Are you interested in serving on a commission?  Do you know someone who might make a positive difference for the work of commissions?  Now is the time to make nominations to serve on the variety of commissions that do the work of ACPA in a variety of areas!  See below for in-depth information about the positions available and the work of our Commissions!


Commission for Academic Affairs

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations): ceceilia.m.parnther@wmich.edu

The Commission for Academic Affairs provides outreach, advocacy, and professional development opportunities to individuals in higher education who work in or with academic affairs related areas. Our members connect academic and student development practices to holistically educate students. In addition to working closely with professionals and students in the field, we interact with faculty from all disciplines to promote comprehensive student development.

Commission for Academic Support in Higher Education

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):  jbreslin@bellarmine.edu

The mission of the Commission for Academic Support in Higher Education is to provide outreach, professional development, advocacy, and networking opportunities for student and academic affairs professionals interested in learning about and enhancing all aspects of academic support.

We conceptualize academic support to include academic advising; student academic transitions; academic preparedness; and developmental education among other forms of support.

Commission for Administrative Leadership

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations): pssmith@vt.edu

The Commission for Administrative Leadership (CAL) serves as a resource to student affairs professionals in all functional areas, settings, and experience levels.  We contribute to the association in addressing cross- functional, current, and future issues in higher education, through programming, leadership development, and member engagement.

Commission for Admissions, Orientation and First-Year Experience  

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):  emilykrechel@berkeley.edu

The ACPA Commission for Admissions, Orientation, and First-Year Experience (AOFYE) provides superior resources for scholarship, recognition, and networking for all association members whose work is engaged in the management of student enrollment and adjustment. AOFYE is able to do this through its network of professionals whose expertise and understanding that college and university transition programs function best as integrated, intentionally-connected, and comprehensive processes.

Commission for Assessment & Evaluation

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations): hilaryl@mailbox.sc.edu

The Commission for Assessment and Evaluation provides assessment tools, resources, and education for all student affairs professionals.

Commission for Campus Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):  jjcooper@mtu.edu

The ACPA Commission for Campus Safety and Emergency Preparedness (CCSEP) exists as a means to advance and respond to the need for formalized conversations around crisis response, campus protocol, and emergency management on our campuses.

Commission for Career Services

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):  mreal@bellarmine.edu

The Commission for Career Services seeks to examine, address, and impact the changing and diverse role of career services in higher education within the student development framework. We achieve this mission through:

  • Recruitment, Retention, and Mentoring of dynamic career educators.

  • Knowledge and Scholarship to enhance the field of career services.

  • Engagement through supportive on-line and in-person communities and networks of career services educators.

Commission for Commuter Student and Adult Learners

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):  csmithwhite@wayne.edu

It is the mission of the Commission for Commuter Students and Adult Learners to: provide a network of contacts and support for those serving commuter student and adult learners, provide a forum for discussing and advocating on behalf commuter and adult student needs and concerns and promote the generation and sharing of data, research, services, and programs which effectively enhance commuter and adult students’ development.

Commission for Counseling and Psychological Services

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):  Stephanie.preston@ucf.edu

ACPA'S Commission for Counseling and Psychological Services (CCAPS) provides a home for professionals and graduate students who are interested and involved in counseling and psychological services in higher education.

Commission for Global Dimensions of Student Development

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):  ghaider@umd.edu

The Commission for the Global Dimensions of Student Development serves ACPA as the hub for those interested in global education, internationalization, cross-cultural learning, and student development. CGDSD members promote international and cross cultural learning in order for college and university students, faculty members, and practitioners to become engaged global citizens.

Commission for Graduate and Professional Student Affairs

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):   nicj712@vt.edu

The Commission for Graduate and Professional Student Affairs focuses on the unique developmental and environmental challenges faced by graduate and professional school students (MBA, Law, Medical, etc.) and the student affairs professionals serving this population. The Commission expands the scholarly and applied knowledge base through the generation and sharing of research, services and programs that foster graduate student learning and enhance the graduate student experience. The Commission provides support and networking opportunities for professionals working with graduate and professional school students and advocates for increased awareness of graduate and professional student services throughout ACPA and other higher education communities.

Commission for Housing and Residential Life

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):   newcombk@geneseo.edu

The Commission for Housing and Residential Life provides leadership on student learning in college residence halls, collaborates with organizations that focus on residence education, and provides year-round professional development opportunities for housing and residential life staff. Graduate, entry-level, mid-level, and senior level professionals are invited not only to be members of CHRL, but participate and contribute to the development of the professional overall. Check us out as you explore your pathway to leadership!

Commission for Professional Preparation

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):   nncroom@clemson.edu

The Commission for Professional Preparation is committed to the recruitment, preparation, and continuing education of student affairs professionals. Members work closely with the nation's graduate preparation programs, particularly through student affairs teaching faculty (and those preparing for this role) examining the recruitment of new professionals and recommendations for curriculum improvement.

Commission of Recreation and Athletics

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):  stephen.malvaso@gmail.com

ACPA’s Commission for Recreation and Athletics (CRA) will provide ACPA members with opportunities for professional development about issues of importance in campus recreational sports and intercollegiate (varsity) athletics in postsecondary education. In addition, acting within the ACPA governance structure and with ACPA International Office, CRA will assist in positioning ACPA to be an informed voice on campus recreation and athletics issues as those issues intersect with student affairs and with the strategic objectives of ACPA as an association.

Commission for Social Justice Educators

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):  vu.t.tran@gmail.com

The Commission for Social Justice Education provides a collaborative home for student affairs professionals who are dedicated to social justice education. Our efforts are rooted in anti-oppressive, liberatory, and critical frameworks. CSJE acknowledges the intersectionality and interconnection of personal and professional identities, and provides a space for all in Higher Education to engage with one another in meaningful ways in order to better educate others, and ourselves. We strive to advance social justice in higher education through creating and disseminating resources, developing a supportive network of invested practitioners and scholars, and engaging in advocacy work.

Commission for Spirituality, Faith, Religion, and Meaning

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):  jennylee27@gmail.com

The ACPA Commission for Spirituality, Faith, Religion, & Meaning (CSFRM) will provide ACPA members an arena within which to conduct research and assessment, strengthen their professional competencies, and enrich their self-knowledge and professional knowledge about issues related to meaning-making, specifically spirituality, faith, religion, belief, and existentialism within the context of higher education. In addition, acting within the ACPA governance structure and with the ACPA International Office, CSFRM will assist in positioning ACPA to be an informed voice on existential pursuits of meaning-making, including spirituality, faith, religion, and belief as they relate to student development, the administration of student affairs, and the organization of governance structures within a college, community college, or university setting. These efforts will include examining various modes of pursuing meaning-making in the contextual experience of both the U.S. and the global higher education community (Adopted by the CSFRM Directorate Body, October 2009).

Commission for Student Conduct and Legal Issues

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):  aacosta@fsu.edu

The purpose of the Commission for Student Conduct and Legal Issues (CSCLI) is to support the professional development of student conduct professionals in higher education in a progressive and visionary way. The Commission offers resources and opportunities, including collaboration, in conduct and legal issue education in an effort to support the development of socially just conflict resolution strategies that effectively resolve individual and group differences.

Guiding Principles:

  • An awareness of current student development and conflict resolution theories and legal issues impacting students, professionals, and campus communities

  • Support for the education and development of ethical principles, processes, and integrity

  • A commitment to socially just conduct and conflict resolution practices which affirm both the rights and responsibilities of individuals engaged in our processes

  • Support of a pluralistic approach to campus life issues and a commitment to increase the representation of diverse perspectives and backgrounds in its leadership positions

Commission for Student Involvement

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations):  dcbundy@uchicago.edu

The focus of the ACPA Commission for Student Involvement (CSI) is students in colleges and universities and their environments. Efforts of the Commission are directed toward development a deeper understanding of the students, their campus activities, and community life as a basis for more effective planning of relevant and engaging involvement opportunities for students. A major emphasis of the Commission’s work is on the integration of out of class activities of students on the campus and in the larger community with the formal academic curriculum.

The Commission fulfills this purpose not only through convention programming, but also through ongoing efforts aimed at advancing and advocating the development college student educators in their efforts to engage students. Within the Association, the Commission provides an avenue for involvement of anyone working with and/or interested in student involvement at post-secondary institutions’ specifically through Community Service & Service-Learning, Fraternity & Sorority Affairs, Leadership Education, and Student Organizations & Activities.

*Please note that CSI leadership team positions are a one-year term.

Commission for Two-Year Colleges

Email Contact (NOT for Nominations:  jblackw3@dtcc.edu

The Commission for Two-Year Colleges is directly concerned with issues relevant to student development programs at two-year institutions. Additionally, it is designed to promote the improvement of student development programs; enhance the professional development of student development personnel; and serve as an advocate for student development programs at two-year institutions.