This week on SA Voices From the Field we interviewed Art Coleman about Race Based Admissions and where we are as a country when it comes to this ever-changing landscape. 

Art Coleman is a Managing Partner and co-founder of EducationCounsel LLC.  He provides policy, strategic, and legal counseling services to national non-profit organizations, postsecondary institutions, school districts and state agencies throughout the country, where he addresses issues associated with:

• student access, diversity, inclusion, expression, and success;
• faculty diversity, inclusion and expression; and
• institutional quality, accountability and accreditation.

Mr. Coleman previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, where, in the 1990s, he led the Department’s development of the Department’s Title VI policy on race-conscious financial aid, as well as OCR’s first comprehensive Title IX sexual harassment policy guidance.      

Mr. Coleman was instrumental in the establishment of the College Board's Access and Diversity Collaborative (ADC) in 2004, which he has helped lead since its inception. He was also a member of a thought leadership panel that helped inform the development of the January 2022 report, Toward a More Equitable Future for Postsecondary Access, published by NACAC and NASFAA.  With a focus on issues of diversity and higher education admissions, he has also authored amicus briefs in: Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) & Gratz v. Bollinger (2003); Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin (I and II, 2013 and 2016); and in the 2022 SFFA v. Harvard/UNC cases.  His advocacy work also includes the development of a successful federal amicus strategy and numerous federal appellate briefs on behalf of transgender students throughout the United States.

Mr. Coleman is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education, where he teaches a masters level course on enrollment management law and policy.  In 2022, he received the Rossier School’s Adjunct Faculty Teaching Award, with the recognition that as “one of the nation’s leading legal voices supporting access, diversity and inclusion,” he “does a masterful job at simplifying complex concepts and highlighting the complexities of seemingly simple concepts.”

He has testified before the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.  He is a current Executive Committee member of the Board of Directors of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA); and he is a past member of the Board of Directors of GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network); the Lab School of Washington, which serves students with learning differences; and a past chairman of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Higher Education Policy.

A former litigator, Mr. Coleman is a 1984 honors graduate of Duke University School of Law and a 1981 Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Virginia. 

Art Coleman shared a few links to examples of things he mentioned in the podcast:

https://educationcounsel.com/?publication=engaging-campus-stakeholders-on-enrollment-issues-associated-with-student-diversity-a-communications-primer

https://professionals.collegeboard.org/pdf/playbook-understanding-race-neutral-strategies.pdf

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This week on SA Voices From the Field we interviewed Victoria Ballerini and Christian Penichet-Paul about updates to DACA and on undocumented students. 

Victoria Ballerini is a researcher and consultant with expertise on tuition-free and open access higher education, and issues that lie at the intersection of immigration and higher education policy. Dr. Ballerini has over 15 years of experience in higher education policy, practice, and research through various roles in government, postsecondary institutions, and policy research organizations. She holds a master’s degree in Social Policy with concentration in Education from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences, and a Ph.D. in Higher and Postsecondary Education from New York University.

Christian Penichet-Paul is the Director of the Higher Ed Immigration Portal & State Policy at the Presidents’ Alliance for Higher Education and Immigration. Most recently, Christian was the Policy and Advocacy Manager at the National Immigration Forum. Christian’s expertise includes providing federal and state policy analysis and leading legislative efforts, and developing strategic messaging and products. Christian graduated from Texas State University and earned his master’s in American Government from Georgetown University.

Victoria shared a few links to examples of things she wrote on this topic:

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/03/03/college-promise-programs-can-make-college-more-affordable-undocumented-students   https://www.researchforaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/RFAUndocumentedStudentsandPromise2020-FINAL.pdf   https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Ballerini-and-Feldblum-Article-March-2021-AJES-1.pdf

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This week on SA Voices From the Field we interviewed Justin Draeger, President & CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Today we talked to Justin about all of the upcoming Financial Aid and EFC changes that are coming in the next few years. 

Justin Draeger serves as the primary voice of NASFAA and as the liaison between the association members, the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and the media. Most of Justin's career has been devoted to assisting disadvantaged populations in achieving their educational goals and better their communities. Since 2002, Justin has been engaged in either administering, interpreting, communicating, or developing student financial aid policy. His prior experiences include working as a financial aid director, regulatory and policy analyst, and spokesperson. He has held senior positions overseeing government relations, communications, and policy work. Justin has testified in multiple Congressional hearings on student financial aid, college access, student loan policy, and the interplay between federal agencies and colleges and universities. He is frequently quoted in the press and has appeared on The Today Show on NBC, National Public Radio, APM's Marketplace, Fox Business News, CNBC, and C-SPAN, and is often quoted in national news outlets. Justin serves on several boards of directors that promote health and education. He earned his undergraduate from Brigham Young University and his MBA from Baker College. Justin lives in Fairfax, VA, with his wife and three children.

In the interview Justin regarding FAFSA simplification and federal methodology and you can find that resource here: https://www.nasfaa.org/fafsa_simplification

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This week on SA Voices From the Field we are taking a slight break as we get even more interviews read for you! We will be back with another great episode next week!

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This week on SA Voices From the Field we interviewed Courtney Bullard, Founder of Institutional Compliance Solutions about the many Title IX changes that are coming about and their impact on your own college campus. 

Courtney Bullard has over ten years of experience representing institutions and organizations in matters involving sexual misconduct, including 8 years as a University system attorney. As in-house counsel, she served as a trusted advisor to the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, Athletic Director, Director of Office and Equity and Diversity, Title IX Coordinator, Provost and other top level administrators on all legal matters affecting the institution. Her breadth of knowledge and familiarity with the unique aspects of a college campus provide a distinctive approach to partnering with institutions and school districts to assist with their legal needs. She excels in advising clients on all aspects of institutional compliance, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization amendments to the Jeanne Clery Act, and specializes in providing legal advice to institutions during sexual misconduct, stalking and relationship violence investigations. Courtney regularly provides Title IX and Clery training to organizations, attorneys, institutions and school districts, serves as an external investigator into allegations of sexual misconduct, and provides expert witness testimony on matters dealing with institutional response to allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying and hazing in litigation.

Courtney is the host of The Law & Higher Ed Podcast and is nationally recognized for her contributions to news media, including the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and VICE news on HBO. Courtney is the creator of Title IX University, an on-line digital platform that provides Title IX training.

Courtney received her undergraduate degree from Indiana University in 1998. She graduated from the University of Memphis School of Law in 2001, where she served on the law review as a Comments Editor. Prior to serving as Associate General Counsel for the University of Tennessee, she worked for Baker, Donelson, Bearman & Caldwell and Husch & Eppenberger. Courtney also teaches Business Law as an Adjunct Professor for the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, and Southern New Hampshire University. Courtney is a member of NACUA and Workplace Investigations Group and is recognized as Lawyer of Distinction in Higher Education. 

Courtney has two girls, Charlotte (9) and Campbell (13), and two bonus children, Austin (17) and Tyler (14). In her free time, you will find her with her husband, Todd, cheering on their children in all of their events and activities.

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This week on SA Voices From the Field we interviewed Dr. Scott Peska, Dr. Katie L. Treadwell, Dr. Joseph Pickering about their recent article in NASPA's Leadership Exchange magazine about Concealed Carry on Campus.

Dr. Scott Peska serves as the Assistant Vice President of Student Services and Alumni Relations at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove, IL  where he oversees a number of Student Development departments, serves as the Chair of the Campus Assessment Team, and is a Deputy Title IX Officer.  Dr. Peska previously worked at Northern Illinois University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Illinois State University.    In NASPA, Dr. Peska is actively part of the Campus Safety and Violence Prevention Knowledge Community, specifically with the Enough is Enough campaign against violence. He serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice and has previously served as the Region IV-E Public Policy Division Representative, Region IV-E Community College Division Representative, and a member of the 2017 Annual Conference Planning Committee. 

Dr. Katie L. Treadwell researches and writes extensively about the aftermath of university crises and the subsequent experiences of campus first responders. Katie developed her professional identity in higher education through roles in Oklahoma City, Waco, Texas, and New York City, three cities deeply altered by terrorism and the aftermath of disaster. Inspired by her own experience with campus and community tragedy, Katie primarily researches the personal experiences of higher education administrators who encounter high-profile campus disasters. Her research portfolio includes in-depth investigations of intentional violence, terrorism, natural disasters, and accidents that forever change a campus community. Katie’s work appears in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Encyclopedia of Strategic Leadership and Management, Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, About Campus, and other higher education publications. She frequently consults with campus leaders on issues of preventing violence and improving campus safety. In collaboration with higher education leaders across the country, Katie co-edited Crisis, Compassion, and Resiliency in Student Affairs. Katie currently serves as Assistant Vice Provost for Student Affairs at the University of Kansas, as well as chair of the NASPA Campus Safety and Violence Prevention Knowledge Community.

Dr. Joseph Pickering is a student affairs professional with 15 years of experience in the field. His ongoing research portfolio focuses on the impact of concealed carry legislation on Texas universities and colleges, particularly campus leaders’ and law enforcement perspectives. Dr. Pickering is a triple Gator, graduating with his B.A. in History, Masters in Student Personnel in Higher Education, and his Doctorate in Higher Education Administration, where his research focused on the impact of concealed carry legislation in the state of Texas. Dr. Pickering comes from a family of Law Enforcement officers, his grandfather helped start the police department at Rutgers University, his father served as a Military Police Officer and a police officer. Dr. Pickering is also an alumnus of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the site of a tragic 2018 Valentine’s Day shooting. Dr. Pickering remains connected with students and fellow alumni from Stoneman Douglas and continues to support a variety of efforts to help schools and institutions learn from and better prepare for mass casualty/safety incidents.

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This week on SA Voices From the Field we interviewed Dr. Jessica Higgs about some of the ramifications of affirming healthcare for students following the overturn of Roe v. Wade.

Jessica Higgs is a Family Medicine physician with a certificate of additional qualification in Sports Medicine. She completed medical school at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and Family Medicine Residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria. She completed her Sports Medicine fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. Since 2008 Higgs has been the director of Bradley University Health Services, a private university of about 5000 students, and team physician at Bradley since 2011. Dr. Higgs is currently serving as President of the American College Health Association after serving 4 years as a member at large to the board and two years as vice-president. She also currently serves as chair of the Sports Medicine Committee for the Missouri Valley Conference. 

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This is season seven, public policy in action, where we will explore public policy issues impacting higher education today and how this will impact the work that you do on a daily basis. This week on SA Voices From the Field we interviewed Kimberly Steed-Page about some of the unique issues that student parents are dealing with as well as looking at policy and best practice concerns when it comes to the needs of these students. 

A higher education professional with over 20 years of experience, Kimberly Steed-Page believes that when student parents succeed, their children and families succeed. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging center her work at MSU. As director of the MSU Student Parent Resource Center, she is dedicated to helping college students, children and families reach their greatest potential. Her goals as director are to increase campus and community awareness of student families and their experiences at MSU, expand services and support for student families, improve outreach to area schools and teen parents regarding college opportunities; and to engage  student families in advocacy. Kim earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Texas El Paso and master’s in social work from Michigan State University. She is also a clinical faculty member in the MSU School of Social Work and teaches  a variety of social work courses. Kim balances work with raising two boys, Bryson age 8, and Jayden, 17 with her husband, Rodney.

 

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This is season seven, public policy in action, where we will explore public policy issues impacting higher education today and how this will impact the work that you do on a daily basis. This week on SA Voices From the Field we interviewed Beth Devonshire, J.D., and Diana Ali and talked about some of the basics as it comes to Public Policy and how this intersects with the work that we do every day. 

Beth Devonshire, J.D. is an experienced student affairs professional with expertise in student conduct, Title IX, threat assessment teams, policy development, trainings for various constituencies, and the impact legislative and legal decisions have on higher education.  From 2006-2018, Ms. Devonshire worked as the Associate Dean of Students at UMass Boston, the Director of Community Standards at Bridgewater State University, and the Director of Community Standards at Stonehill College.  In these roles, Ms. Devonshire was charged with oversight of the student conduct systems, membership in CARE/BIT teams, serving as the Deputy Title IX Coordinator, and drafting policies and procedures related to students. Prior to her work in higher education, Beth served as a law clerk for the Justices of the Superior Court in Massachusetts and in multiple roles at the Massachusetts State House.

 

Ms. Devonshire has been an Associate with D. Stafford & Associates (DSA) since 2012 and she joined as a full-time consultant in August of 2018.  In this role, Beth works with institutions on issues involving Title IX, Clery Act, threat assessment, and other compliance related issues; and advises on policy and procedures, conducts trainings, participates in investigations, reviews enforcement practices of campus law enforcement, and serves in interim roles.  Ms. Devonshire also speaks on a variety of other topics including legislative and legal issues impacting higher education including FERPA, Clery, and Alcohol and other Drug Prevention.  

Ms. Devonshire is a faculty member in New England College’s Doctorate of Education Program and the Higher Education Administration program at Bridgewater State University. Additionally, Ms. Devonshire serves on the Public Policy Division for NASPA, and is also the former Massachusetts Public Policy Liaison for MA NASPA.  Beth also served as the Director of the Legislative Committee for the Association for Student Conduct Administrators (ASCA) for two years.   

Ms. Devonshire is a member of the Massachusetts Bar.  She is a graduate of Stonehill College with a degree in English and Secondary Education and holds a J.D. from Suffolk University School of Law.  She is also a trained mediator.

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Welcome back to SA Voices from the Field for Season 7.

This is season seven, public policy in action, where we will explore public policy issues impacting higher education today and how this will impact the work that you do on a daily basis. This week on SA Voices From the Field we interviewed Dr. Brent Marsh and Dr. Jeanna Mastrodicasa, the current and past chair of NASPA's Public Policy Division. We explore public policy and important topics that are currently impacting all of our work!

Brent arrived at the University of Mississippi in August 2019, being honored to join the UM community as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. Prior to his arrival at UM, Dr. Marsh served for five years as Vice President for Student Affairs at Rogers State University, overseeing numerous programs and services that promoted student engagement and success. Before his time at RSU, Marsh served for 10 years at Howard Payne University in central Texas in three successive student affairs leadership roles, culminating his time there as Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students. Marsh earned bachelors and masters degrees at Kansas State University and a doctorate in higher education administration from Bowling Green State University. His earliest professional experiences were in student housing at two universities in Abilene, Texas, serving there between academic stints at K-State and BGSU.

Dr. Marsh is actively involved in NASPA where he recently served as Director of the Public Policy Division from 2019-2021, and currently serves as member-at-large. Prior to this role, Brent served as Coordinator of Region Finances for the IV-West region from 2017-2019, while simultaneously sitting on the Small Colleges & Universities Division advisory board as Public Policy Liaison, which also placed him on the Public Policy Division’s leadership team. From 2015 to 2017, Marsh served a two-year term as the Student-Athlete Knowledge Community chair.

Dr. Jeanna Mastrodicasa is the Associate Vice President for Operations at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), where she manages budget, facilities, business operations, conferences and institutes, and compliance for the land-grant mission of the university. UF/IFAS has more than 4,000 employees across Florida, $450 million in annual expenditures, and more than 4 million built gross square feet of facilities. Dr. Mastrodicasa is currently the national chair for NASPA’s Public Policy Division, serving a term on the national NASPA board from March 2021-2023 supporting higher education administration. In summer 2022, she will be participating in the HERS Summer Institute, which is an intensive leadership program for women in higher education.

She is also on several local boards in the community, including the Girl Scouts of Gateway Council, Family Promise of Gainesville, the Gainesville Police Advisory Council, Friends of Susan B. Anthony, and the Alachua County ½ Cent Sales Tax Oversight Board.

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