Now that the worst has happened, where do leaders go from here Student Affairs Retreat Northern Illi

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Now that the worst has happened, where do
leaders go from here?Student Affairs
RetreatNorthern Illinois UniversityZenobia L.
Hikes, Ed.D.Vice President for Student
AffairsVirginia TechJuly 23, 2008
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Now that the worst has happened, where do
leaders go from here?

• The Framework
• On April 16, 2007, 32 people were killed on the
  Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia by a
  currently enrolled student. This university
  shooting represented the worse school shooting in
  U. S. history. Ten months later, on February 14,
  2008, five people were killed at Northern
  Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois by an NIU
  graduate.
• Both horrific tragedies have irrevocably changed
  higher education and violated the peace which
  comes with learning in the academy. Yet despite
  the new landscape, Student Affairs must remain
  steadfast in its leadership and its commitment to
  the holistic development of students.

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Now that the worst has happened, where do
leaders go from here?

• The Intent
• Take the tragedies
• Examine lessons learned
• Craft the next steps for NIU
• Re-craft the profession based on our unique
  experiences

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Now that the worst has happened, where do
leaders go from here?

• Tenets of the Profession

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Now that the worst has happened, where do
leaders go from here?

• What happened at Virginia Tech will change
  higher-education law significantly and
  permanently, much as the shootings at Kent State
  did nearly 40 years ago... Kent State ushered in
  a new era of accountability for colleges
• Colleges and the Law after Virginia
  Tech
• Peter Lake

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Now that the worst has happened, where do
leaders go from here?

• I. Responding to the Worst
• Now that the worst has happened, how should the
  university respond?
• II. Moving Forward in Search of Excellence
• Mindful of the tragedy, how do you move toward
  excellence with a new reality?
• III. Professional Resilience and Personal Balance
• What must you do professionally and personally,
  now that higher education has changed?
• IV. Reflections Moving Forward

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I. Responding to the Worst

• Now that the worst has happened, how should the
  university respond?

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I. Responding to the Worst

• Crisis Management
• Care Team
• Case Management
• Threat Assessment Team
• Physical Infrastructure
• Off-Campus Student Protocol
• On-Campus Student Protocol
• Federal and State Legislation
• External Relationships
• Communication

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I. Responding to the Worst

• Communication - Internal and External
  Constituency Groups
• Emergency
• Students (alert messaging, updated emergency
  info)
• Faculty and staff (handling distressed students,
  database)
• Parents
• External constituency groups

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• Small Group Activity
• Case Studies

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Small Group Activity

• Assess current campus crisis management and
  communications measures and recommend changes.
  What advice would you give to other university
  colleagues?

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II. Moving Forward in Search of Excellence

• Mindful of the tragedy, how do you move toward
  excellence in a new reality?
• Assessing the State of the Community (moving
  forward)
• Building Community
• Admissions Partnerships
• Campus Climate
• Community of Huskies
• New Roles in Student Affairs Departments
• External Constituency Groups

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II. Moving Forward in Search of Excellence

• Making the Right Connections
• Marketing the Student Affairs Brand (post-
  tragedy)
• New Faculty Orientation
• New Division Team Orientation
• Pre-tragedy and Post-tragedy Staff
• Pre-tragedy and Post-tragedy Students
• Civic Engagement

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II. Moving Forward in Search of Excellence

• Supporting a Diverse Student Population
• Millennials
• Hip Hop Generation
• Racial and Ethnic Groups
• International Students
• LGBT Community
• First-Generation Students
• Religious Groups

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II. Moving Forward in Search of Excellence

• Leadership and Ethical Development
• Globalization and the Flat World
• Honor Code and Judicial Affairs
• Leadership Development Programs
• Alcohol and Drug Use

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II. Moving Forward in Search of Excellence

• Partnership with Schools
• Outreach Programs
• Enough is Enough Campaign

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Small Group Activity

• Choose two categories, assess current initiatives
  and suggest recommendations.

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III. Professional Resilience and Personal Balance

• What must you do professionally and personally,
  now that higher education has changed?
• Professional Development
• Adaptability
• Supporting Colleagues
• Personal Rejuvenation
• Finding and Maintaining Balance

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Individual Activity

• Develop a 5 year Career Map

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• IV. Reflections Moving Forward