Compassionate Regulation Enforcement

6/1/15 Compassionate Regulation Enforcement

As public officials and representatives of the institution, we are frequently asked to communicate whether and how, or not, a student is in compliance with various policies. Certainly our role must be viewed as more holistic than simply conveying a message or providing information. We approach our discussions with compassion and caring. This ethos leads us to celebrate the success a student has had, ask questions about situations that affected that compliance, address behaviors that could be modified for greater success, advise on next steps, and provide encouragement. We provide positive feedback, early interventions and affirmative future planning.

The cycle of Appreciative Advising gives us a process and language to have positive, meaningful, and action oriented discussions. Are you ready to help our students to: Disarm, Discover, Dream, Design, Deliver, Don’t Settle? Let’s have further discussions about how to put these into use so we can always maintain compassion in our communication about regulation and rule requirements with our students. 

'Tis the Season

6/15/15 ‘Tis the Season

Things Happen. They just do. Thanks to the Byrds, we are probably all familiar with Ecclesiastes 3 in the Hebrew Books of Poetry- “To everything there is a season.” The series of events and happenings we experience daily shouldn’t be viewed as our “life.” Truly, I think life is what we do with each of those situations: how we are prepared physically and psychically, how we react, what we believe about the meaning of such, how we interact with others during each situation- especially the dire ones. Most of our situations, though, are not dire but, simply, the next steps on the path through this life we craft with every decision and action.

How appropriate that on our minds right now are two momentous life situations- a birth and a retirement? Both are simultaneously an end and a beginning. Both are cause for celebration and tears. Both can be daunting and full of joy. Both are days that will be remembered for the rest of people’s lives.

We may be less familiar with the last verse of Ecc. 3… “²² So I saw that there is nothing better for people than that they should be happy in their work, for that is what they are here for, and no one can bring them back to life to enjoy what will be in the future, so let them enjoy it now.” Let’s savor and enjoy this moment and make it a great and better life- i.e. ... a great and better workplace.