ACPA's newest eCommunity edition

Check out eCommunity August 2011 for some exciting updates from ACPA about job searching, the Annual Convention, and other hot topics.  ACPA continues to bring forward exciting professional development opportunities, so after you read an interesting section, leave a comment.  We would love to talk with you about any of the articles!

MCPA BBQ 2011

Check out some of the pictures from our amazing BBQ social, sponsored with MACUHO We all had a great time, thanks to everyone who came out!  Did you miss it?  To join in all the fun with the cool kids, be sure to make an appearance at our next event!



Summer School got you down?

According to a recent article in InsideHigherEd.com, summer enrollment is all over the place at different institutions.  Is it up or down at yours?  What does this mean for your plan?  How are residence life and activities professionals dealing with the changes in enrollment over the summer?  Does this cause an issue for your summer camps and conferences?

Could CUA being starting a new trend, that isn't quite new?

CUA will be returning to single gender residence halls for this year's incoming freshmen class.  The university's new president, John Garvey, announced that this decision was based on trying to decrease excessive drinking on campus and the "hook-up" scene.  This announcement came from the Wall Street Journal and has already been criticized as more of a PR move.  This info comes from InsideHigherEd 

What have you experienced on your campuses when it comes to single gender v. gender by floor v. completely coed housing?  What would you want your child to live in?  If you could change one thing about your university's housing, what would it be?

ACPA Webinar Series- Student Mental Health and Academic Affairs: Principles for Sharing Information

FOR MORE INFO...

The number of college students dealing with anxiety and mental health issues continues to increase and addressing these issues in the university environment presents many challenges for both mental health clinicians and academic affairs professionals. A student’s ability to function in the classroom is inextricably linked to their social and emotional well-being and the number of requests for academic accommodations based on mental health concerns compels communication across the boundaries of mental health and academic affairs. Yet, the varying administrative structures of colleges and universities and restrictions on the sharing of information necessitated by FERPA, HIPAA and the ethical standards off our professions sometimes make it difficult to fully address the needs of the student across these domains.

The intent of this webinar is to: facilitate a better understanding of the priorities and approaches of mental health and academic affairs professionals, survey the landscape of FERPA, HIPPA and other legal and ethical frameworks to identify key barriers to communication, and explore effective models for better communication and collaboration between the student mental health clinicians and academic affairs practitioners.

Not in MD, but close enough...

The ACPA Residential Curriculum Institute is being hosted on the campus of Penn State University September 28-October 1, 2011. 

PSU is less than 3 hours from most Western Maryland schools, about 3 hours away from Baltimore, 4 hours from the Washington, DC area, and 5.5 hours from Salisbury.

Overview of RCI

The 5th Annual Residential Curriculum Institute will challenge you to rethink the practices and grounding philosophies of your residential program. You will have the opportunity to view an alternative to traditional programming models; discover the connections between the residential communities on your campus and your institution’s educational mission; practice developing assessable learning outcomes; and examine the impact this shift in thinking and practice has on you, your department, and students. Sessions offered have been designed both for schools new to the residential curriculum approach and for those with more advanced experience. Whether this is your first RCI or your fifth, you’ll leave inspired with new insights, new collegial connections, and new energy. Come and learn with us!

We have gathered a group of excellent, insightful speakers to share their wisdom and expertise in practical applications. Institutions with residential curricula will also illustrate what has and has not worked on their campuses.

Residential communities constitute one of the most unconsidered and untapped educational venues on college and university campuses. The inherent physical design of these environments and the shared experience of a concentrated undergraduate population affords each student the access to an unprecedented learning experience; one that will likely never occur again. As student affairs professionals overseeing the direction of residence hall education, we have a responsibility to move beyond simply providing opportunities for learning towards an approach that is intentionally designed for our specific student populations.

Do your students nap during class? It's okay!

Check out this article in InsideHigherEd.  30 minute naps for undergrads could lead to more academic productivity.  Does your institution provide a down period between 2-3pm where no classes are offered?  Some schools do so that meetings can happen.  Maybe this should be a designated nap time for all!