Case Analysis

“How Do I Work With Them?

Albert Lopez & Jade Pearson
EPC 659 KC
 Contents

Conceptualization
1 DMF Phases 1-3

Theory Application
2 Park’s Theory of Faith Development (1986, 2000)
Gilligan’s Theory of Moral Development (1982)

Recommendation for Action

3 DMF Phase 4

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 Summary

● Who: 2nd Year Resident Director (You), Staff of 9 Resident Assist., 1-Grad
Assist., Dept. Director & Assist. Assoc. Directors), Parents of accused
● What: Received pictures of 3 RAs holding and drinking in their building
during a party hosted by student, violating signed contracts to employment
● When: January
● Where: Religiously Affiliated Institution/ Dorm building?
● Situation: You pass info. to department leaders which instruct you to
terminate students employment involved. Parents meet with Director & VP
of SA. Deny allegations, give example similar situations prior, and directed
by dept. leaders to rescind termination

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Phase 1

Identifying the Problem

 Core Problem
● Firing Staff w/out support
● Breach of contract
● Concerns of parents
● Consequences of action
Other Perceived Problems
● Healing and mending trust
between student workers and
Director (You) Feb.-May
● Lack of Support from admin
● Threat of being sued
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 Key Players
1. Resident Director (A.K.A. YOU)
2. Associate Directors, VP
3. Resident & Grad Assistants
4. Families of the student workers
5. Campus Community & Stakeholders
 Context Considerations
Professional Context
● high responsibility,
moderate authority
External Context Campus Context
● Historical outcomes ● Religious institution
(Private Urban) and policy
● Federal and State laws
● Exemptions to Title VII of
the Civil Rights Act (1964)
● Workplace climate is
different between
institutions
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 What is Your Role?

● Warning - written
○ Performance concerns
● Probation - period of time to improve
○ Violation impacting resident safety
○ Performance concerns
● Termination of Duties
○ Judicial sanction violation of Student Code of conduct
○ Consistent failure to meet job expectations
○ Violation of RA Substance Use Policy or being under the influence of Alcohol or other drugs
while performing RA duties
● Consulting and Informing

(Living at UMass Amherst, 2021)

 Who’s Most Affected

● You (Resident Director) are affected emotionally, conflicted, and discouraged.

● Students/Family- may feel misjudged and harshly punished. Stressed from loss of
housing privileges and financial loss.

● Other Constituents may wonder if students are safe in an environment that may not
have the same values aligned with institution.
 1. Non-urgent to supervisors
Urgency is 2. High urgency for the students
Moderate 3. Low urgency to the campus community

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 Desired Outcomes
Short Term
● Conversation centered around
accountability and responsibility
● Transparency of roles and process
regarding the firing of the students
● Harmonious work environment
● Reconciliation of personal values with
decisions that were made
Long Term
● Educating the campus community on
substance use
● Revisiting of the mission and vision of
the institution
● Revisiting the student contracts
● Avoidance of lawsuits
● Accountability taken by supervisors
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Phase 2

Comprehensive Scan of Options

 1. Complying & Supervising
Students
Possible Options
2. Asking HR for Transfer
3. Resigning & Transfer
Institutions

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Options Matching
Desired Outcomes

Option 2 (Equity)
Option 1 (Equality)
● Focuses on the students and mending
● Maintaining policy and integrity of the
that relationship, truly considering their
institution
● well-being
Setting an example of a zero-tolerance
● The “business” of student affairs
policy

Focusing on students : Justifying this decision based on equity.

Using this as a learning experience for students who may be in an early
stage of ethical and moral development.

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Phase 3

Implementation
 Implementation

1. Meeting with Students

2. Schedule Training/Retreat
3. Utilizing Theory
 Park’s Theory

5 forms of knowing
● Authority Bound
● Unqualified Relativism
● Probing Commitment
● Tested Commitment
● Convictional Commitment
○ Forms of Dependence
○ Forms of Community

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Park (1982, 2000)
 Gilligan’s Theory
● Preconventional morality –
survival and self-interest.
● Conventional – prioritize
selflessness
● Postconventional – taking
responsibility for the consequences
of their choices and gaining control
of their own lives.

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Gilligan (1981)
Phase 4

Assessment
 Assess

Reflecting on the Reflecting on the Implementing Adopting new

impact of success of new policy learning
solutions solutions

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 Citation
Bower, G. H., Gilligan, S. G., & Monteiro, K. P. (1981). Selectivity of learning caused by affective states. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 110(4), 451–473.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.110.4.451

Civil Rights Act of 1964 § 7, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq (1964)

Indiana University of Pennsylvania. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2021, from https://www.iup.edu/

Living at UMass Amherst. (2021). Retrieved March 01, 2021, from https://www.umass.edu/living/student-staff-personnel-procedures-and-protocol-performance-review

Rdmusic. (1970, January 01). Sharon Daloz Parks. Retrieved March 01, 2021, from http://meier-hamilton.blogspot.com/2015/03/sharon-daloz-parks.html

Parks, S.D. (1986a). The critical years: Young adults and the search for meaning, faith, and commitment. New York: HarperCollins

Parks, S.D. (2000). Big questions, worthy dreams: Mentoring young adults in their search for meaning, purpose, and faith. San Francisico: Jossey- Bass

Residence life and housing. (2021). Retrieved March 01, 2021, from https://www.higheredjobs.com/admin/search.cfm?
JobCat=38&StartRow=51&SortBy=4&NumJobs=25&filterby=&CatType=

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