141 Appreciative Inquiry Appreciative Inquiry and Student Affairs: A Positive Approach to Change'

and builds on past successes) using these as positive momentum for future change. AI provides student qffairs with an alternative and generative approach to improving their organizations) processes and culture. As student qffairs prrfessionals look to thefuture if their organizations) thispaperprovides an overoiew ifAI as an importantmethodology to help with change and chronicles the experiences if a student qffairs unit that is engaged in AI activities to altertheirworkplace culture. Individuals, including student affairs professionals, often find themselves focusing on what is wrong with their organization rather than what is right. Most are guilty of criticizing their organization and its leadership about what needs to be done differently. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is an organization development (OD) methodology that "is a collaborative and highly participative, holistic approach to seeking, identifying, and enhancing the 'life-giving forces ' that are present when a system is performing optimally in human, economic, and organizational terms" (Watkins & Mohr, 2001, p. 14). AI focuses on the best an organization has to offer and seeks to make it even better. This paper explores AI as a methodology for change and chronicles the experiences of one student affairs unit that engaged in AI activities to alter their workplace culture