Listen in from ACPA 2026 in Baltimore as we deep dive into how Student Affairs leaders foster high-performing teams in an era of shrinking budgets and organizational shifts. This episode features Drs. Brian Arao, Helena Gardener, and Dawn Lee who will share actionable advice while prioritizing safety, effectiveness, and inclusion for SA leaders, supervisors, and managers.

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Recorded live in front of an audience at ACPA26 in Baltimore, this episode of Student Affairs Now explores how podcasts and digital media are being used as dynamic teaching tools in graduate preparation programs. Presenters share sample assignments and a curated toolkit designed to help faculty connect theory to practice. The conversation highlights how podcast-based learning can amplify diverse voices and engage students in current issues shaping the field. Listeners will walk away with practical, ready-to-use strategies for integrating episodes into their own teaching and learning environments. Access all of the resources shared in this session by visiting Patreon.com/StudentAffairsNow.

The post Podcasts & Pedagogy: Faculty Teaching with Student Affairs Now appeared first on Student Affairs NOW.

In this episode, we explore the evolving landscape of scholarly writing and publishing in student affairs. Our guests discuss how conversations about equity, representation, and access are reshaping whose knowledge is valued, as well as how emerging tools like AI are influencing authorship and intellectual labor. Together, we reflect on the responsibilities of authors and editors and offer practical insights for scholar-practitioners who want to contribute to knowledge production in meaningful and ethical ways.

The post Modern Scholarly Writing: Equity, Authorship & the Future of Publishing in Student Affairs appeared first on Student Affairs NOW.

In this powerful episode, Steven Herndon shares a deeply personal story of leading through profound loss, revealing what it means to hold both grief and responsibility at the same time. Together, we explore the tension between showing up and shutting down—when hiding our pain helps us lead, and when it quietly holds us back. At its core, this is a story about the people who step in, lift us up, and remind us that peace and purpose can still exist—even in chaos.

The post Here’s the Story: “Leading with Peace and Purpose in the Midst of Chaos and Uncertainty” appeared first on Student Affairs NOW.

Who gets to define student success right now? In this episode, we unpack how recent federal actions, state policy proposals, and accountability trends are reshaping higher education. From accreditation and DEI to academic freedom and ROI, we explore how power is shifting—and what student affairs professionals need to understand in this moment.

The post Current Campus Context: Who Defines Student Success? Power & Policy in Higher Ed appeared first on Student Affairs NOW.

In this episode of Here’s the Story, Jonathan Manz shares a defining moment that challenged his sense of direction and purpose. Through an honest and thoughtful conversation, this episode explores how refusing failure can quietly reshape who we are becoming.

The post Here’s the Story: “Failing at the Finish Line” appeared first on Student Affairs NOW.

Interim leadership can be complex for the individual and institution. In this discussion, you'll hear a variety of perspectives on interim roles from different personal, professional, and institutional perspectives. You'll gain a recommendations for leaders and institutions considering interim roles to navigate them as effectively as possible.

The post The Interim Leader’s Playbook appeared first on Student Affairs NOW.

Although plenty of evidence is out there about the impact of the environment on learning, community, belonging, and well-being, designing spaces is often an afterthought. These leaders think about this regularly from very different perspectives. Join this conversation rich with perspectives, new ideas, and great insights.

The post Designing the Environment appeared first on Student Affairs NOW.

Turning assessment into meaningful change requires more than collecting data—it requires a plan for action. In this episode of Student Affairs Now, we talk with the authors of Maximizing the Impact of Assessment in Higher Education: Closing the Loop with Change Management about how to move beyond reports and compliance toward sustainable improvement. Together, we explore practical strategies for leading change, building cultures of learning, and using assessment as a lever for equity and student success. Whether you’re leading from the middle or shaping institutional strategy, this conversation offers tools to help close the loop with purpose.

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From scrutiny of student voting data and new SAVE Act proposals to proposed graduate loan caps, higher education may be breathing a slight sigh of relief as congressional appropriations rejected the administration’s deepest cuts. Yet this moment of funding stability comes alongside tighter regulation and expanding federal scrutiny. What happens when civic engagement feels politically charged and access to graduate education becomes more constrained? In conversation with Dr. Felecia Commodore and Dr. Crystal Garcia, we explore what these developments signal about institutional autonomy, belonging, and the posture higher education is adopting in 2026.

The post Current Campus Context: Campus Voting Data, Federal Funding & Loan Caps appeared first on Student Affairs NOW.