Candidate Bios

Senior-Level Community of Practice
We have a number of openings on the Commission and individuals who are running for positions. You can vote for up to three candidates. Find the bios for Patrick "PT" Jones and Troy L Seppelt below: Patrick "PT" Jones Patrick T. Jones is currently an Assistant Director for Housing and Residence Life at the University of Chicago. His main areas of focus in this position are managing the community...

Brian Gallagher Reflects on the Imperative on Racial Justice and Decolonization

Senior-Level Community of Practice
First, a bit about myself, I identify as a white cis-gendered male. I’ve been an educator since 2001, specifically I’ve been working in Higher Ed since 2009. I have lived and worked both in the US and out of the country. I have worked at smaller institutions and larger institutions in both rural environments and urban environments. For much of my career/life, whenever I’d be involved with a...

Jesse Grant reflects on the Racial Justice Imperative

Senior-Level Community of Practice
As a person who identifies as African American cis-gendered gay male, racial justice has been a call for me for quite some time. To be honest, it was one of the reasons I chose student affairs as career. Where was it that someone like me who showed up as I did could do work to support my community. I have been a student affairs administrator for over twenty-five years at a number of institutions...

Financial Implications in Higher Education

Senior-Level Community of Practice
Unless working directly with the finances of an institution, does anyone actually know and understand the complexities of a University budget? Revenue streams from where? What about a centralized versus decentralized campus? And certainly the public/private distinction matters…doesn’t it? What about when there’s some sort of a budget crisis like many states dealt with during the recession circa...

I’m Here Because Of You

Senior-Level Community of Practice
“I’m Here Because Of You” Professionals in higher education are here because of students – we’re definitely not here to get rich. Passion is at the forefront of our work; it motivates us throughout our careers. In most cases, it’s safe for us to say to them “I’m here because of you.” Whenever I speak with student(s) for the first time, whether they be student staff that I’m supervising, a student...