Higher Education
e-Digest
Volume 3 / Issue 23
September 3, 2015
In This Issue:
FROM FEDERAL PARTNERS

Dear Colleague Letter: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The U.S. Department of Education has released a Dear Colleague Letter outlining changes to the way colleges should handle students' private information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Institutions of higher education have a strong interest in ensuring that students have uncompromised access to the support they need, without fear that the information they share will be disclosed inappropriately. Providing on-campus access to medical services, including mental health services, can help promote a safe and healthy campus. The practice of sharing a student's sensitive medical records with others not involved in their treatment may discourage the use of medical services provided on campus. The letter provides guidance on the protection of students' education records from disclosure without consent and appropriate practices that should be followed. To access this letter, click here.  
FROM THE CENTER

Higher Education Update on Reducing Risk During the First Few Weeks on Campus

The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) has released its first Higher Education Update on campus programming during the first few weeks on campus. The update discusses best practices and recommendations in reducing high-risk behavior, particularly those associated with substance abuse, during the transitional period that occurs while students begin to settle on campus. To access this update, click here.
 
  
How to Find Full-Text Articles for Research Listed in the Higher Education e-Digest

The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) has published an article to help subscribers locate full-text versions of the research articles featured in each issue. The Higher Education e-Digest features links to research citations to help readers stay up to date on the latest relevant research in the field. Due to copyright law, however, the Center cannot provide full-text journal articles. This article lists strategies and suggestions to help individuals with access to a college or university library as well as those with only access to a public library. To access this article, click here.
NEW RESOURCES
  
"We Don't Haze" Documentary from the Clery Center and Former School Violence Law Clients

The Clery Center for Campus Security is releasing a free 15 minute documentary addressing hazing on campus. Key takeaways from this documentary include examples of hazing practices on campus and realistic alternative solutions that accomplish the positive goals of team building, unity, and positive group bonding. To learn more and to access the trailer, click here.

Off to College: A Guide for Parents

Chicago Guides to Academic Life has released a guide for parents examining what occurs during the transitional period of college during a student's first year. The guide discusses new student orientation, academic advising, college financing, health and safety and adjustments made while living on campus, including information for first generation students and students with disabilities. To learn more about this guide, click here.

National Safety Council - Free Student Membership

The National Safety Council (NSC) is offering students who are U.S. residents a complimentary membership to the Council resources. NSC members have access to the Council website, the Safety and Health Magazine, networking opportunities, discounts on products and services created by the Council, library services, and more. To sign up for a membership or learn more, click here.

Campus Advocates & Prevention Professionals Association

The Campus Advocates and Prevention Professionals Association (CAPPA) was founded in June 2015 by prevention educators and campus advocacy professionals to provide a national platform for critical engagement, dialogue, solidarity, and evidence-based strategies to reduce violence and support survivors. CAPPA provides educators and campus advocacy professionals with access to current research, resources, best practice materials, and information on upcoming conferences and other networking opportunities. To learn more about CAPPA, click here.
 
Making the Most of Your Security, Safety and Emergency Response Systems

Campus Safety has released a set of articles describing ways that college and university campuses can strategically use and integrate the latest security and public safety technologies in their emergency response plans. Now more than ever, disparate technologies interoperate so that hospital, school, and university protection professionals and administrators can more easily manage the data coming in from those systems and develop improved situational awareness during an emergency. The articles can also help campuses manage the many forms of mass notification used by the institution when a crisis occurs. To learn more, click here.

Expanding Educational Opportunities for Students

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) Innovative Learning Models Task Force has released a report examining different types of learning models that are regarded as possible solutions to address rising costs and growth in non-traditional students enrolling in higher education. These learning models include competency-based education, prior learning assessments, and massive open online coursework (MOOCs). The report identifies five major themes: flexibility for students and institutions, accountability, cost of education and federal financial aid, complexity, and barrier-providing recommendations for future development in this field. To access the report, click here.

California Community Colleges Task Force on Workforce, Job Creation, and a Strong Economy 

The California Community Colleges Board of Governor's Strong Workforce Task Force has released a report listing a series of recommendations on policies and practices for increasing the productivity of industry-valued degrees and credentials. The purpose of the document is to provide strategies for addressing the current struggle that California's community colleges face in keeping pace with the higher levels of skills and education that employers are requiring from their applicants. To access this report, click here.

Good Jobs Are Back: College Graduates Are First in Line

The McCourt School of Public Policy Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University has released a report analyzing career opportunities across the United States. The findings show that since 2010, the economy has produced 6.6 million employment opportunities. The study also revealed that 2.9 million career opportunities offer annual salaries of $53,000 or more and tend to be full-time jobs with benefits such as retirement and healthcare. 2.8 million of those jobs are going to college graduates. To access this report, click here.

Helping Victims of Mass Violence & Terrorism: Planning, Response, Recovery, and Resources

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Office for Victim Assistance and the U.S Department of Justice's Office of Justice for Victims of Overseas Terrorism, have released a toolkit containing checklists and training materials to assist communities in adopting and strengthening holistic approaches when preparing and responding to victims of mass violence and terrorism. Lessons learned from past incidents indicate that through advanced planning (which includes the establishment of victim assistance protocols), and by developing and maintaining multidisciplinary partnerships, communities are better prepared to engage a holistic approach to victim assistance to ensure that each victim's needs are met. To access this toolkit, click here.
IN THE NEWS
  
For more news clips, visit Stay Connected on the NCSSLE website!
RECENT RESEARCH

Distress Tolerance in Social Versus Solitary College Student Drinkers
Williams, C.L., Vik, P.W. & Wong, M.M. (November 2015) Addictive Behaviors

Changes in Use of Cigarettes and Non-Cigarette Alternative Products Among College Students
Loukas, A., Batanova, M., Fernandez, A. & Agarwel, D. (October 2015) Addictive Behaviors

The Academic Consequences of Marijuana Use During College
Arria, A.M., Caldeira, K.M., Bugbee, B.A., Vincent, K.B., O'Grady, K.E. (August 2015) Psychology of Addictive Behaviors

Interventions to Reduce College Student Drinking: State of the Evidence for Mechanisms of Behavior Change
Reid, A.E. & Carey, K.B. (August 2015) Clinical Psychology Review

The Link Between Psychological Abuse Victimization and Physical Health in College Students
Witt, T.H., Hackman, C.L., Boleigh, A. & Mugoya, G. (August 2015) Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma

Incoming College Students' Bystander Behaviors to Prevent Sexual Violence
McMahon, S., Banyard, V.L. & McMahon, S. M. (July 2015) Journal of College Student Development

The Effects of Fraternity and Sorority Membership in the Fourth Year of College: A Detrimental or Value-Added Component of Undergraduate Education
Hevel, M.S., Martin, G.L., Weeden, D.D. & Pascarella, E.T. (July 2015) Journal of College Student Development 
UPCOMING WEBINARS AND CONFERENCES
  
Webinars 

Frontline Staff: Strategies for Defusing & Responding to Difficult and Disruptive People
Thursday, September 17, 2015, 2-3:00 PM ET

PaperClip Communications is hosting a webinar on how to appropriately manage disruptive and difficult people when providing higher education services. This webinar will cover user-friendly resources and successful strategies on how to defuse difficult situations and create positive service experiences across multiple areas of campus. To learn more and register, click here.

Mental Health 101: Recognizing and Responding to Substance Use and Abuse in College Students
Wednesday, September 23, 2013, 1-3:30 PM ET

AudioSolutionz is hosting a webinar focusing on the abuse by college students of alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drugs such as Adderall and OxyContin. This webinar will discuss the negative consequences of abuse and the mental health resources and treatment which are relevant to addressing substance abuse. This webinar will also cover tips on how to make appropriate referrals to counseling, accessibility services and student conduct. To learn more and register, click here.

Sexual Assault and Violence: Creating a Culture of Safe Student Reporting On Your Campus
Thursday, October 1, 2015, 2-3:30 PM ET

PaperClip Communications is hosting a webinar examining policies and procedures involved in reporting sexual assault and violence on college and university campuses. This webinar is designed to help institutions of higher education develop a culture of care and an environment where reporting and intervening are encouraged and celebrated as a way of breaking barriers that are discouraging victims of sexual assault and violence from coming forward. To learn more and register, click here. 

Organization Advisors: Managing Risk, Compliance & Liability
Thursday, October 22, 2015, 2-3:00 PM ET

PaperClip Communications is hosting a webinar presenting strategies and recommendations for reducing and managing student club advisors' risks of liability in situations involving alcohol, drug use, hazing, sexual misconduct, and vehicular accidents. The webinar will discuss how to identify potential risks in advising student groups and valuable resources, ways to create an institutional infrastructure that provides education and support to advisors in an effort to manage risk in the organizations, and more. To learn more and register, click here.

Recruiting & Hiring Residence Hall Student Staff: Market, Onboard & Retain
Wednesday, November, 4, 2015, 2-3:30 ET

PaperClip Communications is hosting a webinar exploring best practices in recruiting and retaining high-quality residence hall student staff. One of the biggest challenges faced by Residence Life departments is identifying and securing quality, committed and loyal students to serve in residence life leadership roles. This webinar will discuss marketing strategies and tools for ensuring that the right people are being hired for the job. To learn more and register, click here.

Conferences 

Case Western Reserve University Innovation Summit 2015: Models of Innovation
October 26-28, 2015, Cleveland, OH

Case Western Reserve University is hosting a summit to explore the impact of different models of innovation and present the first phase of the university's innovation and entrepreneurship center, think [box]. The conference will explore the opportunities and challenges of various models of innovation at the global scale.The summit will bring together thought leaders from across the country industry sectors and geographies for three days of exploration, collaboration and scholarship focused on the opportunities and challenges of global innovation. To learn more, click here. To register, click here. 

The League for Innovation in the Community College 18th Annual Innovations Conference
March 20-23, 2016, Chicago, IL

The League for Innovation in the Community College will be hosting its annual international professional conference dedicated to improving organizational teaching and learning, and discovering new approaches for enhancing the community college experience.This year the conference will be covering workforce preparation and development, student success, basic skills and developmental education, leadership and organization, and learning and teaching. To learn more, click here. To register, click here. 

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About NCSSLE's Higher Education e-Digest

The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments Higher Education e-Digest addresses campus and community engagement, health, safety, and security. Regular contents include news from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and other federal partner agencies and organizations, salient research summaries, examples of effective field practices, announcements submitted by IHEs and other subscribers, and relevant upcoming events. The Higher Education e-Digest also highlights NCSSLE resources and the availability of ongoing services, including technical assistance, products, and tools.

For More Information 
Visit http://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov

Engagement | Safety | Environment
The Center is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Healthy Students within the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. It is operated by the American Institutes for Research in collaboration with Child Trends; Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning; EMT Associates; the Silver Gate Group; and Vision Training Associates.

The contents of NCSSLE's Higher Education e-Digest is developed and disseminated under a contract from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Healthy Students to the American Institutes for Research (AIR), Contract Number ED-ESE-12-O-0035. The contents of this e-Digest do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the U.S. Department of Education, nor do they imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education.
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