Hey everyone! I hope everyone has a great week! I am going to lead the discussion this week for Chapter 7. I'll try not to make this to complicated. Chapter 7 discussed different legal foundations that are present within student affairs. Title IX was something that I always heard about while participating in Athletics during my undergrad at the University of South Florida. I’m interested to know if you think that it is efficient and holds up for its purpose or do you think there are still loopholes in higher education? If so please give an example.
Chapter 6 gave a lot of critical information in regards to the standards and principles behind the concept of ethics. As we are en route to becoming student affairs professionals, we have to realize that ethics is a major part of what we do and how we handle situations amongst our colleagues and students. What interested me the most about the chapter were the six principles behind the frameworks of ethics within student affairs (pg. 108-112). These six principles are: respecting autonomy, doing no harm, benefiting others, being just, being faithful, and veracity.
Now although these principles are all intertwined into the concept of ethics, for this week’s blog I would like to know about a situation within your graduate assistantship where you had to live out one of the principles behind ethics in student affairs. I would also like to know (if possible) of a situation within your graduate assistantship where you felt that the concepts of ethics was violated by you or another one of your colleagues.
In response to my own question, the most prevalent principle of ethics within the Office of MD Admissions in which I must live out is the principle of Being Just. According to the textbook, “Justice implies fairness, impartiality, quality, and reciprocity.” Within our office, we conduct a holistic review of every applicant that applies to our medical view. This means that we must take the time and be fair to applicants, regardless of how high their GPA or MCAT scores are. I have really learned to appreciate this principle of ethics because it allows for students the equal opportunity for admission within our school.
I just recently handled a situation that falls under the principle “Benefiting Others” much like the example given about the student activities advisor suggesting a different date for the event. After our Student Government PLUNGE! Retreat was cancelled; the executive branch decided they wanted to hold their own leadership retreat on the ropes course. This event was planned in only a matter of two weeks and I had several complaints from students that could not attend and felt it was too short of notice. I had a conversation with the planner of the event and we discussed the attendance number being extremely low. I used a devil’s advocate approach of if having the event with not enough notice would benefit as many members in the branch or if postponing it would attract more people to attend. Ultimately the decision was left up to her and she decided not to move the event to a future date. They had a decent turn out and will have another retreat with plenty of notice in the spring.
I would like to believe that everything listed in Title IX including gender equity in intercollegiate athletics are efficient and hold up to their respective purposes. I will be completely honest and say that I am not too familiar with how different universities utilize this Title, but to the best of my knowledge my undergrad had proper use of this Title. Men and women received the same benefits including scholarships, travel, training opportunities, etc.
I am struggling in my assistantship with the principles of "doing no harm" and "veracity." Part of my position entails recruiting students to apply for competitive scholarships & awards. I am supposed to convince them to spend a tremendous amount of time and energy on their applications, essays, reference letters, etc. However, it appears to me that many of the students do not fully understand how competitive the awards they are applying for are. While some of our applicants are very competitive to win, I am struggling to be truthful about their odds but still supportive of their choice to apply. I also am struggling with how to handle those who do not receive an award. They are understandably upset because they did not win and I do not feel that I am able to react properly to them right now.
I would have to say that respecting autonomy is a principle that for me is appreciated by myself in the hierarchy in my assistantship. My supervisor(s) allow me to do, create, develop on my own and are there for support.I have picked up on that principle and I too use it with my staff. I find that it doesn't work as efficiently if you don't have good support. Respecting autonomy has a trickling affect when used in a dynamic atmosphere.
I agree with Takiyah. "Respecting autonomy" is a principle that is practiced within my assistantship. When I first started in July, I was given projects to complete. Many of those projects required a large amount of development from my end, and my supervisor encouraged me to complete them independently. I was free to use any inspiration that I received to develop these projects (with some restraint, of course). In all, having the chance to be autonomous allowed me to build these projects and see them either succeed or fail which ended up being a learning experience for me. I know without this principle, I would have not had experienced many of these instances in my assistantship thus far.
As for Title IX, I feel that it still holds true to its purpose. The main idea of this legislation is to promote gender equality within admission to colleges and universities as well as intercollegiate athletics. A increasingly growing loophole, however, is the fact that transgender individuals may not be protected under this law. Referencing on of the articles that Brent posted this week for current events, there are issues within intercollegiate athletics where transgender athletes, depending on the school, can either determine for themselves if they want to play with a team based on their preferred gender or are forced to play on a team based on legal gender. If Title IX has the purpose of maintaining equality among all people, trangender individuals need to be included as well. There needs to be a separate law that protects these students, or there needs to be an extension to Title IX. The reality is that this issue will continue to grow if it is constantly being ignored.
I think the two principles that come up in my assistantship are Respecting Autonomy and Doing No Harm. Students come to me needing to decide a new major. Many times, students have a desire to chose a specific major that lines up with their interests but has a higher GPA requirement. Advisors want students to make their own decisions and not be influenced by an outsider but there is a balance. At a certain point, you must intervene and say that a GPA, performance in all sciences classes, etc do not line up with their ultimate major of choice. You don't want to influence their decision too much, but you don't want to cause them harm by having a student think that a major will be a good choice when their past performance shows it may be a struggle and get them on academic probation or worse.
Chaper 7:
Like Corey, I do think Title IX holds true to its intent but does need some work when it comes to the newer issue of trangendered althletes. There is a need for some kind of guideline when it comes to how the gender is determined for college althletes. I don't think there is an easy answer and it will continue to be an issue until there is a standard set of guidelines. This is a hard issue where the ethical principles and virtues of chapter 6 might be needed for the government or NCAA to make a clear, fair, and consistent way for transgendered athletes.
Chapter 6: In Housing and Residential Education being just is something that professionals have to keep in mind every time a roommate conflict is handled. "Justice implies fairness, impartiality, quality and reciprocity." and this is especially true when working with unhappy students (and potentially their parents). There are always two sides to every story and it is so important to remember the fairness and impartiality especially because housing professionals are trying to ensure students are happy in their living environments.
Chapter 7: Like Becca and Corey, I also think that Title IX fulfills its purpose, however there are always loopholes in legislation, Despite the good intentions of this statute, individuals and organizations will usually find a way to achieve what they want. Statutes also do not change with the times, so this can be a challenge in ensuring equality especially when things have changed as much as they have in the past 25 years.
A principle that comes up in my assistantship is “respecting autonomy.” When I advise mentors in the BBC, I give general guidelines for them to follow, but strongly encourage that they make the position their own. They are free to create their own events and be as involved as they would like. I’ve learned that, although they are completely capable of doing what is required of them, they do need a push in the right direction. Having deadlines and holding them more accountable for completing the responsibilities of the position have helped. Having participated in the program before as mentees, I ask them to reflect on their previous experiences to enhance their experience this year. While I am still learning who they are as decision makers, I am confident that they can be successful.
Ch. 6: The principle that I find the most challenging in my assistantship is respecting autonomy. I work in an intrusive advising role with a small group of students, so I have quickly been building relationships with them as I see most of them every week. It's extremely difficult for me to listen to some of the choices they are making and not impose too much on their right to make their own decisions. I feel like I have to be extremely careful in my wording so as to not be too biased when I make suggestions to them. There is a fine line between guiding a student and pushing him/her. Hopefully this is something that will become easier with time.
Ch. 7: I am not too familiar with how universities uphold or do not uphold Title IX either; however, since gender is seen as less black and white than it once was I would say that it is becoming harder and harder for schools and universities to make decisions that provide equality to all students. As far as for the transgender students that Corey mentioned, I feel that as long as a student will not be put in danger of physical harm then he/she should have the right to choose what sports team they would like to play on.
Chapter 6: I believe I’ve implemented the principle, “Being Just,” recently in my GAship. Overseeing a student group can be tricky, knowing when to step in and when to sit back and allow natural conflict to occur. However, with the presence of midterms last week, it became increasingly obvious that an intervention needed to take place to ensure that certain students would not be taken advantage of to carry the bulk of the busy work for the student organization. I had to enforce a “night off” for the two students left taking care of all the responsibility the day before a major event, as well as speak to Eboard members individually about their respective responsibilities. It was amazing that I repeatedly heard the same excuse for their lack of involvement, “I have classes and I’m busy studying for my midterms.” Yet, it never occurred to any of them that their co-Eboard members were suffering academically in order to carry the responsibility of the group. I had to actually remind some of them that, “They have midterms too, and could really use the help.” Being just went straight to the issue of unequal circumstances justifying unequal treatment in this situation. As the group’s GA, it was vital for me to ensure that all students participate and receive the help they need from fellow board members.
Chapter 7: Title IX leaves itself open to examination, especially in times of economic hardship. Many schools are coming up short in their year’s expenditures and looking to cut corners and save money. These schools are considering ways in which to save and to make money which translates into cutting some of their athletic teams altogether. It is possible that certain teams, just on the basis of their gender, yield more money per game due to their popularity or success for that school. If schools are cutting teams, it is possible that one sport’s team may lose only one gender’s team in order to cut costs for the institution (i.e., the women’s rugby team is cut versus the men’s team, if the men’s team is considered more popular or more fiscally sound). Also, does Title IX ensure the equality of creating sports teams, regardless of gender (i.e., a men’s field hockey team, or a woman’s football team?)? So, while Title IX attempts to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender, alongside those of state antidiscrimination laws, it is possible and foreseeable that a school reserves the right to make its own financial decisions as they see fit any given year.
Chapter 6: In my GA assistantship it is important to express veracity/truth telling. The students that I interact with often ask the same questions many different ways. So it is important to be consistent and accurate. Another element from Chapter 6 that was very interesting was the “Ethics Wheel”. The ethics wheel is helpful because every situation is unique. Chapter 7: I believe that Title IX legislation was important and necessary. It often is only considered when issues of college sports are involved. However, it has good provisions for greater opportunities to female students in certain degree programs. In my opinion, the positives out way any short falls as a result of Title IX.
I use the "being just" principle the most in my assistanship. I want to make sure that I'm benefiting every individual who is in financial need, but I still have to uphold to federal laws. I have to make sure that students have documentations of everything explaining why they need federal money and that I'm being fair to everyone who seeks financial aid services.
Chapter 7:
I think Title IX is efficient and purposeful. I have never experienced any loopholes. FSU has been wanting to change the men's lacrosse club to an official college team for awhile, but has not been permitted that opportunity because they need to find another girls sports team to make it equal. I feel like they have tried to find a loophole, but have not been successful, which I think is fair and am glad Title IX is around to regulate that.
I live out the ethical principle of “being faithful” in my financial aid assistantship through answering questions from students and parents over the phone. I generally know the answer to the question, but if I don’t I tell the caller I will find the answer and get back to them. I call them as soon as possible with the correct answer and information they need. By responding to their concern in a timely manner I can help build a more positive relationship between that person and our office. When I get a person who is frustrated and upset about their situation I listen to their concerns and explain why we do certain things and offer possible alternatives for them. I know how it feels when you don’t get an answer, or find out the answer you got was wrong after talking to someone, so when I am answering peoples questions I make sure I know the information I am telling them is correct.
I have not had any firsthand experience with athletics and Title IX, but from what I have seen I think it is fair, but needs to be extended. The point Corey brought up about transgendered individuals not being included in Title IX is one that needs to be addressed soon.
There seems to be a reaccuring theme of autonomy in assistantships in our cohort. I’m also very greatful for the autonomy that my supervisor allows me to have with what I do. Adjusting to it was difficult for me at first as my position was brand new and still developing it’s responsibility. But my supervisor gave me a little push and continued to encourage me to do it myself and develop my own vision for what things should be like with what I was put in charge of. Title IX is something I think still works well in our generation, from what I have seen anyway. It’s created a gateway for many female athletes to come to college and leveled the playing field for the benefits that athletes receive while at the university. It forces the college to consider the needs of athletes outside of football.
I will have to jump off of what Justin had mentioned about the leadership retreat because my recent conflict was very similar and concerned "benefiting others." I had a training scheduled by a community partner for the students I oversee and the training was last minute and was held in a very unprofessional manner. The partner thought it would be a convenience to the students to have the training now so that they could continue with the semester and not have any interruptions later. This sounds great in principle but the problem that arose was that the students just began working in their respective areas this week due to the inefficiencies of the community partner. I felt that it was too rushed to add a training to their schedules when they were just meeting some of the children and teachers they would be working with this semester. It might be beneficial to the partner but it is not to the students and I feel that should be identified more intently.
My experience has been similar to Emily's assistantship. The positions that I offer to students are very new to me and in some cases new to the university. I have had a very difficult time trying to convince them that it is a great opportunity without being provided the necessary information to see what opportunities could be explored. It leaves me now in a very difficult situation to overcome.
Chapter 7
I believe Title IX works well in todays political setting. It seems there is controversy behind every law, rule, or regulation especially within the collegiate setting. In terms of Title IX, women are given exceptional opportunities at the college level. I have a number of students in my University Experience course that are on the softball team and see the luxuries that I often associate with college football. Eventually new laws will need to be passed to ensure equality persists (especially after the transgender article we read) however, I feel that at the current time it is holding up well.
As far as Title IX goes I am no expert in the subject but from what I have seen the law still has many issues just like many other laws of equality like it. I know at the University of Louisville we have had a club men's lacrosse team that has been around for years playing in many tournaments and exhibitions through the years. While the men's club team had been around since before the women's club lacrosse team the women's moved up and became a D1 varsity team and the men's team remained a club team and still is today. I am sure that there were many factors that played into why this happen but the word on the street is that because of Title IX we can't have a another men's varsity team until we get another women's varsity team together. Like I said I am no expert and I am sure there were other factors into the decisions that were made on these club teams but it seems a little unfair to me.
During my time with the USF admissions office and now at HCC I see resepecting autonomy as an extremely important principle. Embracing individual personality and allowing people to work independently is a trait of strong leadership. In admissions I had a supervisor who was not very keen on allowing autonomy and individual work habits, and actually tried to have everyone conform to a certain way of working. This was obviously met with resistance. Playing to workers' strengths is a powerful practice of supervisors and will make for more happy, productive employees.
Title IX as i know it is about balance in the allotment of funds between men and women's sports and equal rights and privelgedges. It seems to be the best way to do things although I do not have experience personally in the area. I do think it is in an athletic departments best interest to maintain a balance among all sports programs.
In my assistantship one principle I practice often is “benefiting others.” My student staff is large and contains over 25 people who all want to work. When I schedule the student employees and make times for staff training I have to consider which person and which time best fits. With some people’s schedule I see they are always available and would like to just schedule them for everything. But, that would be unfair to the people with limited times that also would like to work and need money. So I have to make sure there is a balance and everyone gets a chance to work. This way everyone benefits and not just one person gets a lot of hours simply because they are available.
Chapter 7:
I believe Title IX is efficient and holds up for its purpose. The main purpose that I know of for Title IX it to make sure there is gender equality with admission to colleges and universities and within college and university athletics. However, with Title IX just like other legislation and statutes I believe they are always going to be loopholes or things people do not see immediately. It is one of those things that has to be updated every couple of years because society and times keep changing and new things coming up so I think it is important that it is updated and followed.
It seems like we have a daily discussion about “moral compass” in student government. Do we want to do things the right way or do the right thing? One of the trickiest parts for me is exercising justice and impartiality – not making exceptions and always asking students to follow the statues when they’re not sure what to do. I try to respect their autonomy as much as I can. But it’s hard when I give a little too much autonomy and have to play more of the justice role later on. Recently I let two students take on a project related to the midterm election. A mistake was made and by the time they checked back in with me it was too late to fix it. I had to play the justice role, enforcing the statute and all the time limits that came with it. It earned us some bad PR and probably a little animosity between branches, but my job, in that situation, was to enforce the statute as they wrote it. One of the other things I’ve noticed is that we have a lot of gray areas in our statutes, some things are very black and white, but a lot of times we have to make judgment calls and it’s been hard for me to learn to make those decisions in as unbiased a way a possible.
(Chance Ch. 6)Situations in which I have to live out the principles behind ethics involves practically all of them. All of these models of behavior are expected and encouraged in my workplace. However, I do believe that doing no harm is the most pervasive. After all, if one does no harm then the other models of ethic fall in sync as well.
I would have to say that I haven’t personally experienced or witnessed a violation of ethics during my assistantship. My environment is very professional and appears to take the concept of ethics very seriously.
All in all, I think Title IX is proficient in accomplishing its desired task of gender equality in regards to athletics. However, no piece of legislation is perfect, and there is always room for improvement. Better oversight, the consideration of transgender students, and an emphasis on equality can all make this a much better piece of legislation.
I was a little surprised that ethics waited until chapter 6 for the textbook. I feel that our ethics as professionals create the foundation from which we make all of our choices and lead to all of our actions. So far in financial aid, I have not had to face any difficult choices. I try to make sure I give the students good information to make sure they get through financial aid successfully. This would most likely fall under doing no harm and benefitting others. Within my office I did see one example of where we did meet the ethics of our profession. One of my colleagues made the decision that she would not help a student resolve her problem because of the attitude of the student. The comment was “she will get her money but if she wants to act like that, she will have to wait.” Clearly, this is what we expect from the profession. I ended up assisting the student later that day and was able to fully assist them in getting their aid. When this same colleague found that I had assisted the student, she asked me why? I told her that this is what I am supposed to do for the students, and we are better than letting their attitude dictate our service.
Part of Title IX was designed to make sure that female athletes had equal access within college athletics. This was largely ignored for years and now seems to be fully enforced. One of the downfalls of Title IX has come about this year as programs are being cut. When men get cut, so do the women. I don’t know if there are loopholes that are being used to circumvent this legislation, but universities largely ignored it until the 90’s, so it works the same as a loophole. I feel like the legislation is well intentioned and has become more effective as it has become better enforced. I have some concerns in legislating when it concerns revenue vs. non-revenue generating sports. I don’t know enough about the specifics , but I have read that this is one of the areas of contention for some athletic programs.
I work with a small group of students very often it is difficult to interfere with their choices. Yet I try very hard to provide them with the necessary opportunities and guide them in the right direction without intervening. I agree with Andrea, sometimes it is very difficult because you want to lay it out for them but you can’t.
I personally feel like Title IX has been misrepresented. Like many have mentions no piece of legislation is perfect and will continue changing as new events keep happening. It was intended to give women's sports in college an equal opportunity. I interpret that as the same number of athletes, but many interpret that to mean the amount of money that is spent on women and men sports. I think this is a good thing that needs to be reevaluated.
I think title XI from what I know about it is holding up well for the most part. I think Kevin makes a valid point about revenue of the sport because it isn't a secret that mens sports generate more money than womens. I think for the soul purpose of equality of men and women the law is holding up however when you look into transgender athletes the lines are a little more blurred. I am not sure what should be done about this considering I am not exactly sure of the stance that I take but I think with in the next few years transgender athletes will be taken into consideration.
Justice is not something I have had to deal with too much yet but very shortly it will become a large part of my daily responsibilities when I become in charge of leagues. When this happens I will have to meet with participants who have been ejected and hear their side of the story and provide the appropiate sanctions. I am very protective of my supervisors and officials however when I have to deal with these meetings I need to make sure I am just and really listen to both sides of the story. It is really easy to believe the person who I know but that is not my job, I need to make sure I am fair to everyone. This is going to be a challenge that I have not had to deal with and definately a skill I will need to develop. Good topics this week, very interesting good job!
Ch. 6: I recently experienced a situation in which I challenged myself in "being just" this past week, actually. We conducted interviews for our premiere student organization, LEAD Fellows. We set a 3.0 GPA requirement for all applicants and I received a few applications who did not reach the minimum requirement. Unfortunately, some of these applicants were students with whom I have a strong relationship and it really challenged me to say no to these students and to uphold our minimum GPA standard, regardless of personal knowledge of the individual.
Ch. 7: I think Title IX can be a challenge to many institutions. Generally speaking, men's athletics generate more money and we have all heard the phrase "money is the root of all evil." I don't know of any specific examples off the top of my head, but I'm sure there are plenty out there in which an institution has tried to take advantage of the rule. I can imagine conversations behind closed doors would be interesting, which goes back to our conversation about ethics, ironically.
i would say “respecting autonomy." Like many stated my supervisor gives my projects and lets me run with it. For example for each career fair I must make up a marketing plan to bring students in and this is however I would like to go about it. I am able to see my successes through the numbers and surveys.
Chapter 7:
I believe the title is living up to it's purpose, but to be honest I do not know enough about it to go into detail. Like many said above, and in relation to the article that Brent posted I will be interested to see the policies that come for transgender athletes.
Well Im a little late in responding, to answer Greg's question the principle that I use in my assistantship everyday is being faithful. I have to upkeep this principle everyday. My students expect me to keep appointments with them, and help and be honest to them, as i expect them to do as well. I always try to be completely honest with my students, and tell them when I don't know or understand something, but I always try to find out, and get them the help they need. I feel sometimes this may not be upheld with all colleagues in my department. I feel in order to get an athletic outcome, student athletes are sometimes, subjected to embellishments, and not necessarily the complete truth.
For Chapter 6, one principle I have used recently is "being just." During Homecoming Week, I had to oversee the team competition. There was a handbook distributed to all teams when they signed up with the rules, regulations, etc., for each event. Of course, once deadlines had passed, I received emails to change or add to the team rosters, requests to accept a late application, and teams that showed up late for registration when each competition had clearly stated check in time frames. To be fair to the teams who had followed the rules, I had to turn away teams from the entire competition or from specific events. I struggled with this because working in student affairs I don't want to discourage participation in anything; however, I knew I needed to be fair to those students who had followed the rules and made my decisions based on that. As far as a principle being violated during my assistantship, I truthfully can say I don't feel that any have been and that I work with a great group of people who lead by example in their actions.
For Chapter 7, like many of us I am not completely familiar with Title IX and how things work on the university level. I do remember hearing something at Purdue about how a women's had to be created so that the men's sport that the university truly wanted to be Division I could begin. I think this may be similar to what Karen mentioned. Sometimes sports get created or moved to NCAA level just to offset the sport that university, students, alumni, etc., really want to be Div I. I do find it interesting though to see what will happen with schools cutting programs and how Title IX will play a role in these decisions when budgets are tight.
Chapter 6: I agree with Caitlin that the principle "being just" in Housing and Residential Education is important. Beyond dealing with residents, we both supervise large RA staffs and we must make our expectations clear and hold each of them accountable. With that, we have to do our best to learn about how each of our RAs operate, as one RA may need a different type of support than they other.
Chapter 7: Title IX has had a signifigant impact on education and athletics. Before I moved to Florida there was a Title IX case at Qunnipiac University and like Kevin said this case was filed as there were talks of teams being cut. In this case, the Women's Volleyball team felt that the Competitive Cheerleading Squad wasn't technically a sport. The Univeristy felt the Cheerleading Squad gave more women opportunities to participate on their team and cost the University less money. Beyond college athletics I think Title IX has also positively impacted high school athletics. I remember getting a brand new locker room so my highschool was in compliance back in the day!
Chapter 6: From an administrative standpoint, it is important to “Be just” this applies in my office as Greg stated in his response. Due to the amount of applicants that we receive for the program, we look at the overall picture and how well they would fit into the program as a whole and their passion and involvement for student affairs, not how high their GPA was. Chapter 7: Title IX states that no one in the US, should be excluded or denied under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. I think that Title IX stands up to its purpose, but it seems as though there are definitely still loopholes in this because now public universities have “admissions standards” that the athletes must maintain and possess. I must admit, that I am not familiar with athletic processes so I do not know how true they hold up to this, but that is just my opinion and thoughts from reading about it. I would love to hear more about what Lisa thinks since she is my athletic queen.
I completely spaced out and forgot about this part of the blog, I apologize for getting this response so late but here it is...
Chapter 6: I think within the Office of Orientation, one of our number one concerns and missions is customer service. We are dealing with all the first-year students and families that filter into the institution not only in the summer, but all year round. It is the first impression these people are getting of the university, they come scared, unsure, questioning and excited. It is our job to create a smooth and informative transition process for everyone, while considering their personal feelings and needs. This fits well in the "benefiting others" principle. The time when it feels this ethical practice is being violated, is when a sense of too much authority or power is expressed by a student. It is an honor for undergraduate students to serve as campus leaders, assisting their peers. We put pressure on the students to be professionals of the institution, however they sometimes feel that they have too much power within the system. They can sometimes lose sight of the big picture or the reason we put on orientation in the first place.
Chapter 7: I dealt with Title IX breifly while playing collegiate sports in my undergrad. My school ran into a bit of trouble a few years back because it did not support the proper amount of womens sports to the equivallent number of mens. I think that with smaller institutions it is easier for them to "get away" with little things that relate to Title IX, even more than larger division I schools.
I think the concept of "being just" is something that I have had to work on in my assistantship. At USFSP we are in the process of expanding our relationship with student organizations. With that also come some new rules and guidelines that have to be followed. The actual operation of the organizations (from the university side) has been transferred to my department. We had some organizations not follow the rules and then be made inactive. As you can imagine, they were quite upset and reached out to the people who used to be in charge of organizations. Some organizations were granted exceptions from the new rules and others were not. Because of this, I had to weigh what would be fair and just with the organizations that didn't reach out but might still be upset. After some discussion, it appeared only right to grant a one-time exemption for all organizations from this rule and to provide training so they knew the rules in the future. It was minor example, but definitely an opportunity were I had to consider and think about ethics.
I think Title IX serves a valuable purpose in higher education, but it is in need of updating. The idea is that there are equal opportunities for men and women. The problem is that the language and "three prong test" used to determine if there is compliance are outdated and discriminates against male athletes. As more women enter college, the number of female athletes grows and the number of male athletes shrinks.
While I don't know much about the ins and outs of Title IX, I know that it did, at least on its face, allow for equal access to sports for women. I think that of course there are loopholes and issues with any legislation/laws. The issue is ensuring that the holes aren't too big to make the laws ineffective.
I think veracity is one of the most important ethical principles in the field of SA and in general. Not prevaricating when it comes to dealings with students, colleagues, supervisors is of the utmost importance. Honestly I feel like all 6 of the items lack some concreteness (what exactly is the standard definition of "faithful?" "Benefiting others?"). However, they are good foundational starting points for any individual's personal code of ethics.
Hey everyone! I hope everyone has a great week! I am going to lead the discussion this week for Chapter 7. I'll try not to make this to complicated.
ReplyDeleteChapter 7 discussed different legal foundations that are present within student affairs. Title IX was something that I always heard about while participating in Athletics during my undergrad at the University of South Florida. I’m interested to know if you think that it is efficient and holds up for its purpose or do you think there are still loopholes in higher education? If so please give an example.
Chapter 6: Ethical Standards and Principles
ReplyDeleteHey guys!
Chapter 6 gave a lot of critical information in regards to the standards and principles behind the concept of ethics. As we are en route to becoming student affairs professionals, we have to realize that ethics is a major part of what we do and how we handle situations amongst our colleagues and students. What interested me the most about the chapter were the six principles behind the frameworks of ethics within student affairs (pg. 108-112). These six principles are: respecting autonomy, doing no harm, benefiting others, being just, being faithful, and veracity.
Now although these principles are all intertwined into the concept of ethics, for this week’s blog I would like to know about a situation within your graduate assistantship where you had to live out one of the principles behind ethics in student affairs. I would also like to know (if possible) of a situation within your graduate assistantship where you felt that the concepts of ethics was violated by you or another one of your colleagues.
In response to my own question, the most prevalent principle of ethics within the Office of MD Admissions in which I must live out is the principle of Being Just. According to the textbook, “Justice implies fairness, impartiality, quality, and reciprocity.” Within our office, we conduct a holistic review of every applicant that applies to our medical view. This means that we must take the time and be fair to applicants, regardless of how high their GPA or MCAT scores are. I have really learned to appreciate this principle of ethics because it allows for students the equal opportunity for admission within our school.
ReplyDeleteChapter 6:
ReplyDeleteI just recently handled a situation that falls under the principle “Benefiting Others” much like the example given about the student activities advisor suggesting a different date for the event. After our Student Government PLUNGE! Retreat was cancelled; the executive branch decided they wanted to hold their own leadership retreat on the ropes course. This event was planned in only a matter of two weeks and I had several complaints from students that could not attend and felt it was too short of notice. I had a conversation with the planner of the event and we discussed the attendance number being extremely low. I used a devil’s advocate approach of if having the event with not enough notice would benefit as many members in the branch or if postponing it would attract more people to attend. Ultimately the decision was left up to her and she decided not to move the event to a future date. They had a decent turn out and will have another retreat with plenty of notice in the spring.
Chapter 7:
ReplyDeleteI would like to believe that everything listed in Title IX including gender equity in intercollegiate athletics are efficient and hold up to their respective purposes. I will be completely honest and say that I am not too familiar with how different universities utilize this Title, but to the best of my knowledge my undergrad had proper use of this Title. Men and women received the same benefits including scholarships, travel, training opportunities, etc.
Chapter 6 Response:
ReplyDeleteI am struggling in my assistantship with the principles of "doing no harm" and "veracity." Part of my position entails recruiting students to apply for competitive scholarships & awards. I am supposed to convince them to spend a tremendous amount of time and energy on their applications, essays, reference letters, etc. However, it appears to me that many of the students do not fully understand how competitive the awards they are applying for are. While some of our applicants are very competitive to win, I am struggling to be truthful about their odds but still supportive of their choice to apply. I also am struggling with how to handle those who do not receive an award. They are understandably upset because they did not win and I do not feel that I am able to react properly to them right now.
I would have to say that respecting autonomy is a principle that for me is appreciated by myself in the hierarchy in my assistantship. My supervisor(s) allow me to do, create, develop on my own and are there for support.I have picked up on that principle and I too use it with my staff. I find that it doesn't work as efficiently if you don't have good support. Respecting autonomy has a trickling affect when used in a dynamic atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Takiyah. "Respecting autonomy" is a principle that is practiced within my assistantship. When I first started in July, I was given projects to complete. Many of those projects required a large amount of development from my end, and my supervisor encouraged me to complete them independently. I was free to use any inspiration that I received to develop these projects (with some restraint, of course). In all, having the chance to be autonomous allowed me to build these projects and see them either succeed or fail which ended up being a learning experience for me. I know without this principle, I would have not had experienced many of these instances in my assistantship thus far.
ReplyDeleteAs for Title IX, I feel that it still holds true to its purpose. The main idea of this legislation is to promote gender equality within admission to colleges and universities as well as intercollegiate athletics. A increasingly growing loophole, however, is the fact that transgender individuals may not be protected under this law. Referencing on of the articles that Brent posted this week for current events, there are issues within intercollegiate athletics where transgender athletes, depending on the school, can either determine for themselves if they want to play with a team based on their preferred gender or are forced to play on a team based on legal gender. If Title IX has the purpose of maintaining equality among all people, trangender individuals need to be included as well. There needs to be a separate law that protects these students, or there needs to be an extension to Title IX. The reality is that this issue will continue to grow if it is constantly being ignored.
Chapter 6:
ReplyDeleteI think the two principles that come up in my assistantship are Respecting Autonomy and Doing No Harm. Students come to me needing to decide a new major. Many times, students have a desire to chose a specific major that lines up with their interests but has a higher GPA requirement. Advisors want students to make their own decisions and not be influenced by an outsider but there is a balance. At a certain point, you must intervene and say that a GPA, performance in all sciences classes, etc do not line up with their ultimate major of choice. You don't want to influence their decision too much, but you don't want to cause them harm by having a student think that a major will be a good choice when their past performance shows it may be a struggle and get them on academic probation or worse.
Chaper 7:
Like Corey, I do think Title IX holds true to its intent but does need some work when it comes to the newer issue of trangendered althletes. There is a need for some kind of guideline when it comes to how the gender is determined for college althletes. I don't think there is an easy answer and it will continue to be an issue until there is a standard set of guidelines. This is a hard issue where the ethical principles and virtues of chapter 6 might be needed for the government or NCAA to make a clear, fair, and consistent way for transgendered athletes.
Chapter 6:
ReplyDeleteIn Housing and Residential Education being just is something that professionals have to keep in mind every time a roommate conflict is handled. "Justice implies fairness, impartiality, quality and reciprocity." and this is especially true when working with unhappy students (and potentially their parents). There are always two sides to every story and it is so important to remember the fairness and impartiality especially because housing professionals are trying to ensure students are happy in their living environments.
Chapter 7:
Like Becca and Corey, I also think that Title IX fulfills its purpose, however there are always loopholes in legislation, Despite the good intentions of this statute, individuals and organizations will usually find a way to achieve what they want. Statutes also do not change with the times, so this can be a challenge in ensuring equality especially when things have changed as much as they have in the past 25 years.
A principle that comes up in my assistantship is “respecting autonomy.” When I advise mentors in the BBC, I give general guidelines for them to follow, but strongly encourage that they make the position their own. They are free to create their own events and be as involved as they would like. I’ve learned that, although they are completely capable of doing what is required of them, they do need a push in the right direction. Having deadlines and holding them more accountable for completing the responsibilities of the position have helped. Having participated in the program before as mentees, I ask them to reflect on their previous experiences to enhance their experience this year. While I am still learning who they are as decision makers, I am confident that they can be successful.
ReplyDeleteCh. 6: The principle that I find the most challenging in my assistantship is respecting autonomy. I work in an intrusive advising role with a small group of students, so I have quickly been building relationships with them as I see most of them every week. It's extremely difficult for me to listen to some of the choices they are making and not impose too much on their right to make their own decisions. I feel like I have to be extremely careful in my wording so as to not be too biased when I make suggestions to them. There is a fine line between guiding a student and pushing him/her. Hopefully this is something that will become easier with time.
ReplyDeleteCh. 7: I am not too familiar with how universities uphold or do not uphold Title IX either; however, since gender is seen as less black and white than it once was I would say that it is becoming harder and harder for schools and universities to make decisions that provide equality to all students. As far as for the transgender students that Corey mentioned, I feel that as long as a student will not be put in danger of physical harm then he/she should have the right to choose what sports team they would like to play on.
Chapter 6:
ReplyDeleteI believe I’ve implemented the principle, “Being Just,” recently in my GAship. Overseeing a student group can be tricky, knowing when to step in and when to sit back and allow natural conflict to occur. However, with the presence of midterms last week, it became increasingly obvious that an intervention needed to take place to ensure that certain students would not be taken advantage of to carry the bulk of the busy work for the student organization. I had to enforce a “night off” for the two students left taking care of all the responsibility the day before a major event, as well as speak to Eboard members individually about their respective responsibilities. It was amazing that I repeatedly heard the same excuse for their lack of involvement, “I have classes and I’m busy studying for my midterms.” Yet, it never occurred to any of them that their co-Eboard members were suffering academically in order to carry the responsibility of the group. I had to actually remind some of them that, “They have midterms too, and could really use the help.” Being just went straight to the issue of unequal circumstances justifying unequal treatment in this situation. As the group’s GA, it was vital for me to ensure that all students participate and receive the help they need from fellow board members.
Chapter 7:
Title IX leaves itself open to examination, especially in times of economic hardship. Many schools are coming up short in their year’s expenditures and looking to cut corners and save money. These schools are considering ways in which to save and to make money which translates into cutting some of their athletic teams altogether. It is possible that certain teams, just on the basis of their gender, yield more money per game due to their popularity or success for that school. If schools are cutting teams, it is possible that one sport’s team may lose only one gender’s team in order to cut costs for the institution (i.e., the women’s rugby team is cut versus the men’s team, if the men’s team is considered more popular or more fiscally sound). Also, does Title IX ensure the equality of creating sports teams, regardless of gender (i.e., a men’s field hockey team, or a woman’s football team?)? So, while Title IX attempts to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender, alongside those of state antidiscrimination laws, it is possible and foreseeable that a school reserves the right to make its own financial decisions as they see fit any given year.
Chapter 6:
ReplyDeleteIn my GA assistantship it is important to express veracity/truth telling. The students that I interact with often ask the same questions many different ways. So it is important to be consistent and accurate. Another element from Chapter 6 that was very interesting was the “Ethics Wheel”. The ethics wheel is helpful because every situation is unique.
Chapter 7:
I believe that Title IX legislation was important and necessary. It often is only considered when issues of college sports are involved. However, it has good provisions for greater opportunities to female students in certain degree programs. In my opinion, the positives out way any short falls as a result of Title IX.
Chapter 6:
ReplyDeleteI use the "being just" principle the most in my assistanship. I want to make sure that I'm benefiting every individual who is in financial need, but I still have to uphold to federal laws. I have to make sure that students have documentations of everything explaining why they need federal money and that I'm being fair to everyone who seeks financial aid services.
Chapter 7:
I think Title IX is efficient and purposeful. I have never experienced any loopholes. FSU has been wanting to change the men's lacrosse club to an official college team for awhile, but has not been permitted that opportunity because they need to find another girls sports team to make it equal. I feel like they have tried to find a loophole, but have not been successful, which I think is fair and am glad Title IX is around to regulate that.
I live out the ethical principle of “being faithful” in my financial aid assistantship through answering questions from students and parents over the phone. I generally know the answer to the question, but if I don’t I tell the caller I will find the answer and get back to them. I call them as soon as possible with the correct answer and information they need. By responding to their concern in a timely manner I can help build a more positive relationship between that person and our office. When I get a person who is frustrated and upset about their situation I listen to their concerns and explain why we do certain things and offer possible alternatives for them. I know how it feels when you don’t get an answer, or find out the answer you got was wrong after talking to someone, so when I am answering peoples questions I make sure I know the information I am telling them is correct.
ReplyDeleteI have not had any firsthand experience with athletics and Title IX, but from what I have seen I think it is fair, but needs to be extended. The point Corey brought up about transgendered individuals not being included in Title IX is one that needs to be addressed soon.
There seems to be a reaccuring theme of autonomy in assistantships in our cohort. I’m also very greatful for the autonomy that my supervisor allows me to have with what I do. Adjusting to it was difficult for me at first as my position was brand new and still developing it’s responsibility. But my supervisor gave me a little push and continued to encourage me to do it myself and develop my own vision for what things should be like with what I was put in charge of.
ReplyDeleteTitle IX is something I think still works well in our generation, from what I have seen anyway. It’s created a gateway for many female athletes to come to college and leveled the playing field for the benefits that athletes receive while at the university. It forces the college to consider the needs of athletes outside of football.
Chapter 6
ReplyDeleteI will have to jump off of what Justin had mentioned about the leadership retreat because my recent conflict was very similar and concerned "benefiting others." I had a training scheduled by a community partner for the students I oversee and the training was last minute and was held in a very unprofessional manner. The partner thought it would be a convenience to the students to have the training now so that they could continue with the semester and not have any interruptions later. This sounds great in principle but the problem that arose was that the students just began working in their respective areas this week due to the inefficiencies of the community partner. I felt that it was too rushed to add a training to their schedules when they were just meeting some of the children and teachers they would be working with this semester. It might be beneficial to the partner but it is not to the students and I feel that should be identified more intently.
My experience has been similar to Emily's assistantship. The positions that I offer to students are very new to me and in some cases new to the university. I have had a very difficult time trying to convince them that it is a great opportunity without being provided the necessary information to see what opportunities could be explored. It leaves me now in a very difficult situation to overcome.
Chapter 7
I believe Title IX works well in todays political setting. It seems there is controversy behind every law, rule, or regulation especially within the collegiate setting. In terms of Title IX, women are given exceptional opportunities at the college level. I have a number of students in my University Experience course that are on the softball team and see the luxuries that I often associate with college football. Eventually new laws will need to be passed to ensure equality persists (especially after the transgender article we read) however, I feel that at the current time it is holding up well.
As far as Title IX goes I am no expert in the subject but from what I have seen the law still has many issues just like many other laws of equality like it. I know at the University of Louisville we have had a club men's lacrosse team that has been around for years playing in many tournaments and exhibitions through the years. While the men's club team had been around since before the women's club lacrosse team the women's moved up and became a D1 varsity team and the men's team remained a club team and still is today. I am sure that there were many factors that played into why this happen but the word on the street is that because of Title IX we can't have a another men's varsity team until we get another women's varsity team together. Like I said I am no expert and I am sure there were other factors into the decisions that were made on these club teams but it seems a little unfair to me.
ReplyDeleteDuring my time with the USF admissions office and now at HCC I see resepecting autonomy as an extremely important principle. Embracing individual personality and allowing people to work independently is a trait of strong leadership. In admissions I had a supervisor who was not very keen on allowing autonomy and individual work habits, and actually tried to have everyone conform to a certain way of working. This was obviously met with resistance. Playing to workers' strengths is a powerful practice of supervisors and will make for more happy, productive employees.
ReplyDeleteTitle IX as i know it is about balance in the allotment of funds between men and women's sports and equal rights and privelgedges. It seems to be the best way to do things although I do not have experience personally in the area. I do think it is in an athletic departments best interest to maintain a balance among all sports programs.
Chapter 6:
ReplyDeleteIn my assistantship one principle I practice often is “benefiting others.” My student staff is large and contains over 25 people who all want to work. When I schedule the student employees and make times for staff training I have to consider which person and which time best fits. With some people’s schedule I see they are always available and would like to just schedule them for everything. But, that would be unfair to the people with limited times that also would like to work and need money. So I have to make sure there is a balance and everyone gets a chance to work. This way everyone benefits and not just one person gets a lot of hours simply because they are available.
Chapter 7:
I believe Title IX is efficient and holds up for its purpose. The main purpose that I know of for Title IX it to make sure there is gender equality with admission to colleges and universities and within college and university athletics. However, with Title IX just like other legislation and statutes I believe they are always going to be loopholes or things people do not see immediately. It is one of those things that has to be updated every couple of years because society and times keep changing and new things coming up so I think it is important that it is updated and followed.
It seems like we have a daily discussion about “moral compass” in student government. Do we want to do things the right way or do the right thing? One of the trickiest parts for me is exercising justice and impartiality – not making exceptions and always asking students to follow the statues when they’re not sure what to do. I try to respect their autonomy as much as I can. But it’s hard when I give a little too much autonomy and have to play more of the justice role later on. Recently I let two students take on a project related to the midterm election. A mistake was made and by the time they checked back in with me it was too late to fix it. I had to play the justice role, enforcing the statute and all the time limits that came with it. It earned us some bad PR and probably a little animosity between branches, but my job, in that situation, was to enforce the statute as they wrote it. One of the other things I’ve noticed is that we have a lot of gray areas in our statutes, some things are very black and white, but a lot of times we have to make judgment calls and it’s been hard for me to learn to make those decisions in as unbiased a way a possible.
ReplyDelete(Chance Ch. 6)Situations in which I have to live out the principles behind ethics involves practically all of them. All of these models of behavior are expected and encouraged in my workplace. However, I do believe that doing no harm is the most pervasive. After all, if one does no harm then the other models of ethic fall in sync as well.
ReplyDeleteI would have to say that I haven’t personally experienced or witnessed a violation of ethics during my assistantship. My environment is very professional and appears to take the concept of ethics very seriously.
All in all, I think Title IX is proficient in accomplishing its desired task of gender equality in regards to athletics. However, no piece of legislation is perfect, and there is always room for improvement. Better oversight, the consideration of transgender students, and an emphasis on equality can all make this a much better piece of legislation.
ReplyDeleteI was a little surprised that ethics waited until chapter 6 for the textbook. I feel that our ethics as professionals create the foundation from which we make all of our choices and lead to all of our actions. So far in financial aid, I have not had to face any difficult choices. I try to make sure I give the students good information to make sure they get through financial aid successfully. This would most likely fall under doing no harm and benefitting others. Within my office I did see one example of where we did meet the ethics of our profession. One of my colleagues made the decision that she would not help a student resolve her problem because of the attitude of the student. The comment was “she will get her money but if she wants to act like that, she will have to wait.” Clearly, this is what we expect from the profession. I ended up assisting the student later that day and was able to fully assist them in getting their aid. When this same colleague found that I had assisted the student, she asked me why? I told her that this is what I am supposed to do for the students, and we are better than letting their attitude dictate our service.
ReplyDeletePart of Title IX was designed to make sure that female athletes had equal access within college athletics. This was largely ignored for years and now seems to be fully enforced. One of the downfalls of Title IX has come about this year as programs are being cut. When men get cut, so do the women. I don’t know if there are loopholes that are being used to circumvent this legislation, but universities largely ignored it until the 90’s, so it works the same as a loophole. I feel like the legislation is well intentioned and has become more effective as it has become better enforced. I have some concerns in legislating when it concerns revenue vs. non-revenue generating sports. I don’t know enough about the specifics , but I have read that this is one of the areas of contention for some athletic programs.
ReplyDeleteI work with a small group of students very often it is difficult to interfere with their choices. Yet I try very hard to provide them with the necessary opportunities and guide them in the right direction without intervening. I agree with Andrea, sometimes it is very difficult because you want to lay it out for them but you can’t.
ReplyDeleteI personally feel like Title IX has been misrepresented. Like many have mentions no piece of legislation is perfect and will continue changing as new events keep happening. It was intended to give women's sports in college an equal opportunity. I interpret that as the same number of athletes, but many interpret that to mean the amount of money that is spent on women and men sports. I think this is a good thing that needs to be reevaluated.
I think title XI from what I know about it is holding up well for the most part. I think Kevin makes a valid point about revenue of the sport because it isn't a secret that mens sports generate more money than womens. I think for the soul purpose of equality of men and women the law is holding up however when you look into transgender athletes the lines are a little more blurred. I am not sure what should be done about this considering I am not exactly sure of the stance that I take but I think with in the next few years transgender athletes will be taken into consideration.
ReplyDeleteJustice is not something I have had to deal with too much yet but very shortly it will become a large part of my daily responsibilities when I become in charge of leagues. When this happens I will have to meet with participants who have been ejected and hear their side of the story and provide the appropiate sanctions. I am very protective of my supervisors and officials however when I have to deal with these meetings I need to make sure I am just and really listen to both sides of the story. It is really easy to believe the person who I know but that is not my job, I need to make sure I am fair to everyone. This is going to be a challenge that I have not had to deal with and definately a skill I will need to develop.
ReplyDeleteGood topics this week, very interesting good job!
Ch. 6: I recently experienced a situation in which I challenged myself in "being just" this past week, actually. We conducted interviews for our premiere student organization, LEAD Fellows. We set a 3.0 GPA requirement for all applicants and I received a few applications who did not reach the minimum requirement. Unfortunately, some of these applicants were students with whom I have a strong relationship and it really challenged me to say no to these students and to uphold our minimum GPA standard, regardless of personal knowledge of the individual.
ReplyDeleteCh. 7: I think Title IX can be a challenge to many institutions. Generally speaking, men's athletics generate more money and we have all heard the phrase "money is the root of all evil." I don't know of any specific examples off the top of my head, but I'm sure there are plenty out there in which an institution has tried to take advantage of the rule. I can imagine conversations behind closed doors would be interesting, which goes back to our conversation about ethics, ironically.
Chapter 6:
ReplyDeletei would say “respecting autonomy." Like many stated my supervisor gives my projects and lets me run with it. For example for each career fair I must make up a marketing plan to bring students in and this is however I would like to go about it. I am able to see my successes through the numbers and surveys.
Chapter 7:
I believe the title is living up to it's purpose, but to be honest I do not know enough about it to go into detail. Like many said above, and in relation to the article that Brent posted I will be interested to see the policies that come for transgender athletes.
Well Im a little late in responding, to answer Greg's question the principle that I use in my assistantship everyday is being faithful. I have to upkeep this principle everyday. My students expect me to keep appointments with them, and help and be honest to them, as i expect them to do as well. I always try to be completely honest with my students, and tell them when I don't know or understand something, but I always try to find out, and get them the help they need. I feel sometimes this may not be upheld with all colleagues in my department. I feel in order to get an athletic outcome, student athletes are sometimes, subjected to embellishments, and not necessarily the complete truth.
ReplyDeleteFor Chapter 6, one principle I have used recently is "being just." During Homecoming Week, I had to oversee the team competition. There was a handbook distributed to all teams when they signed up with the rules, regulations, etc., for each event. Of course, once deadlines had passed, I received emails to change or add to the team rosters, requests to accept a late application, and teams that showed up late for registration when each competition had clearly stated check in time frames. To be fair to the teams who had followed the rules, I had to turn away teams from the entire competition or from specific events. I struggled with this because working in student affairs I don't want to discourage participation in anything; however, I knew I needed to be fair to those students who had followed the rules and made my decisions based on that. As far as a principle being violated during my assistantship, I truthfully can say I don't feel that any have been and that I work with a great group of people who lead by example in their actions.
ReplyDeleteFor Chapter 7, like many of us I am not completely familiar with Title IX and how things work on the university level. I do remember hearing something at Purdue about how a women's had to be created so that the men's sport that the university truly wanted to be Division I could begin. I think this may be similar to what Karen mentioned. Sometimes sports get created or moved to NCAA level just to offset the sport that university, students, alumni, etc., really want to be Div I. I do find it interesting though to see what will happen with schools cutting programs and how Title IX will play a role in these decisions when budgets are tight.
Chapter 6: I agree with Caitlin that the principle "being just" in Housing and Residential Education is important. Beyond dealing with residents, we both supervise large RA staffs and we must make our expectations clear and hold each of them accountable. With that, we have to do our best to learn about how each of our RAs operate, as one RA may need a different type of support than they other.
ReplyDeleteChapter 7: Title IX has had a signifigant impact on education and athletics. Before I moved to Florida there was a Title IX case at Qunnipiac University and like Kevin said this case was filed as there were talks of teams being cut. In this case, the Women's Volleyball team felt that the Competitive Cheerleading Squad wasn't technically a sport. The Univeristy felt the Cheerleading Squad gave more women opportunities to participate on their team and cost the University less money.
Beyond college athletics I think Title IX has also positively impacted high school athletics. I remember getting a brand new locker room so my highschool was in compliance back in the day!
Chapter 6:
ReplyDeleteFrom an administrative standpoint, it is important to “Be just” this applies in my office as Greg stated in his response. Due to the amount of applicants that we receive for the program, we look at the overall picture and how well they would fit into the program as a whole and their passion and involvement for student affairs, not how high their GPA was.
Chapter 7:
Title IX states that no one in the US, should be excluded or denied under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. I think that Title IX stands up to its purpose, but it seems as though there are definitely still loopholes in this because now public universities have “admissions standards” that the athletes must maintain and possess. I must admit, that I am not familiar with athletic processes so I do not know how true they hold up to this, but that is just my opinion and thoughts from reading about it. I would love to hear more about what Lisa thinks since she is my athletic queen.
I completely spaced out and forgot about this part of the blog, I apologize for getting this response so late but here it is...
ReplyDeleteChapter 6: I think within the Office of Orientation, one of our number one concerns and missions is customer service. We are dealing with all the first-year students and families that filter into the institution not only in the summer, but all year round. It is the first impression these people are getting of the university, they come scared, unsure, questioning and excited. It is our job to create a smooth and informative transition process for everyone, while considering their personal feelings and needs. This fits well in the "benefiting others" principle. The time when it feels this ethical practice is being violated, is when a sense of too much authority or power is expressed by a student. It is an honor for undergraduate students to serve as campus leaders, assisting their peers. We put pressure on the students to be professionals of the institution, however they sometimes feel that they have too much power within the system. They can sometimes lose sight of the big picture or the reason we put on orientation in the first place.
Chapter 7: I dealt with Title IX breifly while playing collegiate sports in my undergrad. My school ran into a bit of trouble a few years back because it did not support the proper amount of womens sports to the equivallent number of mens. I think that with smaller institutions it is easier for them to "get away" with little things that relate to Title IX, even more than larger division I schools.
Chapter 6:
ReplyDeleteI think the concept of "being just" is something that I have had to work on in my assistantship. At USFSP we are in the process of expanding our relationship with student organizations. With that also come some new rules and guidelines that have to be followed. The actual operation of the organizations (from the university side) has been transferred to my department. We had some organizations not follow the rules and then be made inactive. As you can imagine, they were quite upset and reached out to the people who used to be in charge of organizations. Some organizations were granted exceptions from the new rules and others were not. Because of this, I had to weigh what would be fair and just with the organizations that didn't reach out but might still be upset. After some discussion, it appeared only right to grant a one-time exemption for all organizations from this rule and to provide training so they knew the rules in the future. It was minor example, but definitely an opportunity were I had to consider and think about ethics.
Chapter 7:
ReplyDeleteI think Title IX serves a valuable purpose in higher education, but it is in need of updating. The idea is that there are equal opportunities for men and women. The problem is that the language and "three prong test" used to determine if there is compliance are outdated and discriminates against male athletes. As more women enter college, the number of female athletes grows and the number of male athletes shrinks.
While I don't know much about the ins and outs of Title IX, I know that it did, at least on its face, allow for equal access to sports for women. I think that of course there are loopholes and issues with any legislation/laws. The issue is ensuring that the holes aren't too big to make the laws ineffective.
ReplyDeleteI think veracity is one of the most important ethical principles in the field of SA and in general. Not prevaricating when it comes to dealings with students, colleagues, supervisors is of the utmost importance. Honestly I feel like all 6 of the items lack some concreteness
(what exactly is the standard definition of "faithful?" "Benefiting others?"). However, they are good foundational starting points for any individual's personal code of ethics.
I'm even after Ralph today:-(