Managing Conflict & Crises

In order to become competent and provide support to individuals, both students and employees, who have been adversely affected by interpersonal conflict or a campus crisis, I must first understand the issues that can trigger these conflicts or crisis.  During the Counseling Issues & Practices class, I researched two issues that predominantly affect college students and created PowerPoint presentations that give practical suggestions to student affairs professional about how to help people that are facing these mental health issues.

þ Depression: An Increasing Concern on College Campuses PowerPoint Presentation

þ Eating Disorders PowerPoint Presentation

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Part of being a competent student affairs professional is recognizing one's limitations. I feel that this is an area where I need much growth. Therefore, in an effort to become competent, I interviewed a member of the Cal Poly Pomona crisis intervention team. While I feel that it will take time to feel comfortable in managing crisis, I know who to talk to when I need support in addressing a difficult issue. Below is the reflection paper I wrote after interviewing the person I mentioned above. 

þ Best Practices in Crisis Intervention Paper

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Unfortunately, one of the incidents that has helped me learn how to handle difficult situations calmly and thoughtfully was a hate incident that occurred at Cal Poly Pomona last year. This incident has been one of the most challenging situations I have ever had to face. Primarily because I was fairly new at Cal Poly Pomona and I was still unfamiliar with the campus culture and how situations of this nature were handled. It was also difficult to  balance my role as a student affairs professional and student advocate. I felt pulled from various directions--students wanted me to be at the forefront of the situation, while my role as an administrator required me to remain neutral.  The most valuable lesson learned through this experience is that I can be, both a student advocate and administrator, by providing students with the most accurate information possible, so students can make their own decisions.  Below is a newspaper article about this incident and the picture to the left was taken during a press conference the students initiated.

þ Newspaper article regarding hate incident at Cal Poly Pomona