Drs. Jason Pina and Amy Hecht discuss their edited book, The Next Act: Realigning Your Mindset, Purpose, and Career. They share various paths within, beyond, and back to higher education for senior leaders. They discuss change, agency, possibilities, transition, privilege, and capacity.

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Studies have pointed to the emerging increase of student affairs professionals leaving their roles and even opting to leave the field entirely. While there is a growing number of studies and testimonials why student affairs professionals are opting to leave their roles, there are also reasons why student affairs professionals choose to stay. In this episode, a panel of guests share their perspective on this topic and the retention and departure of student affairs professionals.

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Join us for an overview of intergroup dialogue (IGD) in higher education, featuring expert perspectives from scholars and practitioners Drs. Ximena Zúñiga, Bridget Turner Kelly, Mark Kamimura-Jiménez, and Nina Tissi-Gassoway. Panelists explore the philosophy and practice of IGD, discuss a four-stage approach, the relevance amidst campus unrest and polarization, implementation in student affairs graduate programs, and considerations for effective facilitation. Whether you're new to IGD or seeking advanced insights, this episode offers valuable perspectives on fostering inclusive and intentional dialogues on college campuses.

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This conversation discusses the report from The Hope Center on the implications of racial inequities on basic needs insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Frank Harris, III, Rjaa Ahmed, and Bryce McKibben discuss findings from a survey of almost 200,000 college students and numerous focus groups as well as implications for campus leaders and policy changes on and beyond individual campuses.

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Brian Rosenberg discusses his new book on the need for, resistance to, and possibilities for change in higher education. He discusses his experience, learning, and critical self-reflection as president of Macalester College, teaching higher education at Harvard University, and advising the African Leadership University. This is a conversation that will challenge and inspire higher education leaders.

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Researcher, expert, and author Dr. Tricia Shalka discusses her new book Cultivating Trauma-Informed Practice in Student Affairs. Shalka shares the complexity of trauma experiences and offers guideposts for trauma-informed student affairs practice including being in relationships, policy development, and creating equity-based cultures of well-being.

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Dr. Allison Vaillancourt is a higher ed leader, human resources expert, and a regular contributes thoughtful pieces to The Chronicle of Higher Education. In this conversation, she shares wisdom and insights on keeping things in perspective; organizing, structuring, and leading meetings; and reflecting on drains on our time, energy, and joy. This conversation is full of helpful invitations to reflect on and strategies to implement.

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In this episode, we delve into the realm of performance reviews in student affairs, exploring how these evaluations are conducted and how we might rethink this process. We discuss the influence of the recent Report on 21st Century Employment in Higher Education and other resources for shaping the approach to performance reviews, highlighting the specific recommendations implemented to foster a fair, supportive, and developmental processes.

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Critical hope helps educators navigate the both/and of criticality and possibility while avoiding the harms of deficit mindsets, toxic positivity, and cynicism. In this episode, leading scholars of critical hope, Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade and Kari Grain, discuss the what, why, and how of critical hope.

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By definition, an ombudsperson is a role whose focus is neutral and impartial conflict resolution. They typically operate independently from the university and has no official or formal decision-making capabilities. Ombudspersons have been referred to as the “conscience of the university” -- working within campus communities to resolve conflict through identifying systemic issues and trends while focusing on fair treatment of individuals. These campus offices are also important partners with divisions of student affairs and college student educators. In this episode, Dr. Heather Shea speaks with four folks who serve as campus ombuds to learn more.

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