From Campus to Community: Implementing Trauma-Informed Care in Higher Education

This workshop delves into the impact of trauma among college students, staff, and community partners, accentuated by global crises like COVID-19 and race-based violence. Attendees will explore trauma-informed care principles, emphasizing safety, trust, and empowerment. Through interactive activities and discussions, participants will gain practical tools to foster supportive environments in higher education both in the classroom as well as across the broader university and interactions with community partners. Designed for all academic stakeholders, the session aims to deepen understanding of trauma’s impact on students as well as vicarious trauma among faculty and staff, impart trauma-informed care strategies, and empower attendees to create inclusive university environments.

• Megan Holmes, Ph.D., MSW, LISW-S, professor of social work and co-director of the Center on Trauma and Adversity, Case Western Reserve University
• Dakota King-White, Ph.D., associate professor and faculty affiliate of the Center on Trauma and Adversity, Case Western Reserve University
• Amy Korsch, MSSA, LISW-S, senior instructor and faculty affiliate of the Center on Trauma and Adversity, Case Western Reserve University

From Campus to Career: Educating Citizen Professionals for Community Impact

Public purpose has eroded across occupations. The concept of citizen professionalism is a powerful response that shows how all professionals can work as citizens with other citizens, not on them or for them, in rebuilding communities. This participatory pre-conference workshop will explore the concept as an anchor strategy to contribute to the well-being of students and communities. Participants will develop an understanding of citizen professionalism; gain ideas for ways the concept can strengthen anchor and democracy work; recognize the impact the concept can have on DEI; and identify opportunities to incorporate the concept in their anchor and democracy work.

• Harry Chatten Boyte, Ph.D., senior scholar in public work philosophy, Institute for Public Life and Work, Augsburg University
• Romy Hübler, Ph.D., director, Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility, Towson University
• Marie-Louise Ström, director of education and training, Institute for Public Life and Work, Augsburg University

Expanding your Basic Needs Ecosystem

Students are humans first and must have their basic needs met in order to fully engage in higher education. Basic needs insecurity is not an individual characteristic or failing, but a shortcoming in the ecosystem surrounding students. Over the past decade institutions have made incredible strides in acknowledging and building out supports for students who experience uncertain access to food, housing, mental health, transportation, technology, childcare, and other essentials. In this hands-on workshop, we will help attendees to take stock of their campuses’ current basic needs supports; create materials for raising awareness of basic needs resources with students, faculty, and staff; and develop plans to expand their basic needs teams across campus units and with the local community.

Stacy Priniski, Ph.D., assistant research professor, Department of Urban Health and Population Science, Lewis Katz School of Medicine with an appointment at The Hope Center, Temple University

Leading Systemic Change Using the Change Leadership Toolkit (CLT)

The higher education environment continues to evolve in new and often unpredictable ways. From the changing landscape of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to shifting enrollments and declining revenue, waning public support for higher education, and the continual evolution of technology, leaders must be prepared to lead in this unsettled environment.

It is more important now than ever that academic leaders have the tools they need to drive proactive and strategic changes on campus. To support leaders in understanding and enacting systemic change, we developed the Change Leadership Toolkit (CLT), a step-by-step, research-based guidebook for leaders engaged in systemic change projects. We define systemic change as change that involves multiple departments, divisions, or units and results in deep and meaningful changes to policies, procedures, norms, and cultures—the system. The CLT is grounded in research and full of practical, hands-on tools that leaders can put to use on their campuses right away. The CLT is based in an Ecosystem Model for Systemic Change Leadership that brings together the leadership context, change levers and change leader moves that are required for creating lasting change.

Susan Elrod, Ph.D., chancellor, Indiana University South Bend; co-author, Change Leadership Toolkit