Review of former Advocacy and Equity unit leads to changes
A year-long departmental review process of Lehigh’s former Advocacy and Equity unit within Student Affairs has acknowledged the exceptional high level of work done by the Women’s Center, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and LGBTQIA Services, and led to a deeper understanding of how the offices could work to further divisional goals and institutional priorities.
In the past, all three of the offices have been organized under the heading of the Advocacy and Equity unit. At the conclusion of the review, the directors and Vice Provost of Student Affairs John Smeaton agreed that a modest restructuring would enhance their individual and collective environments.
The net result will be greater clarity and higher visibility for each of the offices, and a structure that reflects the unique identity of each office while preserving the crucial collaboration among the units, according to Smeaton.
Additional outcomes include:
• LGBTQIA Services has been renamed the Pride Center for Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.
• The Rainbow Room will keep its name and continue to serve as the Pride Center’s public space and meeting room.
• Former Assistant Director of the Women’s Center Brooke DeSipio has been named the first director of the Office of Gender Violence Education and Support, and now reports to Katherine Lavinder, associate dean of students.
“These changes allow for each of these offices to further develop their own identity, and to focus more intently and directly on the issues that concern our students,” Smeaton said. “The directors of these areas have individually done an extraordinary job, and they will continue to serve in these roles as both experts and advocates.”
A strategic focus on priorities and needs
This year-long process began in October and was guided by Gina Baral Abrams and Maddy Eadline, both special assistants to the vice provost of Student Affairs. The review engaged department directors Rita Jones of the Women’s Center, Trish Boyles of LGBTQIA Services and Tyrone Russell of Multicultural Affairs. The process included a self-study led by the directors of the former Advocacy and Equity offices, and an external review by national leaders in the respective content areas.
Smeaton said the process was initiated in alignment with his division’s commitment toward an exemplary division of Student Affairs through ongoing assessment of programmatic efforts and national benchmarks. It was grounded in professional standards as outlined by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) and tailored to the unique nature of the units.
“We have to think strategically about the future, about priorities and needs,” he said. “That’s why we wanted to undertake this thorough and thoughtful review and do all that we can to ensure that we are in the best position to serve our students and improve campus climate.”
Between October and December 2013, staff members and allies from the A&E offices comprised three separate self-study teams – one for each office – that were led by the applicable director to document the office’s work and offer a self-critique of program strengths and concerns.
A two-day external peer review was conducted in February to evaluate and analyze the existing structure and effectiveness and to provide recommendations to enhance their abilities to serve students and improve campus climate, Abrams and Eadline said.
Over the course of that external review, the participants met with faculty, staff, students and alumni to gain a deeper understanding of the issues. The feedback and findings from the entire process was presented in late spring and are continuing to inform decisions, Smeaton said.
“Instrumental to the success of this effort was the quality of involvement and insight offered by the wide range of participants,” said Abrams. “The insights of the directors of the offices, who helped the team address broader fundamental issues and identify ways to provide more role clarity and departmental identity, were essential.”
The naming of the Pride Center, for example, builds on the “excellent work that Dr. Trish Boyles has done in her first year as director,” Smeaton said, and provides a great platform for further growth and development and continued progress toward LGBTQ equality at Lehigh.
“The creation of the Office of Gender Violence Education and Support will help to better serve survivors and provide greater focus on educational and prevention programs,” he added. “We agreed that this change will provide increased emphasis on education and prevention efforts as well as clarity about support services for those in need.”
Smeaton noted that he will continue to periodically convene the directors of these offices to discuss the ongoing process and make adjustments as necessary.
In the past, all three of the offices have been organized under the heading of the Advocacy and Equity unit. At the conclusion of the review, the directors and Vice Provost of Student Affairs John Smeaton agreed that a modest restructuring would enhance their individual and collective environments.
The net result will be greater clarity and higher visibility for each of the offices, and a structure that reflects the unique identity of each office while preserving the crucial collaboration among the units, according to Smeaton.
Additional outcomes include:
• LGBTQIA Services has been renamed the Pride Center for Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.
• The Rainbow Room will keep its name and continue to serve as the Pride Center’s public space and meeting room.
• Former Assistant Director of the Women’s Center Brooke DeSipio has been named the first director of the Office of Gender Violence Education and Support, and now reports to Katherine Lavinder, associate dean of students.
“These changes allow for each of these offices to further develop their own identity, and to focus more intently and directly on the issues that concern our students,” Smeaton said. “The directors of these areas have individually done an extraordinary job, and they will continue to serve in these roles as both experts and advocates.”
A strategic focus on priorities and needs
This year-long process began in October and was guided by Gina Baral Abrams and Maddy Eadline, both special assistants to the vice provost of Student Affairs. The review engaged department directors Rita Jones of the Women’s Center, Trish Boyles of LGBTQIA Services and Tyrone Russell of Multicultural Affairs. The process included a self-study led by the directors of the former Advocacy and Equity offices, and an external review by national leaders in the respective content areas.
Smeaton said the process was initiated in alignment with his division’s commitment toward an exemplary division of Student Affairs through ongoing assessment of programmatic efforts and national benchmarks. It was grounded in professional standards as outlined by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) and tailored to the unique nature of the units.
“We have to think strategically about the future, about priorities and needs,” he said. “That’s why we wanted to undertake this thorough and thoughtful review and do all that we can to ensure that we are in the best position to serve our students and improve campus climate.”
Between October and December 2013, staff members and allies from the A&E offices comprised three separate self-study teams – one for each office – that were led by the applicable director to document the office’s work and offer a self-critique of program strengths and concerns.
A two-day external peer review was conducted in February to evaluate and analyze the existing structure and effectiveness and to provide recommendations to enhance their abilities to serve students and improve campus climate, Abrams and Eadline said.
Over the course of that external review, the participants met with faculty, staff, students and alumni to gain a deeper understanding of the issues. The feedback and findings from the entire process was presented in late spring and are continuing to inform decisions, Smeaton said.
“Instrumental to the success of this effort was the quality of involvement and insight offered by the wide range of participants,” said Abrams. “The insights of the directors of the offices, who helped the team address broader fundamental issues and identify ways to provide more role clarity and departmental identity, were essential.”
The naming of the Pride Center, for example, builds on the “excellent work that Dr. Trish Boyles has done in her first year as director,” Smeaton said, and provides a great platform for further growth and development and continued progress toward LGBTQ equality at Lehigh.
“The creation of the Office of Gender Violence Education and Support will help to better serve survivors and provide greater focus on educational and prevention programs,” he added. “We agreed that this change will provide increased emphasis on education and prevention efforts as well as clarity about support services for those in need.”
Smeaton noted that he will continue to periodically convene the directors of these offices to discuss the ongoing process and make adjustments as necessary.
Posted on:
Friday, September 05, 2014
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