Building Student Community & the VP of Student Affairs Living in a Dorm

Chatting with us today is Dennis J. Shields, Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He spoke with us about his experiences living in a dorm room as the VP of Student Affairs and about his successes in building a great foundation for student community on his campus. Dennis became Chancellor in 2010, after having served as…

Balancing Act

In the world of Higher Education, we are often overly concerned with creating a work/life balance.  Many times we are told that this is the key to maintaining happiness in both our jobs and our lives. However, what if we look at it a different way? This article takes a moment to question that paradigm…

But first, let me take a selfie!

For years now our society has been indulging in the “selfie” trend.  While the act of taking a selfie may be harmless in itself, this is usually followed by posting the photo online to numerous social media outlets and tagging individuals who may or may not be present.   As a college aged student, this happens…

Is It Really Worth It?

In light of the discouraging news we read and hear about the rising cost of a college education, student debt, and dismal job prospects for grads – this was an encouraging report published by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco last week. Is It Still Worth Going to College? Mary C. Daly and Leila…

From Higher Education to the Weather Channel

A few podcast episodes earlier, we interviewed Lyndon State College President, Joe Bertolino for a second time. Dr. Bertolino mentioned the Lyndon State meteorology program and how Joe D’Aleo was a member of the faculty of Lyndon State and became involved in the beginning stages of the Weather Channel. So we reached out to Mr. D’Aleo…

Dance Floors and Student Apathy

I LOVE to see some of the concepts from other industries being integrated into the programs of higher education conferences! Although I’ve appreciated quite a few in the PechaKucha format from ACPA, this has to be my favorite. It is a simple concept, easy to relate to, has a dynamic presenter and, most importantly, gets to the…

Interview with Freeman Hrabowski

Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III, President of The University of Maryland, Baltimore County sat down with us for a fantastic interview about his background, practical advice to everyone in a leadership role, and the effect that on-campus housing has on his campus. Dr. Hrabowski began his career at UMBC in 1987 as Vice Provost, then Executive Vice…

Um…uh…literally…

I recently read a great blog post by Ben Decker of Decker Communications on cutting out the “filler” words in our verbal communication. I must caution you. Once you read this, you will be painfully aware of the filler words you frequently use. In fact, when I was discussing this article with my Capstone colleagues,…

Applying to Grad School?

The Social Science Research Network has just released interesting (and concerning) findings of a study, highlighted by Inside Higher Ed, about the impact gender and race may have on a prospective applicant’s experience.  The study raises serious questions about bias in academia that will likely get well deserved attention and discussion.  

Binge Drinking – Educating and Alternatives

Time.com health writer, Alexandra Sifferin, recently published an article on alternative strategies by colleges and universities to reduce binge drinking.  Sifferin notes that some in our field consider traditional public health campaigns outdated.  Considering alternatives, she referenced University at Buffalo research, which identified a possible new approach to public health campaigns.  The research highlights the…