Student Affairs Models and Critical Issues

1. Student Affairs Models and Critical Issues A look at strengths and weaknesses of organizational structures and how they address critical issues in higher education.

2. Traditional Student Affairs Models • Out-of Class Centered Model: “no one checks your GPA after you graduate. But everyone looks at your resume for leadership, involvement, and out-of-class experience” (Manning, Kinzie, and Schuh p. 37). • Administrative-Centered Models: founded on principles of organizational theory and management principles. Heavy value of student retention, fiscal responsibility, and strategic planning. • Functional Silos Model • Student Service Centered Model

3. Out-of-Class Model • Most learning happens outside of the classroom • Leadership and involvement opportunities are plentiful, but NOT connected to academic life +Allows for staff specialization in one functional area +Creates a separate budget for student affairs programs + Frees faculty to teach + CAN increase student retention - Lack of faculty support creates roadblocks to expansion of programs -Students have to juggle or choose between academics and involvement - Creates two separate missions and hierarchies w/i an institution What to look for Pros and Cons

4. Functional Silos • Offices that serveone functional incredibly well • No collaboration or centralized supervision • Competition between programs for resources • No collective mission, values or vision among departments +Once found, service is of extremely high quality and professional + Financial accountability + Clear division of labor for administration - Not student centered - Professional isolation can lead to burnout - Budget cuts lead to quick elimination of departments What to look for Pros and Cons

5. Student Service Centered Model • View of institution like a service oriented company (bank, internet, phone, food) • High value on fast, efficient, helpful services • Reputation of departments is highly valued (i.e. brand loyalty) over relationships with students + High customer service +Management tasks are separated and specialized + Integrates student workers into organized system and helps in developing new professionals - Lack of collaboration - Budget cuts for highly specialized programs What to look for Pros and Cons

6. Innovative Student Affairs Models • Student-Centered Models: Values and promotes development of the whole person and views students as the center of the university’s purpose. Creates elevated student governance and employment as paraprofessionals • Ethic of Care Model • Student-Driven Model • Student-Agency Model • Academic Collaboration Models: Values and emphasize combined efforts between academic and student affairs to create student engagement and success • Academic-Student Affairs Collaborative Model • Academic-Centered Model

7. Ethic of Care Model • Services are centered on care and relationships with students • Student needs are “preeminent” • First-year and transfer student programs receive constant attention/resources • Institutional obligation to assist those who are inadequately prepared to succeed academically or socially +High level of time and energy spent on individual student needs + Every member of community is valued -Huge time commitment by faculty and staff - Requires large staffs and resources - Treats students like children, does not promote self-advocacy What to look for Pros and Cons

8. Student-Driven Model • Heavy student involvement in facilitating student (community service, rec. center, programming) and academic services (tutoring, research) • Puts a great deal of trust in students to run the show • Strong belief and value in student empowerment and engagement at the highest levels • Works best with traditional student populations +Creates strong student ownership in programming and services + Students work to get others involved + Stretches institutional resources + Provides faculty and SAPs with new lens -Requires extra training and supervision by staff - Requires heavily involvement which may be impossible for some students What to look for Pros and Cons

9. Student Agency Model • Students are completely responsible for student services and programming • Students are full and equal partners with faculty and staff • Clearly shared values, purpose and obligations for all community members + Clearly shared values, purpose and obligations facilitates high quality, consistent leadership +Increased personal responsibility leads to invested learning + Heavy emphasis on self-advocacy - Relying on students initiative can be problematic • Programs may be inefficient and messy • Too much re-invention every year - Low involvement from external stakeholders What to look for Pros and Cons

10. Academic-Student Affairs Collaborative Model • Vision of seamless learning in and out of the classroom • Academic and student affairs activities build on one another • Mutual mission concerning student success • Belief that all parties are vital to student learning +Significant interactions between students, faculty and staff + Students don’t need to choose academics over involvement +Shared administrative resources and burdens- less likely to cut specific programs quickly • Unfair, lopsided collaborations can exist • Lessening of each groups impact in order to partner up • Who reports to whom? What to look for Pros and Cons

11. Academic-Centered Model • Students and faculty are primarily responsible for coordinating student life activities • Student affairs activities are usually connected with academic issues • SAPs are involved in providing structural support to help students succeed in an academically rigorous environment • SAPs play a key role in helping student relax and recreate +Students value and enhance the academic rigor and educational mission of their institution + Students have a great deal of face time with faculty + Faulty members are highly involved on campus + Allows SAPs to showcase talents as educators +Student affairs paired with academic mission CAN lead to fewer budget cuts - Faculty don’t always understand or appreciate student affairs - Requires huge time commitment by faculty - Extremely limited role for student affairs professionals What to look for Pros and Cons