Hail to the New Dawn of Alcohol Programming...maybe?

Having recently sat in on interviews for my institutions open Area Coordinator (RD, RHD, RC, etc.) position and also been doing some program planning with colleagues for the fall a question popped into my mind:


When did we get so stuck doing alcohol programming that involves a mock tail party and marking the bottom of cups to signify certain consequences? 


I mean why is this seemingly the only (or at least a derivative) thing that comes to mind when conversations are had surrounding programming for this topic? Does it mean it is truly effective and should continue to be used? or are we truly just stuck with a tried and trued method? or is it ineffective and we have not taken the time or risk to attempt other programs that might fail or succeed addressing the same topic and being equally engaging? Does anyone care to offer better ideas that they have done?

Theories about being stuck in Theory (A Theory)

"...the trouble about arguments is, they ain't nothing but theories, after all, and theories don't prove nothing, they only give you a place to rest on, a spell, when you are tuckered out butting around and around trying to find out something there ain't no way to find out...There's another trouble about theories: there's always a hole in them somewheres, sure, if you look close enough."- Tom Sawyer Abroad


"Whether you can observe a thing or not depends on the theory which you use. It is the theory which decides what can be observed." - Einstein


"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." - Einstein

Having recently returned from a great group of campus interviews. I have been reflecting on these experiences. Something that continues to stand out is how many of the professionals I met had great thoughts & theories they integrated into their daily practice. Equally so, I heard from other colleagues who did not always agree with others perceptions, that they felt like introducing new concepts, theories, approaches at times required them to walk on eggshells (especially if their department was being driven by a leader who had a particular framework in mind). Some department push True Colors, others Strengths Quest, some Myers Briggs, others Holland RIASEC Codes, from Chickering, to Challenge and Support, and everything in between.

I retrace to a previous post referencing a recently devoured book Quantum Mind by Dr. Andrew Mindell. Dr. Mindell references the dramatic shift in our thinking when "objective fact" became the ultimate goal of science and we lost sight of "subjective observation." "Fact" as it presents is limited by the observer and often finite (though it can seem permanent). Remembering that those "facts" that are slower to change seem to present more as "truth" but might inevitably succumb to the test of time (maybe not in my life time however). 


This brings my reflection (and the quotes above) to a simple question, how "stuck" do you get in your theories? Does it define what you choose to observe or do you change the facts to fit the theory?


I personally have always struggled with theory. Yes, being from a mental health background certainly has shaped my mind in a way of thinking, but looking beyond the textbooks I simply find what has always been present, theories are simply at a given point in time someones observations. In some cases these get to a place where they become standardized into textbooks or event assessments, but how is it that we can sometimes grasp so hard to a theoretical framework that in theory we should have a theory made about us (The Theory of Stuck Theorists)? Most important how in our continued pursuit of further education or experience can we remain open to others theories, new theories, or develop and proliferate our own (even within just ourselves)?

Social class on campus: Unpacking Social Class Privilege

Great Post on Privilege on Campus:

Social class on campus: Unpacking Social Class Privilege: Will Barratt, Ph.D. Privilege is one of those ill defined words used in conversations and articles that rarely gets explored.  Privilege...

Mathematics and Student Affairs Practice

Confused as to a direction to follow? Image Courtesy of Stuart Miles 

Yes, many of you can relate to the picture above, myself included, when thinking about Mathematics or more notably Physics <insert terror screams here if your like me>. Recently I have started reading a book by Dr. Arnold Mindell titled Quantum Mind. Dr. Mindell founder of "Process Oriented Psychology," seeks to discover or more importantly heal the split that was started in the 1500's. The split originated when "science" started to created a "consensus reality (CR)" or more commonly known as empirical knowledge/objective observers and moved away from a "non-consensus reality (NCR)" or qualitative aspects of the world that dominated pre-1500's thinking, notably shamanism. Dr. Mindell notes that daily we bridge in our personal lives CR and NCR and as cited by Einstein's theory of relativity, that CR is truly in its simplest form "differing perceptions of individuals that correspond with one another" and NCR involves differing perceptions that do not collectively correspond with one another.

Arguably "empirical knowledge" is finite in a sense that over time (sometimes fast, sometimes glacially slow) CR on subjects change. A basic example of this CR shift, Geocentric to Heliocentric model of the solar system. CR reality in ancient Greece support this model for over 1500 years. It was challenged in the past, but not until Nicolaus Copernicus developed a mathematical model that was supported by Johannes Kepler and Galileo a century later, did the CR shift to the now widely accepted and supported Heliocentric model.

So going on this general simplification of CR & NCR (please read Quantum Mind for more details, its recommended) I return to the topic and title of this post: Mathematics and Student Affairs Practice. More simply than Physics, though certainly included, I wanted to highlight the concept of counting and subsequently discounting. Dr. Mindell highlights the fact that "counting is both math and psychology" (Quantum Mind pg. 33). Math creates abstract concepts representing something meaningful; what we choose that is meaningful to us represents our perceptions and thus our psychology.

Taking this into consideration, how do you "count" a productive day? Number of student visits, meaningful student conversations, crisis situations dealt with, administrative tasks completed, etc. Inherent in all of this "counting" (as simple a math concept as it is, 1, 2, 3, 4) is the marginalization or "discounting" of other observations, ideas, experiences. When you "count" your day are you aware of what you are "discounting" as well? Inherent in talking about "counting" you automatically separate yourself from the process or experience by creating a "feelingless" aggregate (whole) approximation. Often this is discounting group & individual diversity and experiences that exists. Granted, it is difficult to NOT talk or think in this process and CR since it is what we perceive to be "real", but a challenge exists and has for thousands of years, (See Verse 1, Tao De Ching) how do we "heal" this split between CR & NCR, between the left hemisphere & right hemisphere of our brains? Raising awareness is an important first step, so ask yourself, when I am "counting" something in my day to day, what else am I "discounting?" It might prove enlightening...

Critical Contemplation on Critical Thinking

(ADK Mts. Morning fog Lifting)

Is it taking a square peg to a round hole? find a way to round out the square peg to fit in the round hole? or moving the square peg to a square hole and finding a round peg that fits in the round hole?

"Critical Thinking" the phrase, common in our language but often lacking in our process. Actively defining the term has produced numerous results all with the same goal, how do we increase critical thinking in our students processes and our own?

I throw out the question to you all, how do YOU define "Critical Thinking" and how do you incorporate it into your own practice and the students you work with?

Here is some thoughts from a friend and colleague, while focused on teaching can these be incorporated into your own Student Affairs practice?

I look forward to this blog thought discussion and where it travels. #thinkingstudentaffairs

"Mommy, I want to be a Student Affairs Professional" Don't usually hear that one.

(Taken behind Paul Smith's College, Check out the VIC center there!)

Like the picture above and the title, Student Affairs as a profession is similar to that mountain (St. Regis Mt. ADK) in the mist, until your there it seems unheard of, or far off. Its a familiar story, round about career paths, twisting and turning roadways, highs, lows, and in between's, yet somehow if you ever asked a Student Affairs professional if they always want to do their job (or even knew it existed) most would likely say no. How is it that growing up we are so stifled in our career knowledge. Police officer, Doctor, Lawyer, Bus Driver, Janitor, Teacher, Mechanic, Cashier, etc. (and in no particular order) are commonly named, occasionally you get Counselor, Professor, TV Person, Radio Show Host, Clown (past profession here) but seldom does Student Affairs fall into the common lingo of kids.

My question becomes how can we expand our profession to find a place to fit within the concrete walls of a soon to be drastically shifting education system? Will moving towards certification help? What about visiting schools for a career day? A great book by Sir Ken Robinson talks about finding "The Element," the place where it all comes together, how is that possible without creating options? Most of us came to this place because it just felt right when we were here, shouldn't we be sharing this more? What are you thoughts? #thinkingstudentaffairs