The Student Affairs in Higher Education department (SAHE) began in 1971 as a one-year, master’s degree program that was organized, managed and taught by administrators within the division of student affairs, and was affiliated with the Counselor Education department for its academic home and many of its required courses. The program’s first full-time faculty member began in 1985 with an additional faculty member added in 1988. The program name changed to Student Affairs in Higher Education in 1991, became a two-year masters program in 1994, and by 1997 had gained independent departmental status. Over time, credit requirements have increased from 33 to 42 in order to reflect national standards and there are currently four full-time faculty members. While there is no accrediting agency for student affairs masters programs, the results of a 2000 external review revealed that the department met all standards articulated by The Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) for professional preparation programs in the field of student personnel services.
Over the past thirty plus years, enrollment has grown to its current level of sixty full-time master’s level students. In addition, SAHE students hold graduate assistantships at IUP and at colleges and universities throughout western Pennsylvania. These positions serve as financial and departmental support to the students and to IUP, but equally important is the value and necessity of these practical experiences in the preparation of these students to serve as professionals in the student affairs field.
Program Highlights
- Perceived to be among the top 10% of programs in the nation for college student personnel as reported by the most recent research on the subject, sponsored by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators in 1999-2000.
- Current students have a mean undergraduate GPA of 3.28 and come from 39 different undergraduate institutions and home states of PA, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, Tennessee, New Mexico, Wyoming & California.
- Approximately 90% of SAHE students hold graduate assistantships. In 2003-2004, three of the 60 students enrolled work full-time and 55 hold assistantships, only 10 of which are provided by GSR. Twenty-three assistantships are funded by departments at IUP, and 22 are funded by other Universities in our region. The combined value of support (tuition, stipends, housing and/or meals) generated by the department funded assistantships this year is approximately $716,400, and totals $2.07M over three years.
- With 23 students providing half-time pre-professional service to student affairs and related offices at IUP, SAHE students significantly assist the University to accomplish its various missions. Without these efforts, many offices would be unable to maintain the levels of service they currently provide.
- Placement rates for SAHE graduates have traditionally ranged from 95 -100%.
- All four faculty in the SAHE department are full-time, tenured faculty at the Associate or Full Professor level with extensive experience as both practitioners and teacher/scholars.
Student Highlights
- James Barricelli, co-authored a book review with Dr. Holley Belch, that was published in the Jan/Feb. 2004 issue of the Journal of College Student Development.
- Jennifer Fraley, Jennifer Browning & Marney Buss presented on the topic, “Our ever changing student: Hispanic students in higher education” at the PA College Personnel Association annual conference in October 2003.
- Marney Buss, with alumnus James Carroll (’96), co-presented on the use of a theatre-improv group for educational programming at the PA College Personnel Association annual conference in October 2003.
- James Barricelli hosted a Roundtable Discussion on the topic of a “Student Affairs Honor Society” at the PA College Personnel Association annual conference in October 2003.
- Kerrie Wolf received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award from the PA College Personnel Association in October 2003.
- The department’s student organization, Associates for Student Development, published The SAHE Review – a first edition student journal for the SAHE program in April of 2004.
- Kerrie Wolf, (SAHE ’04), graduate student liaison to PCPA Executive Board and recipient of PCPA's Outstanding Graduate Student award
- James Barricelli, (SAHE ’04), President of IUP’s Graduate Student Assembly
Alumni Highlights
- Michael Fogarty (SAHE '02), winner of the Esther Lloyd-Jones Case Study Competition award by the NY State College Student Personnel Association.
- Jennifer (DuBrava) Hinton, (SAHE ’00), named 2003 Outstanding Regional Coordinator and 2004 New Professional Award by the NY State College Student Personnel Association.
- Megan Nicklaus (SAHE ’00) received an award for contributions as a new professional from the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Employers.
- Raeshel Ziegler, (SAHE ’99), 2002-2003 Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising, Smeal College of Business, Penn State University
- Valerie Sutton, (SAHE ’96), received the 2003 Innovation Award from ACPA’s Commission for Career Development
- Dr. Kevin Bailey, (SAHE ’90), recently named Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Millersville Univ. of PA; Program Chair for the 2004 ACPA National Convention
- Dr. Vicky L. Triponey, (SAHE ’81), recently named Vice President for Student Affairs, Penn State University
- Dr. Raechele Pope, (SAHE ’81), Associate Professor, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, University of Buffalo, SUNY.
- Dr. Sophie Penney, (SAHE ’80), Director of Outreach and Cooperative Ext. Development, Penn State University
- Dr. Robert Gatti, (SAHE ’78), Vice President for Student Development, Otterbein College
- Ms. Christine Zuzack, (SAHE ’78), Director of Financial Aid, IUP and President of the Eastern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
Faculty Highlights
- Faculty are involved in professional associations, including service on PCPA’s executive board (Lunardini), coordinator of ACPA’s national Next Generation Conference to attract undergraduates to our profession (Belch), chairperson of ACPA's Awards Committee (Mueller), and service as members of editorial boards such as The Journal of College Student Development, ACPA Media Board, NASPA Journal, and the Journal of the Pennsylvania College Personnel Association (Belch, Hall & Mueller)
- Recent major publications of SAHE faculty include articles in the premiere journals of our field and the following two books:
- Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs (2004) authored by SAHE faculty member John Mueller and Distinguished IUP alumni Raechele Pope with colleague Amy Reynolds.
- Serving Students with Disabilities (2000) edited by Holley Belch with a chapter co-authored by SAHE faculty Linda Hall and Holley Belch.
- Faculty are actively involved in the IUP community including roles as chair of the University Senate Committee on Student Affairs (Hall); service to the judicial system (Hall, Mueller & Lunardini); Community Relations Committee (Hall); and in leadership roles to standing and/or ad hoc commissions or committees: GLBT commission (Mueller); Graduate Education Sub-committee for the GSR reorganization (Lunardini); Middle States Accreditation sub-committee (Belch).
- SAHE faculty have been recognized for their professional contributions and promise: John Mueller, in 2003, the American College Personnel Association’s (ACPA) Annuit Coeptis emerging professional award and in 2004, as an ACPA Emerging Scholar; Holley Belch, 2002, Bowling Green State University, Outstanding HIED Alumni award; Ronald Lunardini, 2000, PCPA award for Outstanding Contributions to the Student Affairs Profession.