2013 Program Proposal Guidelines

The 2013 Jon C. Dalton Institute on College Student Values Planning Committee encourages presenters to concentrate their program proposal submissions on the following learning outcomes. Based on the Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners, they provide a framework for your proposal, which will be utilized by reviewers when recommending acceptance to the 2013 Dalton Institute program schedule.  As a result, we hope to engage our participants in their own professional development, as well as the development of their home institution. 

Assessment, Evaluation, and Research

• effectively use assessment and evaluation results in determining the institution's, the division's, or the unit's accomplishment of its missions and goals, reallocation of resources, and advocacy for more resources;
• design ongoing and periodic data collection efforts such that they are sustainable, rigorous, as unobtrusive as possible, and technologically current;
• effectively manage, align, and guide implementation of results of assessment, evaluation, and research reports and studies;
• prioritize program and learning outcomes with organization goals and values.
• facilitate the prioritization of decisions and resources to implement those decisions that are informed by AER activities.

Ethical Professional Practice

• demonstrate an ethical commitment to just and sustainable practices.
• actively support the ethical development of other professionals as well as developing and supporting an ethical organizational culture within the workplace.
• explain how one's professional practice also aligns with one's personal code of ethics and ethical statements of professional student affairs associations;
• address and resolve lapses in ethical behavior among colleagues and students;
• engage in effective consultation and provide advice regarding ethical issues with colleagues and students;

History, Philosophy, and Values

• model, encourage, and promote community by reinforcing the long-standing values of the profession;
• demonstrate visionary and forward thinking in the work of the student affairs profession;
• participate in developing new philosophical approaches and responsive values of the profession;
• participate in opportunities to identify and incorporate emerging values of the profession into one's professional practice;
• actively apply historical lessons to one's future practice;

Personal Foundations

• refashion personal beliefs and commitments in a way that is true to one's own self while recognizing the contributions of important others (e.g., self, peers, family, or one or more larger communities);
• seek environments and collaborations that provide adequate challenge such that personal development is promoted, and provide sufficient support such that development is possible;
• serve as a role model and mentor by sharing personal experiences and nurturing others' competency in this area, and assist colleagues in achieving work–life balance;
• critique others' sense of excellence, taking measures to encourage and inspire exceptional work in self and others;
• design naturally occurring reflection processes within one's everyday work.

Student Learning and Development

• utilize theory to inform divisional and institutional policy and practice;
• analyze and critique prevailing theory;
• contribute to the development of theories;
• build and support inclusive and welcoming campus communities that promote deep learning and foster student success;
• create and assess learning outcomes to evaluate progress toward fulfilling the mission of the department, the division, and the institution; and
• design programs and services to promote student learning and development that are based on current research on student learning and development theories;

The following material serves as a guide to writing an effective Dalton Institute program proposal.  It includes the following:

• Characteristics of Effective Proposals/Evaluation Criteria
• Theme Description and Guiding Questions
• Links to Well-written Proposals

Characteristics of Effective Proposals/Evaluation Criteria

• Relevance to 2013 Theme and/or Character Development
  • Presenter draws clear connection to current theme; AND/OR
  • Presenter draws clear connection to historical themes, including, but not limited to character and identity development, values, ethics, spiritual development, service learning, etc.
• Presentations grounded in relevant research, assessment, and/or experience
  • Presenters have appropriate knowledge of subject matter.
  • Best practices presentations are supported by assessment and made applicable to other campuses.
• Presentation format will engage Institute audience
  • Program should be geared toward traditional institute audience (e.g. faculty, emerging and established student affairs practitioners, graduate students, clergy, etc.).
  • Presentation of topic encourages dialogue and will bring the audience in.
  • Innovative.
• Practical Application
  • Proposal has established learning outcomes and measures to assess those outcomes.
  • Participants should come away from proposal with take-aways for their home institution.
• Organization/Clarity
  • Adherence to program submission guidelines (e.g. word limits, formatting, etc.).
  • Title and abstract effectively convey content of proposal and draw participant interest.
  • Logical flow of presentation.
  • Minimal spelling and grammar errors.

Theme Description and Guiding Questions

Character in an Age of Self-Promotion: Exploring the Role of Social Media on College Student Development

For over two decades the Jon C. Dalton Institute on College Student Values at Florida State University has focused on issues related to values, ethics, and character in college student development.  Thanks to a generous gift from the John Templeton Foundation, the 23^rd annual Dalton Institute will continue this tradition by examining how social media is influencing character development in college and the role of higher education in encouraging the virtues of authenticity and humility in an age of self-promotion.

The 2013 Dalton Institute will examine higher education’s role in helping students to navigate an increasingly digital college environment.  The Institute program will review what leading colleges are doing to engage students in ethical reflection and explore current issues and developments related to the impact of social media on college student identity development and moral commitment.

Major questions for discussion will include:

1. What are the most important contemporary forms and influences of social media on college students and the higher education environment?
2. What impact (or influence) do social media have on today's college curriculum?
3. What is the impact of excessive self-promotion on college student moral and identity development? 
4. How do social media influence the development of character and identity in today’s college students?
5. Why are the values of humility, generosity and authenticity critical in the development of character?
6. As students learn to navigate social media tools, how can educators assist them in presenting their authentic selves to the virtual and physical world?
7. What are the effects of self-promotion and branding on social relationships and interactions among college students?
8. What are the most important contemporary collegiate practices and programs that focus on the use of social media in the development of character and values in college students?
9. How can social media be utilized to present an authentic virtual representation of colleges and universities and their values?

Links to Well-written Proposals

• Reinventing the College Extracurriculum for Academic and Moral Purposes
• Teaching Interfaith Cooperation: Engaging Diverse Identities for Common Action
• Civic Engagement and Public Hope Among Millennials
• Assessing Students’ Moral and Spiritual Growth at Catholic Liberal Arts Colleges: A Collaborative Grant-Funded Initiative