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Erin L. Good hopes to support students' academic success in spite of a trauma.

By Bethany Conway, Dean of Students Office
October 2, 2009

Erin L. Good, the first-ever coordinator of student assistance and advocacy in the Dean of Students Office, will be dedicated to helping students dealing with a crisis or traumatic situation.

"I am really excited to offer support and am dedicated to helping students while they are attending the university," said Good, who began this month.

She will be responsible for connecting students with resources, such as those offered by the UA's Counseling and Psychological Services, while also supporting them in ways that help succeed academically.

Good "will be directly dealing with issues related to distressed students, health and safety protocols, student wellness checks, student disputes and mediation, and developing innovative programs and initiatives related to student advocacy and support," said Jason Casares, UA's assistant dean of students.

Already, she has dealt with a range of issues: students dealing with the death of a family member; those dealing with a financial crisis; students who have been injured; or those who have been a victim as defined by the UA's Student Code of Conduct. 

The position is funded through a student fee and will promote as well as provide student-centered advocacy. But one major point of note: Good is not serving as a counselor, though she can refer students to others, and she is mandated to report crimes or abuse. 

Good also has conducted health and wellness checks for parents of UA students who have not heard from them for a period of time.

"We want to provide an additional avenue for the student voice to be heard and validated, and we believe that Erin will do just that," said Casares, who is also the University's coordinator for safety.

Good also speak about issues related to safety in a video on the UA Safe Cats blog. 

"There continues to be a need in the Dean of Students Office to provide support, assistance and advocacy for students who deal with crisis and emergency situations," Casares said.

Good spent the last five years working in the areas of victim advocacy and violence prevention, most recently as a violence prevention specialist for the UA's Oasis Program for Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence. 

"I have always been committed to helping people," Good said. "I see so much potential and strength in people, and it's a tremendous honor to be part of their journey."

A graduate of Central Michigan University, Good received her undergraduate degree in 2003 and is currently earning a master's degree in Arizona State University's social work program.

Prior to working for Oasis, she spent two years as a victim advocate for the Pima County Attorney's Office Victim Witness Program, where she participated in developing Pima County's specialized Domestic Violence Court.

Good said she is excited to get back into the area of advocacy.

"I feel that my strength and my skill set lie in advocacy work," she said. "It's amazing to see the strength that people have, and the resilience in the middle of the stress and the trauma. It never ceases to amaze me."

As the first person to occupy the student assistance and advocacy role, Good hopes to develop the position into a major resource for the University community.

"It can be whatever I make of it. I can run with it as far as I want to go," she said. "It's exciting to think about the many ways we can provide student-centered advocacy here on campus."