Breakout Sessions

Given the increasing number of adjunct faculty hired by higher ed institutions in the U.S., the CCCU started the Adjunct Faculty Project to conduct a pilot program for adjunct faculty formation seminars. This presentation will focus on how socialization, identity and community are formed through the lived experience of adjunct faculty to deliver research-based best practices that help schools serve their adjunct faculty and connect them to organizational socialization, institutional identity and a psychological sense of community at their colleges and universities.

Jeff Clawson, Director of Membership, Grants & Research, CCCU and Mark Sargent, Project Director, Sargent Strategies

The mental wellness of students has been front and center for the past few years. However, there is less discussion about the mental health of those who see themselves as protectors of students and faculty, yet who suffer from an array of mental maladies themselves. Last year, administrators completed surveys in Part 1. This year’s session will review the results of last year's session attendees as they reveal their struggles and mental health maintenance methods.

Lynn Eaton, Director of Faculty Development, University of Mary-Hardin Baylor and Jerome Lockett, Assistant Professor of Accounting, University of Mary-Hardin Baylor

The CCCU Diversity and Inclusion Commissioners will discuss a gap that exists between the commitment of CCCU institutions on diversity and the reality of people of color’s experiences in Christian higher education. Commissioners will share some of the lessons they have learned over the years and make recommendations other leaders could consider for creating a culture that would encourage belonging for students, staff and faculty of color on our campuses.

Academic administrators of Christian colleges have the opportunity to promote and strengthen faculty success, particularly as it relates to the essential topic of faith and learning. While the goal of faith integration is often discussed, the role of administrators is to facilitate the development of theory into practice among students, between colleagues, through disciplines and into our communities. In this session, we will share professional development ideas intended to foster a faculty of theologians from a breadth of academic disciplines who will celebrate the unity of our knowledge and calling in Christ Jesus.

Chris Mathews, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Crown College

This session will explore strategies for addressing the risks AI poses to traditional forms of assessment. Given the implications of AI on writing assignments especially, how can the standard research paper assignment be reconstructed to ensure learning outcome mastery? A theory-to-practice methodology provided a pathway for answering this question using the mechanisms of Normalization Process Theory. Using those findings, this session will offer practical, actionable takeaways to ensure human participation in learning.

Jill Swisher, Director of M.A. Educational Leadership, Northwestern College and Lori Doyle, Director of M.A. Educational Leadership Program, Concordia University Irvine

In this session, Missouri Baptist University will share their experience implementing a comprehensive and cohesive student success and retention program using a student success funnel framework. They created a holistic approach to student support across all departments, overcoming challenges and building strong campus-wide buy-in by leveraging technology and new approaches to measuring success. This session will provide practical strategies and inspiring ideas to create a culture of care on every campus. 

Jon Hessel, Vice President for Student Development & Dean of Students, Missouri Baptist University and Rachel Phillips-Buck, Vice President for Student Success, Pharos Resources

Christian higher education institutions attempt to become agents of Christ-centered transformation through many different services and experiences, both in and out of the classroom. If not mindful, however, these approaches can become decentralized in silos across the institution. This session will engage organizational theory to promote a holistic approach to student formation through faith integration and student support, while remaining strategic with campus resources. As we approach student leadership development, this session will call student affairs leaders to think critically about campus-wide change.

Andrew Cornelius, Director of Campus Life, Northwest Nazarene University and Ashley Gage, Associate Chaplain, Northwest Nazarene University

In order to explore the transformative potential of AI at Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU), a taskforce was formed comprising several functional area stakeholders—academic administration, admissions, advancement, athletics, finance, marketing and communications and student life. Through shared learning experiences, OBU discovered ways that AI could address current challenges and illuminate future aspirations. This session will share how OBU leveraged the power of AI to revolutionize problem-solving and drive positive change across our campus.

Josh Shoffner, Vice President of Technology and Digital Innovation, Oklahoma Baptist University and Larinee Dennis, Chief Academic Officer and Co-Provost, Oklahoma Baptist University and Allie Blevins, Director of Graduate and Online Recruitment, Oklahoma Baptist University

Academic officers will have time to connect with one another, sharing their experiences and insights with others who serve their campus by promoting academic excellence.