Birthday

Party Case

Study

Mike Ahern, Martine François, and Barbara Pierre

Description of Case● Jennifer has accepted her first professional student affairs

role as a Community Residence Director at Middle State

University, a large public institution in the MidWest.

● She is feeling homesick, lonely, and disconnected from her

colleagues who rarely socialize.

● Additionally, her supervisor, Greg, seems hurried and enforces

a “that’s learned on the job” mentality.

● A group of her student student staff members has invited

Jennifer to a celebration for Mike (who is on the RA staff), who

is turning 21 at a known hot-spot for local undergrads.

● Considering that her staff members will be partaking in

alcoholic libations, what should Jennifer do?

Setting

● Middle State University

● 14,000 Students

● 90 minutes from closest city

● Campus is located close to

bars that are frequented by

MSU students

Main Characters

Jennifer

● Age: 24

● New Student Affairs

Professional

● Community Residence Director

at Middle State University

● Having feelings of loneliness

and difficulty finding friends to

connect with

Greg

● Jennifer’s Supervisor

at Middle State

University

● Fast- Paced and

Work-driven

Mike

● Resident Assistant at

MSU

● Overseen by Jennifer

● About to enjoy his 21st

birthday

Student Staff Members

● 12 Undergraduate

paraprofessionals at

MSU

● Overseen by Jennifer

● Just completed student

staff training

“To go or not to go…”

Analyzing the Situation Problematic Aspects

● First and foremost, one troubling aspect is the potential for Jennifer to

develop an inappropriate relationship with her staff members.

● Additionally, Jennifer’s RA is turning 21 and there is a high likelihood that

under-aged students and staff will be at the celebration. Ignoring the

unethical implications of forming informal relationships with her staff,

Jennifer is potentially facing the concern of dealing with underaged

drinkers.

● Overall Jennifer is facing a dilemma in which she will have values and

beliefs challenged. As a leader Jennifer needs to know when to draw the

line.

Ethical Concerns

1. Current Ethical Issues 2. Potential Ethical Implications

● Lack of any training or

onboarding process for Jennifer,

a new student affairs professional

● Absence of social support from

MSU colleagues

● Greg, as a supervisor is doing his

supervisee a disservice by being

“hurried” and unsupportive

● Jennifer could place not only

herself but her student staff

members in an unethical

situation if she accepts the offer

● If Jennifer doesn’t raise her

concerns in a thoughtful and

developmental way, then there

is potential that the unsupportive

culture at MSU could impact

future new hires

Ethical Concerns &

Student Affairs (SA)

Standards: NASPA Basic: “...identify ethical issues in the course of ones job…”

● Jennifer needs to realize that she currently stands at the onset of a potential ethical

dilemma. The ability to recognize such situations is paramount to success as a student

affairs practitioner.

Intermediate: “... explain how one’s professional practice also aligns with one’s personal

code of ethics…”

● As a new professional, Jennifer is only just beginning to set the foundation of her own

personal code of ethics. Her trepidation at drinking with students is indicative of an

ability to connect professional dilemmas with personal ethics.

Advanced: “ensure those working in the unit or division adhere to identified ethical

guidelines”

● Jennifer needs to work with her colleagues to ensure that a similar lack of support won’t

affect future staff members.

Ethical Concerns & SA

Standards: ACPA● Professional Responsibility and Competence, 1.1

o “... adopt a personal value system congruent with the basic tenets of the

profession.”

Jennifer is at a crossroads where she has to reconcile her need for social

acceptance, and what would be considered an unethical act; drinking with

student staff members.

● Student Learning and Development, 2.2

o “Avoid dual relationships with students…”

Drinking with her student staff members will force Jennifer into an

unethical dual relationship, one as supervisor and confidant. Crossing a

professional boundary and adding that dynamic to a supervisor to

supervisee relationship would impact Jennifer’s ability to effectively

manage her staff.

Ethical Concerns & SA

Standards: ACPA Continued● Responsibility to the Institution, 3.6

o “Inform supervisors of conditions or practices that may restrict institutional or

professional effectiveness.”

Jennifer, as a new professional, is caught between a rock and a hard

place. There has been a recognizable lack of support/training for her role.

To an extent, she has a responsibility to inform her supervisor that such

practices impair her ability to properly serve the institution and it’s

constituents.

● Responsibility to Society, 4.1

o “Assist students in becoming productive, ethical and responsible citizens”

As a supervisor who is responsible for the development of her students,

Jennifer can utilize this dilemma as a developmental opportunity. She can

inform the students as to why she can’t cross professional boundaries and

go out drinking with them.

Ethical Concerns & SA

Standards: CAS

• Autonomy - Jennifer has been provided an incredible amount of autonomy by her

peers, unfortunately so much autonomy has led to her feeling disconnected. By

recognizing her unique situation to act alone, she can take responsibility and avoid the

party.

• Non-Malfeasance - By attending the party, Jennifer would be acting in a way that would

negatively impact her student staff members. Crossing that professional boundary

would impact her ability to hold her staff accountable in any meaningful way.

• Beneficence - Through speaking with her colleagues at MSU, Jennifer can work

towards beneficial outcomes. Her experience, while unfortunate, could prove to be the

wake up call that MSU administration needs. By promoting change in orientation and

new hire training, she could beneficially impact any future additions.

Ethical Concerns & SA

Standards: CAS Continued

• Justice - Jennifer can enact justice by serving as a role model to her students. She can

graciously thank them for their offer to celebrate and inform them that while she hopes they

will stay safe, that a true supervisor and role model wouldn’t cross those lines.

• Fidelity - By thankfully expressing her valid ethical reasoning for not attending the party,

Jennifer would be able to stay faithful to not only her personal code of ethics, but that of her

profession as well.

• Veracity - To not sit down with Greg (Jennifer’s supervisor) and explain the failings of the

departments training, would be to work against Veracity. By being truthful and constructive

Jennifer will develop ethical competency as a burgeoning professional.

• Affiliation - This dilemma could turn into a fantastic springboard for creating social and

bonding opportunities with her staff in appropriate venues. There are innumerable ways to

foster community without the use of alcohol.

Recommendations

What should Jennifer do? Rationale

● Set professional boundaries.

● Respectfully decline, and offer

alternative staff bonding

solutions.

● Setting professional boundaries

will set up Jennifer for

supervisory legitimacy with her

staff and allow her to act

ethically in the future.

● By graciously declining the offer

to attend the 21st birthday

celebration, Jennifer can hold

true to ethical principles. Above

and beyond that, she can now

create new social programmatic

opportunities to connect with her

staff.

Recommendations

What shouldn’t Jennifer do? Rationale

● Throw caution to the wind and

attend Mike’s 21st birthday party.

● Avoid speaking to her supervisor

about the lack of training.

● Interacting with her student staff

in such an informal and alcohol

laden environment will muddle

the lines between supervisor

and friend. And greatly affect her

ability to effectively mentor her

staff in this role, and future jobs.

● Discussing her uneasiness with

the lack of training will not only

benefit others, but it will open an

honest line of communication

with her peers.

Thank You!