Message from the Chair

Dear Colleagues:

Welcome to the website of the Association for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASACCU).  ASACCU is an independent organization and is affiliated with the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU).  We seek to be the voice of Student Affairs in Catholic higher education.

ASACCU was founded in 1999 by a group of student affairs practitioners working at Catholic colleges and universities in the United States. The purpose of the organization is to provide opportunities for communication and collegiality among student affairs professionals who work at Catholic institutions of higher education, which remains the purpose today.  ASACCU is guided by a Board of Directors, who volunteer their time to lead the organization.  Board members are elected at the annual Association meeting. 

ASACCU provides opportunities to increase knowledge and understanding of the Catholic intellectual tradition, as well as opportunities to discuss how the tradition might apply in the day-to-day work with students on campus.  ASACCU functions as both a resource and network for student affairs professionals seeking ways to inform professional practice on each of our campuses, integrating the ideals of Ex Corde Ecclesiae and the Gospel message that underlies each of our institutions. We seek to strengthen the Catholic identity, mission, and vision of our institutions in our efforts -- with student development at the heart of what we do.

Thanks to the commitment of ASACCU’s members, ASACCU offers an annual summer conference in July. The conference is hosed at a member institution that is responsible for the theme and program selection. The conference is the highlight of the year for the organization, allowing members to learn and grow from one another and to form a larger community across our campuses.  The conference allows student affairs professionals to develop their knowledge and skill in serving students within the context of the Catholic mission and values we all share.

In summary, ASACCU membership benefits include: 

  • An annual conference at the end of July, at reasonable cost for you and your team, on Catholic identity and its articulation within student life initiatives
  • Annual Roundtable Discussion in November of senior student affairs officers, which serves as an opportunity to share experiences and explore issues with colleagues in a small setting
  • Provide a voice to ACCU regarding the important work of student affairs at Catholic colleges and universities
  • Website resources and an annual directory to facilitate the on-going communication of our members
  • Educational resources: for example, ASACCU was instrumental in publishing the Principles of Good Practice for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities in 2007 and its second edition with diagnostic queries in 2010.

Thank you for your support and participation in ASSACU.  If we can be of any help to you or your staff, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Linda McMurdock, Ph.D.
Chair, ASACCU Board of Directors
Vice President for Student Affairs
Mount Saint Mary’s University
Los Angeles, CA 90049-1599
[email protected]