Director's Chair

Student Activities Reconsidered

Two years ago, APCA began a program called the Student Success Initiative.   It was based on a concept from SUNY Delhi, where Marty Greenfield serves as the student activities advisor, called the "Freshman Four". Basically, SUNY Delhi brought in four speakers on topics relevant to their First Year Experience for incoming students.  At APCA Nationals and regionals, we based our speaker showcase selections on that concept of topic relevance.  We adjusted it slightly to be inclusive of needs expressed by all class levels, including career issues and other topics.

It was wildly successful, and the speakers participating had, for the most part, excellent results concerning their booking schedules. Spurred by this success, we have been discussing for several months, and are now officially initiating, a complete revision of our approach to student activities training and showcasing based on the concept of Learning Reconsidered. 

Learning Reconsidered is a statement from ACPA and NASPA that describes a view of holistic education in which student services are an integral part of the education process. It makes clear that student development and academic development should be part of the same process, not two separate efforts going in different directions. It outlines several student outcomes that should be addressed in a holistic education, and discusses overall approaches to engage the student population in the development of those outcomes. 

The details of Learning Reconsidered will be covered in this issue in detail, but I felt it necessary to explain APCA's position on it in this editorial.

1. We are on board with it! We feel it is a wonderful breakthrough in the history of student services that, if accepted and practiced by the higher education professional community, will dramatically change the course of higher education in our country.  We are committed to supporting and investing in this movement with all our resources.
    
2. We will be adapting our showcasing selection procedures to incorporate these concepts into our conferences.  Showcase selections will be influenced by the attraction's ability to help in the integration of these concepts with student populations. For example; showcase selection preference may be given to artists whose performances can include a discussion of their art form or subject matter after an event. Game shows that feature academically relevant topics will be chosen over general trivia shows, etc. Associates may wish to review del Suggs article in this issue concerning how these outcomes can be integrated into existing artists programs.  We encourage associates to contact us with ideas and programs that can work in a holistic activities approach.
    
3. We will offer training to our members on these concepts. We will be adapting our conference training and resource manuals to encompass the concepts involved in Learning Reconsidered. A training curriculum path for student activities advisors will be offered at our advisor institute in Las Vegas this January, and at all future workshops as well.  Students will also be exposed to the LR concepts and encouraged to program events based on those precepts.  APCA associates will also be given training on how to develop their shows in line with higher education's new paradigm, in hopes of encouraging more choices of holistic programming at our regional and national conferences.
    
4. We will publish LR programming solutions for our advisors in this publication. Each month will feature a different desired student outcome discussed in LR and how your programming can affect that outcome.  Mention this approach to your superiors and let them know how you are applying the current theory! This is the direction that higher education is moving, and it is wise to participate in it now!

While these changes will be subtle at first, by the National Conference they will be easily visible and well integrated into all APCA events.  Please watch future issues of the Student Activities Journal for more information on incorporating this exciting student theory breakthrough into your student activities programs and events.

APCA Contact Information:  Phone: 1-800-681-5031 •  Fax: (865) 908-7104

Mailing Address: APCA P.O. Box 4340 Sevierville, TN  37864 Shipping Address: APCA 849 Jessica Lea Sevierville, TN  37862