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Educational Mission and Process
In order to support the
university mission and process, a student affairs
professional should comprehend the institution's
mission, objectives, goals, policies, and expectations.
Professionals need to have an all-encompassing
understanding of the academic requirements of the
university, an appreciation of the academic rigor
required of students who want to excel in their careers,
and a commitment to find ways of bridging the curricular
and co-curricular aspects of higher education.
My Experience as an Undergraduate
and Graduate Student at APU
Taking a Significant Amount of Time at CPP, FHS to
Orient Myself to the expectations, goals and mission
statements
Putting CA on Probation because of Grades
My Experience as an
Undergraduate and Graduate Student at APU:
As both an undergraduate and
graduate student at APU, I have been a part of an
institution committed to the development of students in
a holistic manner. As part of my BA in psychology and
Christian ministries, my liberal arts education from APU
allowed me to gain knowledge in areas such as arts,
humanities, and Biblical studies. As a student, I also
learned that APU is committed to four basic
cornerstones: Christ, scholarship, community, and
service. These four foundations show what APU values as
well as how APU approaches students and academics. Now
that I have come back to APU for both my M.Ed in College
Student Affairs and as a student affairs professional
working in Residence Life, I feel that I am well
equipped to help students understand the university’s
mission and expectations. I also have a good
comprehension of various professors on campus and
academic requirements, especially for general education
units. This is an asset in my job because I am able to
talk with students and offer them my experience and
insight about how to get the most out of their education
both in and outside of the classroom.
APU's
Four Cornerstones
APU's Mission
Statement
Taking a Significant Amount
of Time at CPP, FHS to Orient Myself to the
expectations, goals and mission statements:
When I started my job at Cal
Poly Pomona, Foundation Housing Service, one of the
first assignments that I gave myself was to learn more
about both the university and Foundation Housing
Service. Because I did not have any hands on experience
at this institution, I spent a good amount of time
exploring and reading through their website, handbooks,
and any other information I could find. I also made an
effort to meet with Ernie Kawai, the Associate Director
of the Foundation.
Being an RD for Cal Poly
Pomona, FHS was interesting in that I was an advocate
for both the university and the foundation. It was
crucial that I understood the differences between the
two organizations. By exploring information and being
an active listener, I discovered what Cal Poly Pomona,
FHS valued. It helped me in understanding my role as an
RD in the Village. It also helped me in learning how to
make connections with the university side of campus.
Foundation Website
University Village (Foundation Housing Service)
Cal Poly Pomona University Mission, Vision, and Goals
Putting CA on Probation
because of Grades:
At both Cal Poly
Pomona and Azusa Pacific University, students are hired
only if their academic performance meets a specific
grade point average; their ability to remain in their
CA/RA jobs is dependent upon their ability to maintain
and keep their grades above a set minimum. As a
professional in student affairs, it is crucial that I
encourage my student staff to excel in their
educations. I need to keep the mindset that my staff
attends the university to first be a student; their work
as a CA/RA comes second. At times, this is a hard
balance to encourage in students, but it is something
that I have been stretched and grown in as I have worked
as an RD.
For instance, at
Cal Poly Pomona, I placed one of my CAs on probation
because she was not keeping her grades up. In the
letter that I wrote for her, I placed expectations on
her academic performance. During the first quarter that
she was on probation, she needed to bring her grades up
to the minimum GPA required of the student staff. If
she was unable to do this, she would be asked to step
down from her CA position. During that quarter, we
spent a lot of time in our 1-1s talking about her
classes and homework. Taking these steps challenged my
understanding of how I can support the university
mission. I realized how important it is that I help my
staff succeed academically.
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