Crisis, Compassion, and Resiliency in Student Affairs Using Triage Practices to Foster Well-Being

Crisis, Compassion, and Resiliency in Student Affairs focuses on the personal lived experiences of student affairs professionals who frequently encounter crisis situations and disasters on college and university campuses. The book explores how to apply triage practices-doing what matters most in the moment during a crisis event-to support the holistic well-being of students and staff through both institutional crises as well as daily critical incidents.

This edited volume features wide-ranging perspectives from seasoned student affairs leaders who have encountered unthinkable tragedies and high-profile incidents including active shooters, intentional violence, citywide terrorism, natural disasters, transportation accidents, student suicide and death, campus activism, and more. They share essential steps for responding to and managing crisis events and emergencies, as well as advice for maintaining personal well-being and achieving healing when the work demands 24/7/365 dedication.

Chapters also discuss responding to smaller-scale incidents, recognizing that leading student affairs efforts can be a daunting juggling task even on an average day. Readers will benefit from guidance on applying frameworks, developing training and protocols, learning through reflection, and supporting staff well-being.

When a traumatic event occurs, student affairs professionals must be ready to respond and lead. Crisis, Compassion, and Resiliency in Student Affairs provides student affairs professionals of all levels with strategies and advice for creating a mindset to navigate the complexity that results from encountering crises both large and small.