Hamline has been selected among the most promising places to work in student affairs for 2016.

The selection was made by the Center for Higher Education Enterprise (CHEE) at The Ohio State University, through a study commissioned by the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). The study was set up to examine the degree of diversity and inclusion in student affairs at participating ACPA-member institutions.

These selections were made based on practices such as demonstrated commitment to institutional mission, involvement of student affairs leadership, recognition of good work, support of work/life balance and intentional investment in the development of student affairs staff.

Hamline Dean of Students Alan Sickbert expressed his excitement with this selection and said “…when we learn that we get [recognition], it’s a real source of pride…It helps bring some awareness to the quality of work we do.”

CHEE commented on Hamline’s selection through “Diverse” magazine by citing Hamline’s clear commitment to diversity and social justice. “Student affairs professionals [at Hamline] described one demonstration of their commitment to social justice was the closing of campus offices to ensure their staff could attend optional monthly diversity trainings,” CHEE mentioned.

“[Social justice] starts even from how we recruit people that work for us,” said Director of Residential Life Javier Gutierrez. “We make sure that they understand that it’s a big part of our office.”

Sickbert emphasized the importance of diversity in student affairs, saying, “the student affairs division has historically hired staff that value diversity as part of their professional identity and growth interest.”

Speaking on investment in the development of student affairs staff, CHEE said, “multiple Hamline University staff members noted the multiple levels of investment, including monthly all student affairs meetings, professional development sessions and diversity trainings that ensured that all in the division were touched from graduate assistants through senior leadership.”

Gutierrez reiterated the commitment to staff development within the student affairs department by stating that “with Alan [Sickbert]’s leadership, it might be as minimum as sending us articles to letting us go to conferences that help us have a better understanding of student issues and concerns.”

Hamline, however, ranked low in average salary of student affairs staff members. Among all nineteen schools selected from this study, Hamline ranked the least in the average student affairs salary. Sickbert commented, “we don’t rank as high as we should with the salary, but I think…people want to work here because of the culture and climate it provides. People want to be in a place that values social justice and diversity and with professional development opportunities.”

He went on to commend the students affairs staff. “I can’t help but say this …we really have really good people within the student affairs.”

He then concluded by mentioning how the student affairs department plans on having more roles in broader issues like “religion, sexual violence on campus, and affordability.”

“I think this kind of recognition also helps students realize that student affairs is a career path… a kind of work you can do and still include your passion. It’s such a broad field that I would like for students to know more about because it is a place that does…celebrate, accept, and welcome different and diverse opinion, thoughts and people,” Gutierrez said.