Mary Beth Mackin Foundations of Professional Practice
Student conduct work is complex, consequential, and deeply connected to student learning, institutional values, and legal responsibility. Yet many professionals arrive in conduct roles through varied pathways—often without structured preparation in the foundational principles that shape ethical, effective practice. The Mary Beth Mackin Foundations of Professional Practice track is designed to intentionally ground practitioners in the core knowledge, skills, and frameworks necessary for thoughtful, student-centered conduct work.
This track centers the philosophical, historical, ethical, and legal foundations of student conduct practice. Participants will examine American jurisprudence, key legal cases, and legislation that continue to influence conduct policies, procedures, and decision-making. Using the ASCA Knowledge & Skills framework, the track connects theory to day-to-day practice, emphasizing moral and identity development, learning outcomes, and the role of conduct processes in supporting student growth and accountability.
Participants will engage in applied learning focused on navigating ethical dilemmas using ethical decision-making models; designing and facilitating effective conduct meetings and hearing boards; and implementing intentional, student-centered approaches to sanctions, outcomes, and appeals. The track also explores current trends, emerging challenges, policy considerations, communication strategies, and the importance of campus and community partnerships in prevention, outreach, and education.
Recognizing that professionals enter conduct work at different career stages, the Foundations track includes two subgroups: one for early-career professionals building foundational knowledge and confidence, and one for experienced professionals who are newer to conduct work and seeking structured grounding. While participants engage in shared core content, each subgroup will have dedicated discussion and application sessions tailored to experience level. Participants will self-select their subgroup during registration.
This track is designed for practitioners who want to move beyond simply “doing conduct” toward practicing with clarity, consistency, ethical grounding, and intentionality.