Senior Student Affairs Officers
2022 Senior Student Affairs Officers Conference
Saturday, February 5, 2022
9:00 a.m. - 7:15 p.m. (Eastern)
Responding to Our Call
The SSAO seeks to provide opportunities for a student's personal growth and helps students make healthy decisions within a framework of Catholic values. Given their critical role, this pre-conference will provide an audience to share and receive practical advice on leading student life; assess an understanding of the student affairs vision; and discuss how student affairs seeks to develop students spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically in the context of Catholic values and Christian community.
Conference Schedule
| 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. |
Breakfast available |
| 9:00 - 9:15 a.m. |
Welcome, Prayer, and Pre-Conference Overview
|
| 9:15 - 10:15 a.m. |
Opening Panel Discussion
"Sustaining the Call: Reflecting, Responding, & Rebuilding Together"
Panelists:
Cheryl Hyatt, Hyatt-Fennell Executive Search
Stephanie Gordon,S Director of Professional Development, NASPA
Michael James, Director for the Institute of Administrators in Catholic Higher Education, Boston College
Lisa Kirkpatrick, Vice President for Student Affairs, St. Edward's University
Facilitator: Nate Klein, Vice President for Student Success, Mount Mercy University
|
| 10:15 - 10:30 a.m. |
Break |
| 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. |
Conference Plenary 1 & Lunch Presentation
"United in Our Call: Reconciliation as Community"
Presenter: Rev. James Voiss, S.J., Vice President for Mission and Ministry, Marquette University
Moderator: Xavier Cole, Vice President for Student Affairs, Marquette University
|
| 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. |
Conference Plenary 2
"Hearing the Call: Cultivating and Managing Civil Discourse"
Presenters:
Bill Fisher, Vice President for Student Development, University of Dayton
Stephen Vaughan, Partner, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
|
| 2:30 - 2:45 p.m. |
Break |
| 2:45 - 4:00 p.m. |
Conference Plenary 3
"Refilling Our Cup: Nourishment & Sustainability When Answering the Call"
Facilitators: ACCU SSAO Conference Planning Committee & ASACCU Board Members
Moderators:
Tim Bessler, Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students, St. Mary's University
Ruth Rodgers, Senior Vice President of Leadership Integration and Student Success, Marian University (IN)
|
| 4:00 - 4:30 p.m. |
Closing Remarks and Prayer
|
Feel free to enjoy Washington, DC, and dinner on your own.
For those attending the 2022 Annual Meeting, please join us for the Opening Liturgy and Reception.
Many thanks to our 2022 SSAO Conference Planning Committee for their assistance in planning this year's conference!
Tim Bessler, Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students,, St. Mary's University, TX
Xavier Cole, Vice President for Student Affairs, Marquette University
Chris Haug, Vice President for Student Affairs, Neumann University, Committee Chair
Nate Klein, Vice President for Student Success, Mount Mercy University
Ruth Rodgers, Senior Vice President for Leadership Integration and Student Success, Marian University (IN)
Additional gratitude to ASACCU for their support in planning the conference!
And special thanks to our 2022 Senior Student Affairs Conference Sponsor!
Questions about the conference? Please contact ACCU.
Available ACCU Resources
Student affairs professionals provide opportunities for personal growth and help students make healthy decisions within a framework of Catholic values. Given their pivotal role on a Catholic campus, ACCU offers these resources to assist them professionally and personally:
- Student Life in Catholic Higher Education: Advancing Good Practice contains the collected wisdom of both current and former student affairs leaders, this book offers a blend of practical advice and personal reflection on leading student life at a Catholic institution.
- Reprinted in 2017, Principles of Good Practice for Student Affairs in Catholic Higher Education has long been the standard for understanding and assessing a vision of student affairs at Catholic colleges and universities.
- Strengthening Catholic Identity – Student Affairs: This installment of a 12-part brochure series provides an overview of how student affairs seeks to develop students spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically in the context of Catholic values and Christian community.
- In 2017, ACCU launched a conference specially designed for senior officers in student affairs. Bringing together expert speakers and representatives from Catholic colleges and universities across the country and beyond, this annual session equips senior leaders in student affairs with new skills and new ideas for working through the evolving challenges of their profession. More information on the upcoming conference will be posted soon.