I recently started an entry-level position in alumni relations/institutional advancement at a university (been here about six weeks), and I’m finding that I’m able to complete my tasks pretty quickly. Since I have a fair amount of downtime, I’d love to use it productively for professional development.

My long-term goal is to stay in higher education, but I’m especially interested in roles involving planning and project management. Does anyone have advice on how I could make the most of this free time? Maybe online courses, certifications, or specific projects I could suggest to my supervisor that align with planning/project management in a higher ed setting?

Any advice on how I can grow in my role and develop skills that could be useful for future opportunities would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

I am an academic advisor, going through interviews for a career services position at an institution I have not worked at before. In my current job, I'm not paid very well, but I have grown used to decent work life balance. I usually work 40 hours/week (45 during 1-2 busy weeks per term) and only have to attend evening or weekend events 3-4 times per semester. I have no interest in giving up this balance, even for higher pay. I don't want to regularly stay late, work extra days, or work 45+ hour weeks. I did that in my first higher ed job, and even though I liked the work, it sucked and I got burnt out. I promised myself I would not put myself in that position ever again.

As a candidate, what kind of questions do you ask to figure out a team's/institution's stance on work-life balance? Or more specifically, how do you go about tactfully clarifying their expectations for extra hours, evening and weekend work, etc.?

I’m currently in my second year as a Higher Education professional, and I've recently started considering a transition into Education Policy. My institution offers an Education Policy graduate certificate as well as a Master of Public Policy (MPP) program, with options to specialize in areas like education policy. I’m weighing whether to apply for the certificate or the MPP program. Since I already hold a master’s in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education, I’d appreciate any insights on which path might be most beneficial. (My institution will pay for it)

What are some questions that are asked in a (round 1) academic advisor interview?

Hi all, I’m a junior trying to narrow down my search of graduate programs in Student Affairs/Higher Education. I know there are many programs out there with different academic models, structure, grad assistantships, etc. but I was curious if there were ranking of schools that are considered “top programs?” Thanks!

Hi all!

I’m currently in my last year of my masters program in hied admin. My job currently gives me about 1000 dollars in professional development. Are there any certifications that may be deemed useful that I could use the funds towards, or should I attend a conference instead?

I know that, in general, todays youth struggles with mental health more than past generations. But I’m starting to wonder if what I’m seeing at my university is the average or if there’s something going on here. This is my first time being part of the on-call rotation at a school so maybe I’m just finally getting a peak behind the curtain.

Medium size school (6-7k undergrads) and very academically rigorous. This semester, during my weeks on call, I get a call about a student being transported to the hospital either for a full blown nervous breakdown or suicidal ideation/thoughts at least every other day. On the weekends it’s worse, I sometimes get 2 or 3 a night. It is often first year students but not always. I know our counseling center is stretched extremely thin, it takes 2-3 weeks to get a ‘nonemergency’ appointment.

Just last night I was with a student who seemed to think wanting to unalive yourself is normal and something everyone deals with, since they had been having those kinds of thoughts since he was very young. They were extremely adamant that seeking medical attention is pointless and a waste of time. But at the same time, we usually get these calls because a student shares these thoughts with friends and their friends report it through the proper channels. So they can’t all have the mindset that this is normal, right??

Just looking for shared experiences. Responding to these calls is the worst part of my job, both because I don’t feel equipped to handle these situations as much as I am expected to and because it’s heartbreaking to see so many young students feel so miserable and hopeless.

Hi all,

I posted a few weeks back about all the anger and vitriol that I was seeing out of students 1 week into the school year. I currently work in residence life in a “premium” housing hall.

One of the incidents I briefly recounted in my original post was a student calling me a “cross eyed freak” because I wouldn’t tell her exactly what time the upcoming fire drill was happening. This student had an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) , but she was not on my list of approved ESAs (Student Disability Services dropped the ball here, not my department). I wanted to delve into that incident a bit more and recount what the response has been from my school’s admin. Y’all have always been incredibly helpful and thoughtful in this sub so I wanted to gather some feedback. I apologize in the length of this post, I really tried to shorten it but I also wanted to be clear on what happened/the response I’ve gotten from admin.

I sent out a 48 fire drill notice to my entire building on a Thursday. I did this as a courtesy, I did not have to provide any notice except to ESA owners. I met this student on Friday because she was escalating with my desk staff, demanding to know the time of the drill because she has an ESA cat. She was already incredibly confrontational, and I asked her to email me for more clarification because I had no idea who she was. After she emailed me, I notice she was not on my ESA list but, wanting to keep the peace and knowing the drill was scheduled in the next 30 minutes, I sent her a general 2 hour range of the drill time and sent an email to my supervisor asking for more information on this students’ ESA status. I was attempting to shadow another hall director doing their drill (I had been working here for around 5 weeks at this point) and the student cornered me again demanding to know the EXACT time of the drill. I explained why I would not provide that information (it’s an all freshman hall, I was trying to use the drill as an educational opportunity to think about emergency planning, yadda yadda) and she just asked “who can I go to above you?” so I directed her to my supervisor. My supervisor was in another meeting when she got a call from her desk staff and just kind of told the student that the drill was happening in the next few minutes without verifying this students’ name, ESA status, anything (ugh). During the drill, the student attempted to reenter the building before the all clear was given because she needed to speak with me. I was packing up to run to another meeting, but I had put my cat in a nearby office and started walking with her back to my apartment. Student stopped me in my lobby, asked “is that your cat? is it an ESA?” which I declined to answer. She was annoyed that I “get to know” the exact time of the drill, not quite understanding that I planned the drill and have been living in campus housing for 7+ years. She then threw out that she had met with my supervisor and “she said that you were wrong and you don’t know what you’re doing because you’re new” (confirmed with my supervisor that this was not said) and she let me know that her relative is the wealthy donor that my building is named after. I just kind of nodded along, so she said “is that all you have to say?” so I basically said “I’ve done my job correctly with the information I was given. You know where my boss’s office is and can go to her if you’re still upset.” I turned to leave and she shouted that I was a “cross eyed freak.” I’ve had an eye condition similar to a lazy eye all my life.

[TLDR: student insulted my eye condition because I wouldn’t give her the exact time of a fire drill]

Post-incident: I immediately called my supervisor (in case the student came back to see her and lie about our interaction; I believe she tried to but she and my supervisor missed each other). My supervisor was appalled. I then, admittedly, canceled the meeting I was on my way to so I could have a cry in my apartment. I filed an Incident Report, which was rerouted to our Title IX office as a bias incident. I went through their process where they basically told me that I was allowed to request an investigation for sanctions, but they kept pushing for holding an Education Meeting with the student to basically document the behavior. They explained that something more serious could be done if it happens again. I had originally wanted this student relocated, especially knowing I have to plan another fire drill in January, or some sort of apology for their behavior, but Title IX basically made it seem like I wouldn’t get very far pursuing this as a full-on investigation because “the behavior wasn’t repeated.”

I relented to the education session, and I now think this was a mistake. I just had my final wrap-up meeting where they basically told me “she was really emotional in our meeting, we think she really regrets what she said.” They also said “she wants to apologize to you, but she also wants an apology in return.” I explained that I empathized with her ESA paperwork not getting sent to my office, but that’s wasn’t my fault and I didn’t feel the need to apologize for another office’s screwup. I also said that even if I had her approved ESA paperwork, she would have received the same 2-3 hour window that I provided when we met on Friday. They said that neither of us are obligated to apologize, but were just letting me know. They also joked that she tried bringing up her wealthy donor relative again and I was just annoyed that they seemed to be letting her walk all over their office. Title IX asked if I had additional questions and I said “she knows that if the behavior is repeated then there will be consequences, right?” and they confirmed this to be true and I left.

I’m just feeling really deflated knowing I’m going to have to run another drill in ~3 months and it feels like I’m going to have to go through another round of vitriol with this student all over again. I received a lot of support from my supervisor, but middle management can only do so much. Any advice for navigating the inevitable interactions with this student/Title IX any further? Is it worth even sticking it out for the rest of the academic year?

Hey everyone I hope you are doing great. I wanted to reach out and see how other universities are handling the new upcoming FSLA jump to 58,000 in January. Currently I work in a position that got the initial bump to 44,000 but have heard right about nothing from my department regarding next moves. That being said, I recently discovered the straw poll carried out (I will attach below) and was absolutely startled by some of the numbers. Obviously I acknowledged this poll was carried out in May but it feels like across the field the sentiment is still the same, most universities seem to have no idea what they’re gonna do next and are just banking on the lawsuit without thinking about next steps. I am also largely concerned by the number within the poll that says 50% of universities have not discussed their next steps with employees that will be affected. This being salary issue and not discussing it with your entry-level employees is probably not the best idea. I do understand that one lawsuit could end this whole thing, but the concern is that there’s almost no contingency plans or lack of communication from many of the departments of those I have spoke to.

Sooo,What have you been hearing from your department? Are there plans in place and what do they look like? How has communication been?

https://www.acuho-i.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-ACUHO-I-FLSA-Straw-Poll-Results-.pdf

I'm applying to admission reader jobs, and most would state that they don't consider applicants who are involved in the admission process. The ones I've seen spelled out are: parents of a current senior, admission professionals, independent college counseling consultants, college counselors.

What about admission office volunteers? I am an alum volunteer interviewer for my undergrad but I'm not involved in other parts of the admission process aside from doing interviews and submitting write-ups.

Is there a minimum standard for instructor qualifications for lecture courses at T-100 national universities?

Just to add some further scope to my specific question, I am specifically asking about non-proficiency level courses which are not only a course pre-requisites (allowing us to move ahead in our major course sequences), but theses courses are also graduation requirements across many diverse STEM hard science majors, including: all physical sciences, computer sciences, engineering, materials sciences, math and applied math. I am specifically asking about lecture course instructors… not recitation or lab lecturers.

At my Uni, most departments clearly post on their respective departmental websites either the CVs -or- at least the academic degrees, and respective institutions from which they were granted for all non-faculty instructions. On the other hand, the credentials or even their earned degrees are not posted on a few key departmental web sites. And no, you can’t determine their attained degrees from an internet search b/c they are literal ghosts on a deep Google search.

My most basic question is: do students have the right to know the degrees earned degrees for a temporary part time course lecturers for the courses in which we enroll? Also, which Uni office could we request such non-faculty credential information? I am weary of asking my major department at the risk they may be angered at me for requesting such basic info.

My school is public.

Thank you in advance for answering my questions.

I’ve been offered an interview and have the option for in-person or zoom. I would love to do it in person, however, it’s really hard for me to get time off right now and to coordinate travel would require me to ask for a later date realistically. Should I just opt into zoom? I’m already very familiar with the institution and I really want the job. The on-campus experience wouldn’t impact my decision if I got an offer.

Basically what the title says. I’m new to student affairs and want to be able to have the best conference experience. I want to learn more about student affairs and how in my role (in residence halls) I can help promote diversity, well-being, and just educate myself about the student affairs world.

Which would you choose and why?

I'm writing to get some opinions. Specifically, I would like to know if you all would recommend applying for a role if an applicant meets approximately 75% of the required qualifications.

If not, what percentage might you recommend someone meet before applying for another role in higher education and in general?

Hello everyone. I recently (like less than a month ago) took on a residential student affairs job that pays less than 20k. It is a live-on role with a contract until May. I received an offer for an interview for a new position. It’s more or less the same role, but it pays almost double and is in a much better area. Also, I cannot have overnight guests at this current job, but my partner would be able to move in in the new one. I have a couple questions now that I obviously can’t ask coworkers or my boss.

1.) Is it possible or fair for me to leave my current position for the new one if offered (God willing)? My contract was very bare and did not have any specifics about leaving mid-contract. It only states that my contract is until May, but not that I must be with them or can’t leave.

2.) Should I mention in my interview that I am currently in contract? I kind of want to, as this job is my first post-grad experience and it’s helped me become way more qualified in a couple weeks than I was before. It’s also a really good school despite its restrictions. However, I don’t want them to see it as a reason not to hire me.

Definitely a rant, but also seeking advice. TL;DR attached lol aaaaaand I did post this in the expats group on FB cuz I just feel so lost right now.

Got my "dream job" in academic advising after grad school. It's an absolute nightmare, but I haven't decided if it's the field or my institution specifically. I was hired on at less than $45k (non-negotiable starting salary at an R1 public flagship in a MCOL area) when going into grad school I was told I could be making $60k. That is still pennies compared to my friends with less education/experience who went into corporate roles or even K12 teaching roles, but I figured maybe this is just normal for entry level in higher ed. Then I learned my pay will increase 1% annually staying in this role... The only way to move up is to jump ship and start over. Looking back, I kind of felt a bit misled from the start.

My advising unit itself is great. I have wonderful coworkers and supervisors, but my students are a mixed bag. No one reads emails, follows instructions, etc. and yet it's MY fault for everything that goes wrong or when deadlines are missed because they did not communicate or read said emails. Someone is in crisis in my office almost every day over things that I just no longer feel empathy for. Our caseloads are relatively small (300) but advising is mandatory here so it's also a lot of pulling teeth to get people to come in who clearly don't want to be in an advising appointment.

My undergrad major was counseling, but I couldn't handle the emotional load. Student affairs (or at least advising) is really not that much different some days, but feels worse because it is not what I am paid to do in this role. It's taking a toll on me and I'm finding it very hard to be "on" when I have to meet with 12+ students every day. I feel like I am having more panic attacks than I did when I was an overworked, underpaid grad student. I was also diagnosed with several chronic illnesses in the last year, and while my workplace has been accommodating in terms of letting me take time off, it just backs my work up even further. For every day I miss, those 12 students just get rescheduled for a later date. I dread needing to take time off because I know it will be an impossible mountain to tackle when I get back.

I feel horrible guilty about wanting to quit my dream job, especially when I know other people in this field deal with a lot worse, but I just don't know if the cons outweigh the pros for me at this point. I have coworkers who have been in the same unit for 25+ years and I don't think I see myself making it to 5 years tbh. However, if I do quit, my COBRA payments are $800+ a month, but I really need the insurance until I find something else.

I also have no idea how to find "careers" outside of higher ed. A lot of my friends who left this field have gone corporate but I'm not sure if that grind is right for me either. Have considered going back to school just to have resources/a network for whatever field I might pursue, but weighing the pros and cons of that. For those who pivoted with a higher ed degree, did you find your higher ed was relevant enough or did you get another credential or training of some type to move forward?

TL;DR: My dream job is actually my nightmare, but has benefits that I currently really NEED. I want to quit, I just feel guilty and don't know if it's the right time. I also have no idea how to find jobs outside of this field so am considering going back to school, but not sure if it's something that would be more beneficial than not. Ahhh 😩

Well, I think this is it for me. After being in SA for the past 5-7 years with both good and bad experiences I can readily say this last experience has taken its toll and I’m ready to call it quits. I’ve only been an AD for a few months and at first myself and my supervisor got along great, but over the last few weeks it’s taken a turn for the WORST. And it’s like nothing I do is right, my work is criticized at every turn and I am talked down to in the most disrespectful and unprofessional way possible. I’ve reached my limit and I just don’t think I can go on, no I know I don’t want to go on. I guess I’m wondering how do I move out of SA. Does anyone have any advice for someone trying to move in a different direction? Would love to stay in education, would love something remote or flexible to spend more time with my small child. I can share a bit more about my situation but not too much just in case. Thanks!

I speak on mental health and suicide prevention and I am looking as to where I should direct my efforts. Thanks

Please tell me if I’m wrong here because I don’t think I am but some people are making me second guess that.

I was offered an on campus interview for a job I want. Great! Now we start talking about logistics. They will put me up in a hotel the night before since the interviews start at 9am and I live 4 hours away. When we started about how I would get there I said the best/easiest way would be for them to rent me a car, but train could work too. They call me back the next day and tell me they won’t do a car rental at all. But train/flying works and then I can Uber from the station to the hotel (which is at least a 45 min drive). They will reimburse me for my travel. Am I ridiculous to think that’s insane? We are talking hundreds of dollars out of my pocket to MAYBE get a job offer. I have no way of knowing if they truly will reimburse me or how long it would take to get a check cut. I told them I didn’t think that would work for me because it’s extremely inaccessible to expect me to put up $400+ for this interview and they said they’d figure something out and get back to me. I do want this job, but not enough to spend my own money on it like that.

ETA: everyone saying ‘this is normal’ literally where?? I’ve never once experience this and I’m not young or new to the field.

I’ve been asked to talk about my career in student affairs (specifically residence life) at a career fair for middle schoolers. Have any of you ever done this? What do you talk about since they don’t have much exposure to college? If you have any activity suggestions that would be super helpful, too! It’ll be like a tabling setup.

2 questions really:

If you are the victim of workplace intimidation, no if ands and buts about it, and you know you need to get out, what do you do? Finish the school year? Semester? Leave ASAP?

Also as far as a career goes, does the type of institutions you work at impact your trajectory in the future? Say you find work at another small private school for a couple of years, will that make it challenging to get work down the line at a big public school and vice versa?

so I am in my second year of my CSA program and I am constantly told I’m not doing enough in my assistantship and there is more work to be done. My boss complains that I am standoffish, come off like I dont want to be bothered, and I’m not approachable (I’m really quiet and have a RBF). For example last week I sent her the topics for my weekly workshops because I Train and develop students that are on the e-board in their organization, I forgot to put the descriptions of each workshop cause I was doing so many things at once, and when I spoke to her she was like that’s unacceptable and I should have known to put them (definitely my fault but I didn’t think it was that serious)

Then from last year, my professor/program coordinator of my program said I’m not fit for student affairs and I’m not hirable; this made me feel uncomfortable and I felt like I couldn’t really say anything cause I knew I would’ve cursed her tf out and gotten fired. My professor/ the program coordinator also complained that I am failing to have intentional interactions w/ students. During the summer I had an internship at another university, and my summer SV asked for me to make an activity that would help the student workers remember their duties and I did a jeopardy-like game. My professor/program coordinator said that was surface level and isn’t developmental; I was confused because my summer SV ASKED me to do this and the students had fun told me how much they loved the game and felt as though it was a good refresher. Then one of the other staff members I worked with over the summer asked me to come up with an activity for our weekly staff meeting with turn student workers and pro staff; I came up with human bingo and my professor/coordinator still complained that it was surface level and not developmental, even though my pro staff literally ASKED me to come up with something, as we do an activity at every staff meeting before getting into updates. My professor/program coordinator knew how my summer was going because we had to do journals about our experiences.

In my current assistantship, I’ve been superbiding better , having one on ones w/ the interns I supervise, I talk to everyone in the office more, and offer ideas when I can. My boss still thinks I am not doing enough and that me not being super close to everyone in the office means I am disconnected from the work.

I’ve tried so hard to be better at my job and they still complain that my work isn’t enough. To top it all off my direct SV just started last winter and has never supervised before, doesn’t offer any ideas, and doesn’t really defend me when my boss or professor/program coordinator complains that I’m not working hard, when my direct SV will tell me she can’t think of what i need to fix.

Also w/ my professor/program coordinator I asked her for help during my first year with an assignment and she was so rude about it. She told me she has other stuff to do and the assignment is straight forward and that if I wanted her to go over an outline of my work, I should’ve sent it 3 weeks ago because she doesn’t have time to look over my stuff. She was so condescending and rude!!

I also feel like I’m being compared to the other grad staff and that they think I’m not meant for SAs and they are and it’s like I’m trying so hard. They expect me to know everything and have all the ideas but don’t contribute when it’s time to brainstorm and think I should have all the ideas.

I graduate in May 2025 so I’m trying to hold on but I’m so tired. Any advice would be appreciated.

what program / process do you all use to verify enrollment for students in housing? trying to come up with an easier method.

Submitting on behalf of a former colleague.

They were offered a position on the east coast. Went through all the background processes and fingerprints (passed). They got a call on Friday or Monday from HR letting them know they are cleared to work but now the school is in a hiring freeze and they don’t know when their start date would be.

They are at a loss of what to do. They really want this position (I’ve heard them use the phrase dream position so many times), and they felt like they jived well with the supervisor and cohort. Neither the supervisor or HR can give them any sense of time frame of how long this would last. They do not have a current job; their last role ended with the last school year.

I’ve NEVER heard of this happening. I believe it is a public institution, but not 100% certain.

I currently have an associates degree. I was initially planning to get a BSW to then do an MSW, but then I thought maybe BA in psych to MSW, but thennnn I started working in higher ed and have decided I would like to stay there.... To what end I am not entirely sure. I am currently in academic affairs, which is fine, but I think I would prefer a student facing role. Is a BA in Public and NP Administration a decent choice? I feel like when I have told people, including my supervisors, about this decision they are sort of indifferent. Neither of their degrees are necessarily specific to their current roles. My big boss also has several degrees in communications/related fields... This makes me feel like it doesn't matter that much. Am I overthinking this?

What have you seen done for new student orientation to make information sessions more engaging? Currently, we have what we call a garnet and gold showcase which are representatives from 5 offices speaking back to back and informing students of things they need to know. It is a total snooze fest for families and students. Any suggestions on jazzing it up? Especially when the presenters are not that engaging?

=wont get too into it but he needs to do the routine once a semester ask me about my academic progression meeting. last week he added it to outlook my calendar for tomorrow. I didn't rsvp since I was waiting to hear more from title ix. now he says he needs to make sure im going since he has deadlines with registering me for classes. im working with title ix to finally get to not work with him, but title ix will probably need a couple more days, or at least longer than till tomorrow. we actually get grades for professionalism and im scared of him since he is very strict and wont like me ghosting him or cancelling but I really dont have the strength to see him. what do I say/do :'(

Just wondering about what small inexpensive nice things you might keep around to give out to students. For example I just bought some bulk sticker packs with motivational sayings that I’m going to leave in a little bowl for students to sort through. I also have a bowl of fidget toys set out (but not for taking, just to use while sitting in my office).

I started a new job less than 2 months ago. I am the ONLY person in the entire department who isn't an alumni. So everyone else has been working here for a while. I've worked at multiple institutions and have always been in departments of people from a variety of institutions and we've all gotten along great. I never was outside of work friends with any, but we'd talk during work hours and eat lunches together.

When I started at this new institution everyone seemed really friendly. But after my first 2 weeks, everything changed. My supervisor called me in to tell me that multiple employees already filed a complaint to HR that I "wasn't contributing enough to the team". I hadn't even had my new employee orientation yet! For the past month no one in the department will even say hi back to me, and won't even respond to my messages in our work chat. They even once changed the location of our weekly meetings and I was the only one not told. It took me 10 minutes to figure out where it was moved to and in that time not a single person asked where I was. Turned out that the office secretary was meant to update us and I was the one person not told (even though I'm not even the newest team member).

I know I look different than everyone else here (I've got multicolored hair, sleeve tattoos, dress pretty alternative). Our graduate assistant is also queer and dresses alternatively and told me that they also have been left out of updates and shunned. But we work at a state school in a very liberal state, so I assumed it would be pretty open minded. I'm also a new person coming into a supervisory role that, due to budget cuts, was left unfilled since 2016. But I seem to get along with our student workers perfectly fine. Feeling isolated from the rest of the pro-staff has even made me consider if I should find a new job. But I moved to a new city for this position and am excited about the projects I'm working on.

Has anyone else ever experienced this? How do you cope with it, or fix it?

Hi! I’m posting here in hopes of getting some advice from people currently in or have had similar situationsz

I’m a new-ish Grad Student and currently doing an assistantship as a Residence Director/RD. In my undergrad, Housing felt like the air I breathed. I was a RA, a Senior RA, an intern in my last summer and even was apart of other housing organizations/clubs. Other than academics, housing took up most of my time but I had no regrets as I loved every part of my job!

I had many previous supervisors tell me that I was going to be a great RD and that my grad experience was going to be amazing. But, as I sit here I can’t help but feel like I made the wrong choice.

I’m about a month in and feel burnt out and almost disconnected from my campus community. I don’t miss being an undergrad student, but I miss interacting with students/residents as much as I did. It also just seems like I’m in a constant state of confusion as I feel like I’m not doing my job right even though I know that there are sometimes slow days.

Currently, I’ve haven’t had a whole lot of interaction with residents/students other than a few programs that I got to host so I could meet them. Additionally, I’m struggling with constant shift of “slow days” and “high/fast paced” days.

As crazy as it sounds, I want almost every day to feel high/fast paced but more so I want to actually be interacting with students more. My own student staff/RAs are amazing and wonderful and they brighten up my day (more than they know), but I don’t feel fulfilled in my role as I did when I was a housing intern and Senior RA.

I guess what I’m asking is has anyone experienced anything like this? Or does anyone have ideas for internships to explore new student affairs area? I don’t plan on switching my assistantship anytime soon but I do get the opportunity to do an internship at a separate office alongside it so I’m to try something new to see if I can find something I enjoy!