ACPA Task Force on Information Technology in Student Affairs

At the 2000 ACPA conference this year the leadership of ACPA, under the initiatives of Past President Gregory Roberts, President Jill Carnaghi and President Elect Nancy Evans, created a new Task Force charged with focusing on Information Technology issues in student affairs. Created with the purposes of education, advocacy and coordination this group has been working to identify the needs within the student affairs community and to begin meeting those needs. Will Barratt was asked to Chair the initial work of this group, to recruit members, and to move toward meeting the Task Force goals this year. If interest in this area continues to expand, the Task Force may seek Commission status within ACPA.

The members of this group have been using E-mail discussions to identify common concerns and issues facing the membership; it has become clear that things are confusing at best. In order to best focus the Task Force member's efforts, four work groups have been identified and they will begin collecting information and resources to provide to the membership through the website, discussion groups and at the national meeting.

ACPA ITSA Policy Group charge: Collect and prepare for web publication and conference presentations material or web links on:

• Campus and student affairs policy statements regarding IT, Internet and E-mail use.
• Codes of student conduct segments related to IT, Internet and E-mail use.
• Recommended standards for IT and web pages from campuses, government agencies (GAO) and appropriate groups such as CAS.
• Legal material, and case studies.
• Student affairs statements on learning, student development and technology.
• Identify individuals who can act as consultants in this area.

ACPA ITSA Practice Group charge: Collect and prepare for web publication and conference presentations material or web links on:

• Standard practices in student affairs for using IT, Internet and E-mail.
• Best practices in student affairs for using IT, Internet and E-mail.
• Emerging practices in student affairs for using IT, Internet and E-mail.
• Material on relating practice to theory and to research.
• Identify individuals who can act as consultants in this area.

ACPA ITSA Technology Group charge: Collect and prepare for web publication and conference presentations material or web links on:

• Reviews and descriptions of currently available hardware and software - what is available for use.
• Reviews and descriptions of current hardware and software in use on campuses - what is really in use.
• Reviews and descriptions of emerging hardware and software - what will become available for use.
• Identify out-of-date technologies that should be updated or replaced.
• Identify individuals who can act as consultants in this area.

ACPA ITSA Staffing Group charge: Collect and prepare for web publication and conference presentations material or web links on:

• Position descriptions for student affairs technologists (equipment managers)
• Position descriptions for student affairs IT developers and designers.
• Position descriptions for student affairs IT managers.
• Material related to student affairs staff training.
• Material related to student affairs student user training.
• Identify individuals who can act as consultants in this area.

These collections will always be a 'work in progress' as material is identified, added and updated continually and the collection of materials will grow as the Task Force members move forward with their work. The Task Force members always welcome contributions from anyone, so if readers have resources which might benefit student affairs practitioners, please forward them to the Task Force. As a critical mass of material becomes available, there will be further articles and publicity.

These four elements, Policy, Practice, Staffing and Technology are expanded in a companion article in this issue entitled Four Elements of Information Technology in Student Affairs.

Information on this Task Force can be found at: http://wbarratt.indstate.edu/itsa/. Since this web site is new and growing, please check back frequently.