

Hinds, T. (2018). NASPA priorities for HEA reauthorization. Retrieved from https://www.naspa.org/rpi/posts/naspa-priorities-for-hea-reauthorization

Jaschik, S. (2018). Protesters tear down Silent Sam. InsideHigherEd. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/08/21/protesters-tear-down-confederate-statue-unc-chapel-hill

Title IX. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.knowyourix.org/college-resources/title-ix/

Whitford, E. (2018). Departure with a message. InsideHigherEd. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/08/22/dean-says-she-was-fired-fighting-workplace-harassment