Effective Training and Orientation Program(s) for Graduate

Assistants in Professional Higher Education and Student Affairs

UnitsOASPA/OCPA Annual ConferenceJanuary 30-31, Worthington, Ohio

Presented by:Elecia Harvey

Arielle WeaverSnejana Slantcheva-Durst

Drawing on a project conducted by:Dayna Boes Brittanie KuhrAdam Bohland Tera McDonaldErin Harper Jose OlivarezElecia Harvey Quintin VeasleyAhmed Hassan Arielle WeaverEmily Hickey Alexandra WhiteKrystal Iwuagwu

Overview

Effective Training and Orientation Program(s) for Graduate Assistants in Professional Higher

Education and Student Affairs Units

I.Main insights from literature reviewII.Benchmarking findingsIII.Programmatic combinationsIV.Brainstorming application

I. Main Insights from Literature Review

• Graduate Assistants as a significant sub-group of the university labor force in the United States (Bousquet, 2008)

• According to NCES (2009), in 2007, 328,979 graduate students, close t0 10% of all employees, were employed in assistantship positions as:1. Teaching Assistants (TAs)2. Research Assistants (RAs)3. Administrative, or Extension, or Service

Assistants (GAs, GSAs)

I. Main Insights from Literature Review

The Student Affairs Graduate Assistant can come from any college and program; most common programs are usually professional preparation programs:

-higher education administration/CSP-counseling-educational psychology-educational leadership-policy studies-adult education-(public) health

I. Main Insights from Literature Review

Graduate Assistantships:•Considered temporary professional positions; para-professionals•Mostly utilized in:• Residence Life• Orientation• Student Activities• Counseling• Advising• Career Services• Financial Aid• International Student Programs• Student Experience

I. Main Insights from Literature Review

Benefits of Graduate Assistantships:•Recognized and often required component of student affairs preparation programs (CAS requires 300 hrs of supervised practice)•Graduate Assistantships provide “an opportunity for socialization into the academic profession” (Ethington & Pisani, 1993)•Training laboratory for higher education graduate students - assist graduate students with professional identity (Lovitts & Nelson, 2000).•Benefits: experiential, financial, sometimes housing and health benefits

I. Main Insights from Literature Review

Challenges of Graduate Assistantships related to:

•The unique role of student, employee, and para-professional•The challenges of job responsibilities and the often inadequate amount of preparation or training•Availability of institutional support•Rare academic recognition for their work•Efforts to balance work, study, and life demands

How do you deal with these challenges on your campus?

I. Main Insights from Literature Review

At least two important ways to address such challenges:1. Combine, and properly sequence, appropriate training elements such as:

a. Manualsb. Orientationc. Trainingd. Professional Developmente. Mentoringf. Evaluation2. Centralize the responsibility over the

alignment of these elements

II. Benchmarking Findings

- Studied 57 colleges and universities, public and private, small and large, throughout the country

- ASHE Program Database

Central web-site

Orientation + General Training

Professional Development

- ManualRights and responsibilities of GAsDress CodeJobs descriptionsPosition expectationsEvaluationsSupervisor’s rolesResources, etc.- GA Fair information- Available positions- Information on professional development workshops or conferences

- OrientationIntroduction to the institutionOverview of available resourcesGet to know unit leadersSocials with other professionals- Peer mentors- Specialized unit training- Sessions on topics related to the HED profession: diversity, ethical conduct, student advising, etc.

- Workshops organized throughout the semester on general topicsWorking with studentsCrisis managementLegal frameworkCareer growthLeadership- Semester workshops on unit-specific topics- Mentoring (different from supervisor) programs- Shadowing

Websites Linkages & Features • Linked to Student Affairs homepage (University of

San Diego, University of South Carolina)• Job descriptions & placement information • GA contact information• Orientation session information • Linked to Student Affairs homepage (Ohio State

University) • Graduate Assistant resources• Professional development opportunities

Website Linkages & Features

• Linked to Higher Education homepage (University of St Thomas, University of Tennessee)• Job descriptions• Linked to Human Resources homepage (James

Madison University)• Job descriptions• Pay information• Training resources• FAQs

Websites with Online Manuals• Graduate School Manuals/Handbooks (University of Arizona,

Louisiana State University, University of Rhode Island)• Job descriptions • Conditions of position• Payroll information

• Graduate Assistantship Manuals/Handbooks (Illinois State University, Penn State)• What is a Graduate Assistantship• Responsibilities & Expectations • Professional development • Employment information• Payroll information

Orientation- General PracticesOrientation typically includes•Welcome session and introduction to administrators•Information on Campus resources•Distribution of campus resource guide•Social

Orientation for Student Affairs Graduate AssistantsAn orientation program has been created specifically for student affairs GAs (University of South Carolina, Indiana University Bloomington, University of Southern Mississippi, University of Vermont, University of Northern Iowa, Penn State University, Texas State University San Marcos)

•Discussion of campus resources (University of Southern Mississippi, Indiana University Bloomington, University of South Carolina)•Distribution of an updated campus resource guide•Graduate Assistant Manual

Emerging Trend

Including GA Supervisor Training/ Orientation

• Student Affairs GAs and New Staff attend orientation together (Texas State University)

• “ABC Guide” for Supervising (Indiana University Bloomington)• Provides GA supervisors with best practices and

tips for being an effective supervisor to GAs

Training Graduate Assistants

Forms of Training:• Lectures• Face to face workshops• Training programs prior to the start of the semester• Training programs throughout the first semester• Online modules

Do you train your graduate assistants?

Training Continued• Multiple day training prior to semester start• 2 day training (University of Southern California,

University of Oklahoma, Western Michigan University)• Specific sessions for specific groups of GAs (Western

Michigan University)• Teaching, research, and service

• GAs must attend professional development workshops throughout the semester as a part of training (Oregon State University, University of Toledo, University of Oklahoma, University of Northern Iowa)

• Online modules (University of Texas)

Training Continued

• “Student Affairs GA Development Series” (University of Oklahoma)• Six, one hour presentations and discussion sessions,

every other week• Based on NASPA/ACPA Core Competency Areas for

Student Affairs Professionals• Ensures Student Affairs GAs are leaving with

specified knowledge

Common Topics Covered During Training Discussion Sessions

•Professional Ethics•Safety/ Crisis•Best Practices•FERPA and legal issues •Advising/ mentoring•Institutional policy and procedure•Student Insurance•Software

Professional Development for Graduate Assistants

Additional and continuous career preparation for graduates that is organized by the institution:•Required•Optional•Other opportunities

Types of Professional Development• Required seminars (University of Southern California)• Prior to the academic year• Basic information regarding position• University policies, communication, challenges

students are facing • Required sessions (Indiana University)• Throughout the year• Wide range of topics• Team building, supervision, diversity, social

justice, exploring beliefs, working with undergraduate students

Types of Professional Development • Required and optional workshops throughout the

Year (Western Michigan, University of Nevada-Las Vegas)• Various workshops throughout the year• Some are required (FERPA), others optional

• Optional Certificate (University of Utah)• Student Affairs Diversity Council offers a “Creating

an Inclusive Campus” Certificate of Training

Professional Development cont.• Shadowing and seminars (Virginia Tech)• Opportunities to shadow professionals • Career Services assigns GAs to professionals

• Optional seminars throughout year• Personal and professional development • Time management, professional ethics,

discussion with labor market leaders

What opportunities are there at your institution?

III. Effective Combinations

Websites are ubiquitous:-Vary in information they offer-Very in detail of the offered information

Orientation + Training a common feature:-Orientation and workshops that follow directly or are dispersed throughout the semester-Orientation and on-line modules-Pre-training orientation sessions + (on-line) workshops-Completion checks/assessment sometimes involved

III. Prevalent Approaches

Orientation and Mentoring:-Often organized at Orientation-Peer or supervisor mentoring-In some institutions, the graduate assistant shadows the supervisor/mentor through daily activities

Professional Development through both Workshops and Leadership Initiatives:-Professional development organized for graduate assistants sometimes required-Rare requirements for leadership initiative involvement

Centralized organization determines theprogrammatic approach:

•HR supervision centers on informing students•Student affairs supervision centers on informing and familiarizing students with documents central to student affairs everyday operations (FERPA, crisis management, programming)•Higher education/CSP supervision centers on informing students and often following CAS standards for professional work•Collaborative supervision brings a combination of programming approaches

III. Prevalent Approaches

IV How Would you Apply this Information?You are the new VP of Student Affairs at a large, regional research institution in Northwest Ohio. You have just approved the hire of 35 Graduate Assistants to work in the Division of Student Affairs, in a variety of offices.

•How would you prepare them for their jobs?

Central web-site

Orientation + General Training

Professional Development

- ManualRights and responsibilities of GAsDress CodeJobs descriptionsPosition expectationsEvaluationsSupervisor’s rolesResources, etc.- GA Fair information- Available positions- Information on professional development workshops or conferences

- OrientationIntroduction to the institutionOverview of available resourcesGet to know unit leadersSocials with other professionals- Peer mentors- Specialized unit training- Sessions on topics related to the HED profession: diversity, ethical conduct, student advising, etc.

- Workshops organized throughout the semester on general topicsWorking with studentsCrisis managementLegal frameworkCareer growthLeadership- Semester workshops on unit-specific topics- Mentoring (different from supervisor) programs- Shadowing

1. Division of Student Affairs Professional Learning

Committee (PLC)

6. Professional Development

3. Graduate Assistant Recruitment

2. Website 5. Graduate Assistant Training – 3 days

4. Graduate Assistant Orientation Day

Culture of Professional Learning

CollaborationThe Team’s

Proposal

Thank you!