Professional Development Plan

Facilitate or coach group decision-making, goal-setting, and process. Manage interpersonal conflict between/among individuals and groups.

Focus on an asset-framed approach when working with students. Ensure that students make decisions while providing guidance.

Refine my approach to an asset-framed focus when working with students. Work with students on interpersonal conflict by mediating conversations.

Advocate for the development of a more inclusive and socially conscious department, institution, and profession.

Create a safe space for students to reach out to me with social justice concerns. Advocate for an inclusive and socially conscious space within my department and insitution.

Work with colleagues and students on developing strategies for culturally focused practices in the department. Advocate for cultural change to better the institution.

Teach, train, and practice in such a way that utilizes the assessment of learning outcomes to inform future practice.

Apply at least two student development theories in my work with students each semester and reflect on how they inform my advising approach.

Train colleagues on how to assess students and create learning outcomes that will inform future practice.

Model and promote adaptability among students, colleagues, and educational stakeholders in the face of fast-paced technological change and demonstrate openness to the introduction of new digital tools by others.

Establish an understanding of the new management tool used by the department that I work at. Stay open to the introduction of new digital tools for my work.

Inform and model adaptability for new changes in technology in the office. Help students and colleagues when new digital tools are introduced.

Give appropriate feedback to colleagues and students on skills they may seek to become more effective leaders.

Assess how students can become more effective leaders on campus and co-create an action plan that they can follow. 

Collaborate with colleagues on how to improve our leadership skills and create resources that can be used as a guide for us to follow. 

Identify the pros and cons of various staffing patterns, supporting job descriptions and work process configurations related to one’s work setting.

Gain an understanding of the work process configurations in my department to begin to identify the pros and cons of the staffing pattern.

Implement strategies on how to improve the work process configurations in my department.

Explain how one’s professional practice aligns with both one’s personal code of ethics and ethical statements of professional student affairs associations.

Identify my personal code of ethics and the ethical statements of professional student affairs associations. Learn about professional “gray areas” and how to navigate situations that require that.

Serve as a model to other colleagues on ethical guidelines and how to navigate situations that require professional “gray areas”.

Acknowledge, critically question, and bring together diverging philosophies of student affairs practice.

Incorporate critical reflection into team processes and ensuring that multiple perspectives are intentionally considered in planning and evaluation.

Serve as a leader in bridging differing student affairs philosophies by developing frameworks that help staff navigate competing approaches and apply them effectively.

Actively contribute to the development of a culture of evidence at the department level wherein assessment, program review, evaluation, and research are central to the department’s work and ensure that training and skill development in these areas is valued, budgeted for, and fully embedded in day-to-day procedures.

Build systems for assessment, program review, and research that are consistently used across the department.

Ensure that a culture of assessment is sustained through regular program review cycles, transparent use of data, and accountability structures.

Implement policies developed by one’s department and institution, as well as the local, state/provincial, and national levels of government.

Gain an understanding of the policies developed by my department and institution, as well as the different levels of the government.

Implement the policies created by the department, institution, and government. I will collaborate with others in my department on how to navigate changing policy.