Fac/Staff Lounge

In this episode, Laura De Veau speaks with Andrew Pollom, Vice President of Student Affairs at the University of Southern Maine, about rediscovering the joy in student affairs work. Andrew reflects on the challenges of the post-pandemic era and how rereading "Man's Search for Meaning" inspired him to focus on creating a positive and supportive environment for both students and staff. They discuss...

In this conversation, Laura De Veau and Jess O'Connell discuss the intersection of education and politics, focusing on the challenges faced by higher education leaders in today's political climate. They explore the importance of community organizing, the impact of funding on education, and the potential consequences of dismantling the Department of Education. The discussion emphasizes the need for...

Laura welcomes Matt Colpitts, the Emergency Preparedness Manager at the University of Washington Bothell. They discuss pertinent issues regarding crisis management in higher education, particularly the challenges posed by political polarization, protests, and large events. Matt emphasizes the importance of strategic planning, cultural competency, and adaptability to evolving student demographics a...

Laura welcomes Dr. Elizabeth Allan, a University of Maine professor of Higher Education and founder of the research group Stop Hazing. Dr. Allan shares her insights on the Stop Campus Hazing Act, signed into law by President Biden on December 24th. She delves into the years of effort that culminated in this legislation, its requirements for colleges to implement comprehensive hazing prevention pro...

Laura De Veau chats with Joel Quintong, Dean of Students at Iona University, about the unique mission of Catholic institutions of higher education in a rapidly changing world. Joel discusses the growing trend of lay leadership in these institutions and the importance of maintaining their Catholic identity and values. They explore the need for leaders and staff who understand and respect the Cathol...

Laura discusses the impacts of recent executive actions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives with Dr. Marybeth Gasman, Director of the Center for Minority Serving Institutions at Rutgers University. Dr. Gasman shares the challenges faced by her center following an executive order that resulted in the cancellation of a virtual conference on registered apprenticeships. She emphasize...

In the premiere episode of The Faculty Staff Lounge, Dr. Laura De Veau introduces the new podcast transitioning from Office Hours with Dr. De Veau. Recorded at the 50th Maryland Student Affairs Conference (MSAC), this episode features a panel discussion moderated by Dr. De Veau, with panelists Dr. Mamta Accapadi, Dr. Brian McGowan, and Dr. Paige Haber Curran. The theme 'Leading with Heart' guides...

In this finale episode for Season 4, It was Dr. De Veau’s pleasure to speak with Dr. Amelia Parnell, the newly appointed President of NASPA, discussing her transition to the role that will begin July 1, 2024. Getting to know Amelia and her motivation to become the next NASPA President. Amelia is a data head and hard-wired optimist. And we spend time speaking about both! (Dat and optimism) … but we...

It’s always a thought provoking conversation when Beth Devonshire joins Dr. De Veau! In this episode, Beth brings her legal and crisis management background to the show as they discuss the current landscape of campus unrest and protests as well as provides insight on the latest updates in the guidance/regulations related to Title IX. Beth brings her extensive legal expertise to the conversation, f...

There is a gender gap in degree attainment, and it continues to widen. With 8.9 million women compared to 6.5 million men enrolled in 4 year degree programs in the US, there is a growing field of research on the topic, as well as a commitment to exploring what it means to support men on campus. Mark Greene is a speaker, consultant and writer who has spent over a decade “deconstructing our binary-r...

Anti-trans bills are happening at every level of government in the US. Packed up with terms like “parental bills of rights” and “family freedom” the gaslighting is attacking some of our most vulnerable young people. When thinking about the impact of these pieces of legislation, there was one person in particular who Dr. De Veau knew she could turn to. Dr. Ken Schneck is the program director for th...

According to the Institute on Disability “If people with disabilities were a formally recognized minority group, at 19% of the population, they would be the largest minority group in the United States.” What does 19% look like? Well it’s over 50 million people, and that has a huge impact on living in the United States. It also has a huge impact on living and learning on our campuses. This week’s s...

Contact D. Pat Sanaghan and the Sanaghan Group: https://thesanaghangroup.com/ Follow Dr. Karen Whitney on Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenwhitneyhighered/ Purchase the book, Onboarding the “Transitional” Presidency: A New Imperative for the “Interim Presidents”: https://www.amazon.com/Boarding-Transitional-Presidency-Imperative-Presidents/dp/B0B3FBSY2Z Office Hours with Dr. De Veau is...

Read more about Dr. Klippenstein at: https://www.mohave.edu/about/administration/ Mohave Community College has an impressive track record of accomplishments. They are a worthwhile follow on Linked in and check you their “Newsroom” for the latest press clippings. https://www.mohave.edu/newsroom/ Office Hours with Dr. De Veau is a podcast designed for the Higher Education community by a Higher Educa...

Founded by activist Tarana Burke in 2006, The #MeToo movement has been the focus of much analysis in both the academy and popular culture. When something has such broad reaching impact, there will be no single way to engage with it. How the movement shakes up Wall Street will be different than Hollywood, Professional sports, Politics and our campuses. On this latest episode of “Office Hours with D...

Black Women in the Academy are not OK. Following Dr. Claudine Gay’s resignation from her short term as President at Harvard University, we came to find out that she had received ongoing threats to her safety including death threats. On January 8, 2024, Lincoln University’s Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Antoinette "Bonnie" Candia-Bailey, took her life after seeking assistance from her emp...

Chimaeze (Chima) Okoli Esq. is an attorney & former Division I football college athlete at Penn State. During his undergraduate years, he was a two-year starter and honorable mention all conference performer. He was also named first team all conference for academics in his junior and senior seasons. Chima passed the DC bar in 2017. He has taught classes at Notre Dame, Wake Forest, and Penn Sta...

Scott Monty is a strategic communications and leadership coach and advisor who helps the C-suite embrace better communication with timeless and timely advice. A Fortune 10 leader whose background in classics positioned him to see through the shiny objects, Scott drills down to understand the common human needs from throughout history that are still driving us. He was ranked by The Economist as #1...

Beth Grampetro is a skilled public speaker and facilitator and an expert at Health Education. She holds a B.S in Community Health from Hofstra University and an MPH in Community Health Education from the University of Massachusetts. A Health Education Specialist (CHES), Beth is experienced at supervising administrative and clinical staff within clinical settings. Beth also listens to so many Podca...

When I recorded this thoughtful conversation with Dr. Sydney Freeman it was clear that - rightfully, Sydney had a lot on his mind - especially around doing the WORK that is associated with Equity and Justice on campus. Sydney is a full professor of Adult, Organizational Learning and Leadership at the University of Idaho. He is a former National Holmes Scholar and has earned professional certificat...

Gary Stocker is one of the preeminent experts on the uncertain marketplace in higher education, with his finger on the pulse of institutions in enrollment and financial distress. Stocker has substantial business experience in healthcare and higher education with skills in sales and marketing, management, consulting, data analytics, operations and technology. As the chief-of-staff to a small colleg...

The SCOTUS decision on affirmative action has brought the act of access and the form of access into the spotlight. But in this episode Dr. De Veau speaks to two student activists from Harvard University who have opinions on what diversity and the quest for a diverse campus feels like. Kashish Bastola and Kawsar Yasin are Sophomores who have been vocal about the experience of students who are not p...

Hundreds of thousands of people watch Brittlestar, or Stewart Reynolds' videos every week. His comedic and family-friendly videos have been seen more than 600 MILLION times on various platforms. With a global fanbase, an invitation to the White House, speaking engagements all over North America, commentary segments on Global National, a panelist on CTV National News, starring in the Dreamworks TV...

Beth Devonshire, J.D. is currently the Associate General Counsel at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, Massachusetts. Prior to her role, Beth served as a consultant for D.Stafford & Associates working with institutions on issues involving Title IX, Clery, threat assessment, and other compliance-related issues. Additionally, Beth served as the Associate Dean of Students at UMass Bosto...

Closing a College is something a handful of VPSAs have experienced. And according to Moody’s the numbers are going to continue to rise in the years ahead. Dr. Laura De Veau has been there, and she has invited two Chief Student Affairs Officers to have a frank talk about their lived experiences closing campuses in 2023. Dr. Laura Lyndon was VPSA at Holy Names University (CA) and Eric Booth was VP f...