As part of the team that is helping manage the saPRO/saGROW initiative started by Ed Cabellon, I suggested creating a calendar that shows the cycle of a typically year in higher education (mainly student affairs but it can expand!). The calendar would then not only prepare mentors for what to discuss with their proteges (“mentees” is a word that bothers me) but also give the proteges a heads up of what to prepare for.
Upon being challenged by Lisa Endersby (@lmendersby) I had to rethink the word “calendar” because was that really the point? I think this document will end up being more of a playbook. Here are the plays, here is what to expect, here is how you can make it work, etc.
The main idea behind this is to use the collective brilliance of the #highered and #SAchat communities on Twitter to populate a thorough playbook of events/issues that pop up thoughout the calendar year. For example I started it with burnout, which happens typically in October and April (in my opinion/experience) every year.
I not only want to provide a playbook of the rollercoaster that is the cycle of higher education, but also how to combat and prepare for such things. The link below will bring you to a GoogleDoc Spreadsheet where you can contribute. You may cringe at the sight of a spreadsheet but in my mind when it comes to sorting who submitted what and for what period of time, a spreadsheet makes the most sense.
Here is the link: bit.ly/saCalendar
I hope this works and I hope in the end it will result in a thorough (albeit general) view of the calendar within student affairs and higher education.
Take a moment to contribute. Can’t contribute? Please share it, that alone is contributing to the effort.
Rock on and kick today’s butt.
