The Student Affairs Assessment Leaders (SAAL) has been hard at play this summer. You can keep up with all our meeting notes and minutes. We are definitely leading the charge during a very tense time in higher education where campuses are being forced to change practice due to legislative shifts. During this time, we have grown as an organization and currently have 1,345 members that are all vested in Student Affairs assessment across the nation and globe. SAAL hosted meet-ups at national conferences where we were able to connect in real-life and share our values, food, and drink with one another. According to Google Analytics this past month our Student Affairs Assessment Leaders (SAAL) website had 1,800 views with our blog, open-course, and our resources page being the most popular. What this data tells us is that SAAL is indeed nurturing a thriving community of individuals engaged in Student Affairs Assessment. One of our strategic focuses is to create the space to share and create new knowledge around Student Affairs assessment and encourage SAAL's membership; providing guidance to help members navigate the many resources and ways to get involved and foster networking/relationship building.
Leading this charge is not always easy since it seems like both the Supreme Court and many states are not in favor of our values of equity. Our promise to our members is not performative and instead we are continuing to champion practices of assessment that leverage data to close equity gaps, foster inclusive communities, and dismantle inequitable systems and structures. This month the SAAL Board will be hosting a meeting with the Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) and colleagues in DEI oppressive states to plan a future Structured Conversation to help our members who are challenged with Section 5. We are excited about this partnership with CAS with the goal to work with them more closely to benefit all our members. CAS Standards provide a great framework for program review and evaluation of programs. Their model of engagement is not only inclusive, but well-rounded in terms of dedication to ensuring their standards remain current.
SAAL is a volunteer organization and does not have a bank account to be able to pay for our expenses (e.g., course, website costs, domain, etc.), thus having sponsorships is absolutely critical to supporting you. Thank you to our current sponsors for believing in us and supporting our members. Our new treasurer, Daniel Kaczmarek, has worked to develop a system to create sponsorships. Our long-term goal is to continue growing and providing services, support, and resources to our members with more sponsors. This organization is only possible due to our many volunteers on our Board and committees. This summer all our Board members received a volunteer mug from our President, Renée Delgado-Riley. If you want to be a part of this mug crew, please consider three open positions on our SAAL board.
Communications Specialist
- Manage SAAL communication accounts (e.g., SAAL website, social media, listserv)
- Marketing SAAL to and with other professional associations (e.g. AALHE, ACPA, AIR, NASPA) or other organizations (e.g., Campus Labs, EBI).
- Work across all committees to co-create a monthly content calendar as well as develop & publish content for web, list serv, and social media accounts
- Commit to and serve a volunteer 3-year term, regardless of professional role changes, or help identify a professional to fulfill the remainder of the term.
Podcast Manager
- Responsible for the production of the podcast by leading and encouraging SAAL members to share stories via podcast.
- Facilitate content creation using podcast crowdsourcing templates, etc. with hosts and helping brainstorm episode topics.
- Edit audio recordings and upload to podcast hosting site. This may involve adding intros/outros, removing mistakes and enhancing overall sound quality.
- Promote the podcast via the SAAL listserv.
- Monitors podcast’s performance with download numbers, audience location, etc.
Secretary
- Manage the administration of the organization’s constitution and by-laws.
- Keep accurate records for the organization, such as Board meeting minutes.
- Communicate regularly to SAAL membership and prospective SAAL membership through a variety of communication channels, such as social media and the website.
- Commit to and serve a volunteer 3-year term, regardless of professional role changes, or help identify a professional to fulfill the remainder of the term.
Come join and help us achieve our mission. Depending on interest, we may appoint executively or hold a small election. Please reach out to us by Friday, September 15th, 2023.
Photo by Julian Santa Ana on StockSnap
As we continue working hard to best meet your needs, our Landscape Survey has been heavily updated and will be launched this fall. Please keep an eye out for this as it will help us understand Student Affairs assessment today and what specific needs can be understood and addressed through SAAL.
The SAAL Blog Management Team is looking to add another member to our writing team! The SAAL Blog is a place for diverse voices and varied perspectives. Blog team members must have a demonstrated interest in blogging, are interested in engaging the field of Student Affairs Assessment in reflection and dialogue, and be willing to write a minimum of three blog posts a year. Individuals who are at varying skill levels in Student Affairs Assessment are encouraged to apply as well professionals who have historically marginalized identities. To the best of our ability, one of the goals of the SAAL Blog is to make sure that all voices are heard and shared across our community. This appointment will run from fall 2023 through spring 2024. To apply, please complete the Blog Team Application by Friday, September 8 at 5pm. For more information about our team, please visit this website. If you have any specific questions, please email me directly at paul.holliday-millard@charlotte.edu.
So, please reach out.
~SAAL Board