Institute Check-in for Early Arrivals

Participants who have registered and paid for early arrival lodging (see below) may check-in for the Institute during this time.

Breakfast Available for Early Arrivals

Participants who have registered and paid for early arrival lodging (see below) may enjoy breakfast during this time.

Pre-Institute Outing to Pike Place Market, Seattle (optional; advance registration required)

With more than a century of history, Pike Place Market is the oldest continuously operating farmers market in the country and one of Seattle’s most popular draws. The market lures visitors and locals alike with its farm-fresh produce, flower bouquets, abundance of shops and restaurants—not to mention some of the best people-watching in the city. From wader-clad fishmongers slinging salmon to street buskers playing for adoring crowds, there’s always something going on here. The multilevel space is home to more than 500 shops, vendors, restaurants, and bars. Your $5 registration fee holds your spot for this limited capacity outing, 3-hour visit. Transportation included. Participants will pay any fees for activities/meals they enjoy at the Market.

Pre-Institute Outing to Tacoma Museum District (optional; advance registration required)

The Tacoma Museum District is one of the jewels of the South Sound. It is comprised of six premier museums, all within walking distance (or a free ride on the Link light rail) of each other in Tacoma’s historic downtown. Each museum shares a different aspect of Pacific Northwest arts and culture and they all work together to share the wonders of Tacoma as a destination. The museums include the Washington State History Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, America’s Car Museum, Museum of Glass, Foss Waterway Seaport, and Children’s Museum of Tacoma. Your $5 registration fee holds your spot for this limited capacity outing, 4-hour visit. Transportation included. Participants will be responsible for adult admission costs ($10-18 per museum) and any other costs for meals and other activities.

Pre-Institute Outing to Point Defiance Park (optional; onsite registration available)

Point Defiance Park is a 760-acre park that includes Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the Rose Garden, Rhododendron Garden, beaches, trails, a boardwalk, a boathouse, a Washington State Ferries ferry dock for the route to Vashon Island, and Fort Nisqually. Natural forest, saltwater beaches and spectacular views offer numerous possibilities for recreation, education and communing with nature. Come explore the only combined zoo and aquarium in the Northwest (admission paid by guest). You'll see sharks and seahorses, polar bears and peacocks, walruses and wolves, all in one place! Fort Nisqually is a living history museum where volunteers and staff, in period clothing, demonstrate the crafts of the 19th century and engage visitors in historic dialogue. Discover what life was like in the 1850s at Fort Nisqually, the region’s premier living history museum (admission paid by guest). Free shuttle service to Point Defiance will be provided.

The Student Affairs Career Pipeline: New, Mid-level, and Seasoned Professionals (optional; advance registration recommended)

Ellen Heffernan, president, Spelman & Johnson and Mike Segawa, interim dean of students, University of Nevada, Reno

The student affairs profession has assumptions, expectations, and traditions for how one progresses through the career pipeline. From graduate school to the hiring of SSAOs, we seem to have a paradigm for how that pathway unfolds. How well does this model, if it does exist, serve us? How prepared are those in the pipeline to advance to senior levels in the profession? Does this lens, relative to a prescribed professional pathway, color the way we hire across all aspects of our division? There’s growing sentiment that we need to revamp this construct given the unrelenting demands of our work and the need for succession planning across our divisions. We will challenge some of our profession’s sacred cows and with attendees identify initiatives for moving forward especially related to mid and senior level positions.

Expanding the Circle for Student Learning and Success: Why a Shared Vision Takes Many Hands (and Minds)

Ashley Finley, associate vice president for academic affairs and dean for the Dominican experience, Dominican University of California

Lip service has been given to the need to connect students’ learning and development inside the classroom with their experiences outside the classroom. What is often lacking in bringing good ideas, and even best intentions, to fruition is a shared vision for student learning and success that combines the unique strengths of academic and student affairs. This session will explore strategies for designing and connecting the work of academic and student affairs around common learning outcomes and experiences Lessons learned from one model, the Dominican Experience, will be shared and used as guiding points for the presentation and discussion.

Quantifying the Unquantifiable – Using KPIs and Dashboards to Share Your Success

Haider Ali, product marketing & insights, OOHLALA Mobile Inc.; Joe Baggot, associate dean of students, Carleton College; Andrea Conner, associate vice president for student affairs, Grinnell College; and Carolyn H. Livingston, vice president for student life & dean of students, Carleton College

Senior student affairs officers are often asked to identify those measures that meaningfully communicate accomplishment of or progress toward key student goals. This session will equip participants to better understand, develop, and report on how Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) may be utilized to assist in identifying those measures. KPIs can provide a straightforward, easy-to-understand way to track and display measures of institutional effectiveness that can help identify areas where action can make a difference. Using examples from Carleton College and Grinnell College, participants will work also together in the session to develop a framework for establishing their own KPIs.

Open Mic

This popular and informal session is a perfect opportunity for open dialogue about issues and topics of concern to small college SSAOs. This facilitated conversation is organic in nature – so bring your ideas and questions, ready for a robust and informative time together!

Speaking Freely about Free Speech

Mike Brody, vice president & dean of students, Reed College; Daniel Hirsch, associate dean of students, Pitzer College; and Byron McCrae, vice president for student life and dean of students, Davidson College

The national discourse on complicated and nuanced topics has become increasingly polarized and dualistic. From issues of racial equity to accessibility of health care systems, our country is deeply divided, as are many of our campus communities. We invite colleagues to come together and explore the complex challenges inherent in our efforts to support all members of our campus communities in the context of free expression. How do we navigate and balance the First Amendment rights of each individual with the needs of the larger community, particularly when some protected speech is deeply harmful to our historically marginalized students, staff and faculty? This session will include an opportunity to discuss your experience with these issues, as well as time for reflection and conversation with session presenters and fellow participants.

Flourishing on Campus: Principles and Practice

Janet Lewis Muth, director of health promotion, Carleton College

“Flourishing” and “well-being” are becoming buzz words on campuses, but what do we really mean when we say we want our students to flourish? More importantly, how do we help our students flourish when we aren’t even sure we know what flourishing means ourselves? This session will introduce the science behind flourishing and easy to replicate strategies and skills for use by anyone who wants to employ an evidence-based practice to improve their own well-being.

Leading in an Era of Resource Constraints

Jane Kenyon, director of foundation relations, University of Puget Sound; Moses Lee, program director, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust; Mark Miller, dean of students, Centenary College of Louisiana; and Erica O’Neal Howard, senior associate dean of students, Occidental College

Leaders across higher education are faced with scarce or diminishing resources, and student affairs administrators at small colleges and universities are certainly no exception. We are responding to these challenges by seeking out external partners and funding, and also innovating and collaborating to better and more effectively use what resources we have. Moses Lee and Jane Kenyon will speak from the foundation and campus sides of an effective partnership, and will provide advice on working with outside foundations. We will then leverage the expertise in the room, facilitating small group discussions about ways that SCUI participants have improved efficiency and creatively maintained or built programs despite resource challenges. Creative and transferable initiatives will be shared with the entire group to provide actionable ideas for us to bring home.

Organic Discussions

Organic discussions offer an opportunity for participants with interests in the same topic to explore that issue together. Over the course of the Institute, some topics will be placed in the “parking lot” for future discussion – including the possibility of follow-up sessions on major Institute programs or common issues like supervision and reorganization. Come to this session with an idea or two for in-depth conversation.

Haider Ali

Product Marketing & Insights

Joe Baggot

Associate Dean of Students

Mike Brody

Vice President & Dean of Students

Andrea Conner

Associate Vice President for Student Affairs

Ashley Finley

Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean for the Dominican Experience

Ellen Heffernan

President

Daniel Hirsch

Associate Dean of Students

Jane Kenyon

Director of Foundation Relations

Kevin Kruger

President

Moses Lee

Program Director

Carolyn Livingston

Vice President for Student Life & Dean of Students

Byron McCrae

Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students

Mark Miller

Dean of Students

Janet Lewis Muth

Director of Health Promotion

Erica O'Neal Howard

Senior Associate Dean of Students

Mike Segawa

Interim Dean of Students