https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples Utilized to explore legal and ethical issues and implications in Student Development & Leadership in Higher Education en-us 2019-03-19 03:55:00 UTC 2019-04-28 12:22:55 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Balance.png aculp11 https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344068582  I have worked with high school students for nine years and enjoy working with students to prepare for their higher education ambitions. I am pursuing a degree in Student Development & Leadership in Higher Education. After completion, I plan to secure a student affairs position at our local community college: Western Texas College

]]> 2019-03-22 03:18:05 UTC https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344068582 aculp11 https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344069218 In order to gain insight into legal and ethical issues affecting higher education, I spoke with my friend Stephanie. Though Stephanie is currently filling an academic role at Midland College, she served in student affairs for 6 years prior to this one. The five major topics I identified via our conversation are:
1. Title IX Issues
Title IX required the most attention and caused the most conflicts on campus.
2. Student Organization Sponsored Events
These must be highly regulated for compliance to safety rules, as well as evaluated for ethical and legal issues.
3. Legal Training
Title IX training must be updated annually. Other trainings are shared via email should issues arise and/or administration deem them necessary.
4. Reporting
One issue addressed is the legal requirement for reporting any issues observed. This responsibility affects employees of any facet in higher education.
5. Greater Regulation
Upon increasing legal issues, most colleges are re-vamping their own policies to ensure they match the exact wording recommended by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB). Midland College is rewriting policy to match as well.]]> 2019-03-22 03:23:33 UTC https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344069218 aculp11 https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344069285 From 2016-2018, sexual assault rates as reported by female undergrad students at Duke University are at 48%. This is up 8% from the 40% reported by females in 2016. Though most students report they generally feel safe on campus, they state they are unsatisfied with policies for preventing and reporting sexual misconduct (Mangan, 2019). There is growing concern that these issues will continue to increase in number due to the proposed changes to Title IX regulations such as: accused right to cross-examine the accuser, narrow scope of incidents colleges are responsible for, as well as allowing for mediation and informal resolution of Title IX matters rather than strictly legal ones (Brown & Mangan, 2018). 

Overview of Proposed Changes: https://www.chronicle.com/article/What-You-Need-to-Know-About/245118]]> 2019-03-22 03:24:01 UTC https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344069285 aculp11 https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344069441 The topic I chose to research deeper is sexual assault. This issue in relation to Title IX regulations is not a new topic. With impending changes to these regulations, speculation into how colleges will be effected is a trending topic. ]]> 2019-03-22 03:25:20 UTC https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344069441 aculp11 https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344069563 2019-03-22 03:26:25 UTC https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344069563 aculp11 https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344069635 The ideal number of sexual assault cases on any college campus is obviously zero. However, data from various sources suggest numbers are significantly higher than this for most institutions. One study conducted by Claude Ann Mellins and Jennifer S. Hirsch, indicated 22% of survey participants indicated some sort of unwanted sexual contact (Howard, 2019). The Sexual Health Initiative to Foster Transformation (SHIFT) research was conducted to identify data trends in sexual assault cases and shed light on possible avenues of reform.

Following a directive by the Department of Education (DOE) during Obama's administration, many schools have placed prevention of sexual assault at the forefront of Title IX reform. One aspect of reform is requirements that students participate in Title IX training, sexual assault training, and bystander awareness training (Howard, 2019). The DOE's initiative also indicated sexual assault cases should be evaluated for a "preponderance of evidence" rather than "clear and convincing" or "beyond a reasonable doubt" measures typically used in court. The initiative has served to increase awareness of sexual assault and propagate ideas that sexual assault is easier to report and receive justice for (Howard, 2109).

Proposed reforms to Title IX by Betsy Devoss, under the Trump administration, involve changes to the process such as the required use of cross-examination, altering the definition of sexual misconduct, and eliminating the single-investigator model. With the proposed changes, both the accused and the accuser are to be represented in a form of adjudication to determine guilt or innocence (Soave, 2018). Those in favor of Devoss' reforms cite how unfair prior policies were for the accused, and suggest these policies will follow our government's due process system more closely, making these types of proceedings fair and just for both parties (Soave, 2018).

Critics of the proposed changes indicate this will halt the progress previously made in which students were beginning to feel comfortable reporting sexual misconduct and assault. With stricter guidelines for evaluating claims, they fear students will no longer feel it is worth the effort to report such incidents (Howard, 2019). Trump has been scrutinized for treating sexual assault victims so "callously" (Soave, 2018). It is up to colleges and universities to take these policies and reforms (if and when they pass) to best serve their campuses in a way that sexual misconduct and assault is treated as a serious issue, while ensuring just treatment for all parties involved.

References:
Howard, B. (2019). A Safer Campus Campus. Best Colleges, 38. Retrieved from https://easydb.angelo.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=133007130&site=eds-live

Soave, R. (2018). Point: Title IX reforms are contentious, but necessary. Inside Sources. Retrieved from https://www.insidesources.com/point-title-ix-reforms-are-contentious-but-necessary/

]]> 2019-03-22 03:27:02 UTC https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344069635 aculp11 https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344420638 At the forefront of news media is the scandal involving several wealthy celebrity parents cheating in order to secure admission for their children into elite universities. One article discussing this topic refers to the non-secretive bribery that occurs between the wealthiest Americans (think billionaires, not millionaires) and elite universities. These people publicly donate millions of dollars to various universities and programs. However, they face less scrutiny as it is deemed as charitable donations, rather than bribery (Eaton, 2019). In either scenario, ethical concerns arise. One piece of legislation aimed at limiting these types of incidents proposes donor's inability to claim tax deductions on donations made to universities prior to or during the enrollment of their own children to said university. ]]> 2019-03-23 03:52:47 UTC https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344420638 aculp11 https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344421773 2019-03-23 04:17:34 UTC https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/344421773 aculp11 https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/354733470 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/30/us/affirmative-action-supreme-court.html

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-politicalscience/chapter/affirmative-action/

https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com/resources/affirmative-action-programs/

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/03/us/politics/trump-affirmative-action-race-schools.html]]> 2019-04-28 04:07:58 UTC https://padlet.com/aculp11/6305landeprinciples/wish/354733470