Thank you for stopping by to learn more about the Commission for Faculty and Graduate Programs (CFGP). Take some time to look through our content and don’t hesitate to share how you’d like to get involved. Use the menu below to jump to a section of interest.
Please contact us at [email protected] or connect with the members of our Directorate Body with questions or ideas.
OUR MISSION
The Commission for Faculty and Graduate Programs is committed to the preparation of student affairs professionals. It accomplishes this via a diverse graduate and continuing education directorate that: create opportunities for the recruitment of those interested in entering the student affairs profession; promote advanced learning opportunities that embrace critical values of the profession such as the development of the whole student, diversity, and ethics; and that seek to address the professional development of student affairs teaching faculty through collaborative opportunities for networking, scholarship, and service with colleagues.
News & Updates
upcoming events
Join members of the Organizing & Advocacy working group as we host a virtual event on Thursday, November 14th from 2-3pm EST titled “Organizing for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within your Campus Community.” Please see the flyer below for more information and click here to register!
Recent events
Faculty Development Panel on Supporting Doctoral Learners in Higher Education and Student Affairs
October 24, 2024
Click the link above to access the recording!
Meet the Directorate
LJ Shelton
Past Chair, 2023-2025
Crystal Garcia
Chair Elect, 2023-2025
Orkideh Mohajeri
2022-2025
Marci Rockey
2024-2027
Get Involved
The Commission for Faculty and Graduate Programs is always looking for involved members! It is easy to join us by following the steps below!
Ready to join?
Joining an Entity through the ACPA Member Portal automatically identifies you as a member of that Entity! You will begin to receive Entity communications through their respective email listserv and have access to any resources they share!
- Login to your ACPA Member Account
- Click on Community Groups (Chatter)
- Click Groups
- Click Active Groups
- Find the entity you want to join and within that group, click +Join
Contact [email protected], to learn more about ACPA’s Commission for Faculty and Graduate Programs !
Any ACPA member can become involved and there are varying levels of involvement:
- Access the syllabus clearinghouse and graduate prep program directory
- Have your students submit proposals for the writing awards
- Submit a proposal for a faculty research grant or the teaching award
- Review conference programs for the annual convention
- Review our writing award and research grant applications
- Submit a program proposal for the annual convention
- Get to know CFGP at the annual convention:
- Attend Saturday night faculty social
- Attend CFGP directorate meeting on Sunday (open to all)
- Attend CFGP Teaching & Learning Session and endorsed programs
CfgP Directorate Elections
Elections information coming soon!
CfgP Awards
Each year, the Commission for Faculty and Graduate Programs acknowledges and supports the outstanding teaching and scholarship of faculty and the scholarship of graduate students in higher education and student affairs programs through the presentation of awards. We are pleased to announce the criteria, application process, and deadline for this year’s awards process. Recipients will be recognized at the annual ACPA National Convention.
For questions about any of the awards, please contact any of the Commission for Faculty and Graduate Programs Awards Coordinators, Niah Grimes ([email protected]), Tonisha Lane ([email protected]), or Marci Rockey ([email protected]).
2025 ACPA Commissions Award Nominations Form
NOMINATIONS OPEN SEPTEMBER 1 – NOVEMBER 2024!
2025 ACPA Commissions Award Nominations Form
Faculty Awards/Grants
CFGP Teaching Excellence Award
The ACPA CFGP Teaching Excellence Award offers instructional faculty in higher education and student affairs graduate programs an opportunity to be recognized by their peers as teachers who inspire the next generation of college student educators. The amount of the teaching award is $500. The deadline for electronic proposal submissions is 5:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time November 1, 2024.
Selection Criteria
Selection for the award is based on the following criteria, which are not ranked by order of importance, nor exclusive:
- Uses multiple approaches in classroom/practicum instruction and evaluation
- Stimulates intellectual curiosity in students
- Shows evidence of employing cutting-edge knowledge in the field
- Demonstrates commitment to student learning as instructor, role model, or positive influence on career development of students
- Reflects on past teaching experience or professional practice to improve current practice
Submission Content
Please compile all material into one PDF document for submission. The required materials include:
- Description of Teaching Excellence: Statement authored by the nominee, emphasizing pedagogy and reflection on teaching experiences over time (750 word maximum)
- Sample teaching material: Carefully selected item that best represents teaching excellence. The artifact could include, for example: a syllabus, course assignment, project guidelines and support material, teaching tool, self-authored learning object.
- Evidence of impact on student learning: A single item demonstrating impact on student learning. Examples include: student evaluations from a course, peer observation report, or student project sample (shared with permission)
- Two letters of support:
- One letter of support from an instructional colleague
- One letter of support from a student (current or past)
Research & Writing Awards
Each year, the CFGP acknowledges the outstanding scholarship of graduate students in higher education and student affairs programs through the presentation of research and writing awards. We are pleased to announce the criteria, application process, and deadline for this year’s awards process. Recipients will be recognized at the annual ACPA National Convention.
The purpose of these awards is to honor the writing and research of students enrolled (and those who earned their degrees between March 2024 – August 2024) in graduate preparation programs in student affairs or higher education. Graduate students need not be a member of ACPA to apply for a writing award, although it is highly encouraged that graduate students join the Association.
Prepare your entry as follows:
- Entries for all awards must be submitted electronically. Please limit your submission to only one award per award cycle.
- Save as an MSWord or PDF document. Submissions must name files with the first few words of the award name and title of the submission. For example: Crookston Student Campus Climate. Your name or institutional affiliation should not appear anywhere on the document. Entries will be masked for anonymous review.
- Submit your entry via the designated online form.
- Directions for submission: After selecting “Professional Preparation” from the dropdown box on the main submission page, click the specific award for which you are applying. Fill in your own information under the “Person/Group being Nominated: Individual, Institution, or Group” (you do not need to complete the top half of the form under “Nominator” since all of our awards are self-nominated). Under “Upload Nomination Letter and Other Materials,” upload materials for your specific award (you do not need a nomination letter for CFGP awards).
- The deadline for entries is 5:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time November 1, 2024. Please note that late submissions will not be considered.
Entries not prepared in this manner will not be considered for an award. The judges reserve the right to make no award in any category.
Burns B. Crookston Doctoral Research Award
This award recognizes research by a doctoral student or students which must entail original, journal-quality, research that brings greater understanding to the learning or development of students or the organization and administration of student affairs practice. The amount of the award is $500.
Submissions should not exceed 7,500 words (approximately 30 double-spaced pages), including references, tables, and figures. All writing must strictly conform to the American Psychological Association 7th edition style manual. Content and style should be appropriate for a professional journal in higher education.
Gerald Saddlemire Masters Research Award
Submissions must be from students in a Master’s student affairs graduate preparation program (or someone who graduated December 2023, Spring 2024, or Summer 2024). Submissions must entail original, journal quality research that gives insight into the learning or development of students or the organization and administration of student affairs practice. The amount of the award is $500.
Submissions must not exceed 3,500 words (approximately 15 double-spaced pages), including references, tables, and figures. All writing must strictly conform to the American Psychological Association 7th edition style manual. Content and style should be appropriate for a professional journal in higher education.
Nevitt Sanford Award
The purpose of this award is to provide financial assistance for research within student affairs. The award may be used to help support dissertations, theses, or specific graduate student research projects. The amount of the award is $500.
Entries must not exceed 750 words (approximately three double-spaced pages, excluding references). Entries must address the purpose, methodology, and significance of the research and how the award money would be spent.
For questions about any of the awards, please contact any of the Commission for Professional Preparation Faculty Awards Coordinators, Niah Grimes ([email protected]), Tonisha Lane ([email protected]), or Marci Rockey ([email protected]).