Students and the 21st Century: Changes and the Need to Provide More
Edward SummersChief of Staff & Assistant Secretary
to the Board of TrusteesUnion College
Adriel A. Hilton, PhDExecutive Assistant to the President & Chief Diversity Officer
Upper Iowa University
25th Annual MeetingLos Angeles, California
March 10, 20123:15 – 4:30 p.m.
Presentation Elements
• Introduction • President’s Office Complexity • Challenges • Changing Demographics of
Students and Families• Best Practices to Deal with Student
Issues/Complaints• Policies
Introduction • This presentation is meant to be
informative.
• The goal is to initiate a conversation about issues affecting higher education.
• The desire is to address institutional issues versus presidential assistant centered issues.
Introduction • This stems from ensuring that presidential
assistants are not seen as secretaries or administrative assistants but vital members of the President’s team.
• Broadly, this presentation will cover the changing demographics of students and families in higher education.
• Finally, this presentation provides examples of how students are changing and the demands that it places on institutions.
President’s Office Complexity
President’s Office Complexity
• Presidential Assistants in higher education have:• diverse office structures and diverse
roles• different levels of responsibility• President’s Office handles everything
• The President’s Office has multiple responsibilities (i.e. the Board of Trustees, student-issues, faculty-issues, campus wide planning and management)
President’s Office Complexity
• Presidential assistants are expected to be all things to all people yet they need to produce and be highly functional.
• Presidential assistants must be a strategic partner with the campus community and the community at-large (to handle issues that arise).
Challenges
Challenges found within the role of a presidential assistant are as follows:
• Presidential assistants are all things to all people;
• Presidential assistants must maintain a level of professionalism while also dealing with difficult members of the University community (alumni, board members, governmental officials, elected officials, students, parents, and stakeholders); and
• Presidential assistants ought to be proactive versus reactive toward situations, often requiring persons in these roles to strategically guide vice presidents on situations.
Changing Demographics of Students and Families Higher education is changing and will continue to
change in the foreseeable future. Some changes in demographics as well as students and families are:
• Incoming students more likely to be the only child
• Incoming students more likely to have not shared a room with anyone
• Incoming students more likely to have not dealt
with any major conflict because their parents have handled conflict for them
Changing Demographics of Students and Families • Incoming students’ parents more likely to be
an active part of their lives….students and parents are more like best friends than parent and child
• Incoming students are more likely to have been diagnosed with mental health issues
• Incoming students are increasingly coming to higher education with learning and social disabilities such as Aspergers
Changing Demographics of Students and Families
• Incoming students more likely to have already seen a mental health counselor in high school
• Parents and students are more likely to want to seek redress from the President when confronted with issues
• Incoming families have an attitude of “I pay for my education and I demand that the President get involved”
Changing Demographics of Students and Families
• Incoming families have an attitude of “my grandfather is a big donor to the college and I demand to speak with the President”
• Incoming families won’t abate until they are appeased in some way
• Incoming families tend to be more litigious and will seek redress through the hiring of an attorney
Best Practices to Deal with Student Issues/Complaints• Develop an internal office policy
• Train and cross-train president’s office staff on internal office policies
• Develop positive relationships with line managers, Public Relations, Legal Council and/or responsibility heads
Best Practices to Deal with Student Issues/Complaints
• Educate the University community on the roles and responsibilities of the Office of the President
• In reference to responses, make sure the President is in full support and you have the seal of confidence of the President prior to releasing a response
• Engage the academic and student affairs leadership teams in direct policy initiatives that deal with student issues and/or complaints
Best Practices to Deal with Student Issues/Complaints
• Consult legal council prior to acting
• Need to have Senior Staff/Cabinet on board with whatever decisions you have to make
Upper Iowa University Informal Complaint Procedures Most complaints can be worked through informally by
addressing the concern with the person involved and his/her direct supervisor or department head. The steps would include:
• The student will discuss the concern with the supervisor of the division or department head in which the concern arose.
• The supervisor/department head will be allowed to discuss and investigate the concern with all those involved and develop options for resolution.
• The supervisor/department head will then discuss the options with the student. If the student is not satisfied with any of the options, they may file a formal complaint, which will result in a hearing.
Upper Iowa University Formal Complaint Procedures
• For all those complaints that are resolved, the supervisor/department head will complete the online form to notify the Dean of Students of the informal student complaint and the final resolution.
• The Dean of Students reviews the submissions and ensures the complaint is directed to the appropriate supervisor/department head for further investigation and the assignment of a hearing committee.
• The supervisor/department head will conduct an investigation, which includes gathering written statements from all parties involved. The documentation will be held on file until the complaint is resolved through the formal procedures.
Union College
• Union College has no formal policy as of yet but is in the process of developing a policy.
• Presently, the Chief of Staff vets all issues that come to the President’s Office and the Chief of Staff works with respective vice presidents to handle the issues.
• Chief of Staff tries to work with VP and/or Department Heads to craft a solution to issues/complaints.
Union College
• Chief of Staff acts as a coordinator when issues cut across VP responsibility areas.
• Chief of Staff needs to approve of the final resolution, especially after it comes to the President’s Office.
Questions & Answers
Edward SummersChief of Staff and Assistant Secretary
to the Board of TrusteesUnion College (518) 388-6101
Adriel A. Hilton, PhDExecutive Assistant to the President & Chief Diversity Officer
Upper Iowa University(563) 425-5221
