Webinar: Seeing the Whole Picture – Systems Thinking in the Student Union

College unions are complex environments where people, programs, facilities, policies, budgets, and institutional priorities constantly intersect. A decision made in one area can create unexpected effects somewhere else, and solving the problem directly in front of us does not always address the larger issue behind it.  
  
This interactive webinar introduces systems thinking as a practical approach to understanding and navigating the complexity of college union work. Participants will explore ways to look beyond individual problems, identify connections and patterns across their organizations, and consider how decisions and changes in one part of the system may influence others. Through examples grounded in college union and student affairs practice, participants will leave with strategies they can apply to everyday problem-solving, decision-making, and organizational improvement.  

About the Presenters

Jessi Eaton is a higher education professional with more than 20 years of experience in student affairs, student engagement, and campus programming. She currently works at Purdue University Global, where she supports student organizations, professional learning communities, leadership development, and engagement initiatives for a large, fully online adult student population. Throughout her career, Jessi has focused on building systems and structures that make complex work more effective, sustainable, and student-centered. Her professional interests include organizational leadership, student belonging, process improvement, and finding practical ways to connect day-to-day decisions with broader institutional goals. Jessi is completing her Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation at Purdue Global, where her applied research examines the role of professional learning communities in supporting belonging and persistence-related attitudes among adult online students.  

ACUI Core Competencies

• Planning

Learning Outcomes

As a result of attending this program, participants will be able to:

• Explain foundational concepts of systems thinking and their relevance to college union and student affairs work.  
• Identify relationships, patterns, and interdependencies among people, programs, processes, resources, and institutional priorities.  
• Apply a systems-thinking approach to analyze a common challenge or decision within a college union environment.  
• Identify potential intended and unintended consequences when considering changes to programs, processes, policies, or operations.  
• Use practical systems-thinking strategies to support more informed problem-solving and decision-making within their own organizations.  

Registration Details

• Individual at Premium or Full Tier Member Campus: Free
• Individual at Digital Tier Member Campus – $20
• Individual at Nonmember Campus – $50

Each person who wants access to event or resources following event should register individually. Members must be associated with the correct campus account to receive the $0 rate, where applicable; please contact acui@acui.org with questions or issues.