Multicultural and Diversity Training Within Student Affairs and Student Staff

Multicultural and Diversity Training Within Student Affairs and Student StaffSalem State UniversityAmber L. Danku

Why Did I Choose This Topic? Current Job: Emerson CollegeFuture Career: Supervising StudentsConstantly improving upon previous training techniquesAll students need training in this area to create a more welcoming and accepting team, especially if you are dealing with students working in a customer service atmosphere

Historically SpeakingStudent Affairs did not always have diversity as a main goal of the professionWith the Civil Rights Movement disrupting cultural norms on campuses, student affairs began to change drasticallyDiversifying staff members, creating new programming, etc.

Representation Among Student Affairs StaffRepresentation is not only important for faculty Students need to see representations of their race, culture, sexual orientation, and more in order to have a positive experienceMost Importantly, the staff need to be seen and not just hired. Their experience needs to also be supplemented in order have *retention* of these staff members

Microaggressions within StaffBefore Diversity Training can be planned BY staff members, these staff members need to go through it themselvesMicroaggressions should be dealt with If the staff are trained but microaggressions slip by when dealing with students, it reduces the effectiveness of the officeShould be reflective, all staff should recognize what microaggressions are and how to stop themResult: much better relationship with students

Diverse Student StaffCreates a diverse experience for all staff working together and fosters the holistic student by increasing their multicultural competenciesPossible issues that may pop up: language barriers, differences in communication styles and values held among student staffDiversity training

Importance of Connecting with Student StaffThe better connected and present a supervisor is to their student employees, the better they can assess their specific needs and how they can adjust for mutual benefit (Kathman, 379).To bring it all together, the better trained in multiculturalism and more diverse the student affairs staff is, the better trained and diverse the student staff will be.

Dickson, Jepsen and Barbee (2008) mention the most effective multicultural training involves interactive and process-oriented instruction and systemic support (culturally sensitive program environment) (123).

Paper and Presentation ReferencesChoi-Pearson, C., Castillo, L., & Maples, M. F. (2004). Reduction of Racial Prejudice in Student Affairs Professionals. NASPA Journal, 42(1), 132-146.Dickson, G. L., Jepsen, D. A., & Barbee, P. W. (2008). Exploring the Relationships among Multicultural Training Experiences and Attitudes toward Diversity among Counseling Students. Journal Of Multicultural Counseling And Development, 36(2), 113.Kathman J. & Kathman M.D. (1998). What Difference Does Diversity Make in Managing Student Employees? Sandeen, A. & Barr, M. (2006). Critical Issues for Student Affairs. Jossey Bass: San Francisco, CA.The Black Bruins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEO3H5BOlFk