History of Student Affairs & Residence Life

1. WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO. History of Student Affairs & Residence Life

2. What is Student Affairs? • The division in which you work. • What other offices fall under the umbrella of student affairs? • What types of issues or concerns are addressed through these offices?

3. Way Back in the 1600s… • Largely pre-student affairs as we know it today. • Goals of education: • Holistic development • Stress on educating for salvation/moral character, not just the development of the intellect • Educating future clergy and public officials. • Dormitory made it possible for faculty to exercise supervision and parental concern for the well being of students. • Faculty roles - System of discipline was paternalistic (like father over his children), strict, and authoritarian. • Guide • Teacher • Mentor • Co-resident • Disciplinarian

4. Colonial Period • American colonists built universities to develop the progression of responsible leaders for both church and state. • Tensions between students and faculty characterized colonial college life. Numerous complaints ranging from bad food in the dining commons to dissatisfaction from the curriculum often sparked student riots and revolts. • Religion was an important part of the culture and a majority of the institutions developed a denominational tie. • The faculty and president offered supervision of student conduct and moral development. • There was little focus on completing degrees.

5. New Colonial Colleges • American colleges and universities were based off of the Oxbridge model (Oxford and Cambridge, founded in 1096 and 1209). • Birth of the first residence halls known as dormitories . • Combined living and learning within quadrangles. • The college was an isolated, “total” institution whose responsibilities included guiding both the social and academic dimensions of undergraduate life. • Characteristics of these first institutions: • Residential • Rural • Sectarian • Classical, liberal arts curriculum Prepared young men for ministry and civic leadership

6. The Beginnings of Student Affairs (1850 – 1913) • Land grant acts created institutions for children of farmers to attend /HBCUs. • Co-education; Access to education. • Greek organizations founded. • 1st Deans of Men and Women. • Emergence of new curriculum. • Faculty begins to be concerned more with student’s academic development and less concerned with discipline. • Evolution of college athletics. • Fostered intercollegiate contact • Unified campus

7. Residence Life Comes Full Circle • THE OLD MODEL • Faculty live in residence and held the roles of RD/RAs. • Deans of Men and Women • House mother model • Care taker • Parent-like • Regulations • THE NEW MODEL • 1960s – Birth of student affairs and student development movement • Power of peers • Faculty are moving back in res halls to create living/learning communities bridging the gap between in and out of class learning.

8. Who Are You Developing? Student Development Overview

9. The American College Student What issues does the typical college student face between the ages of 18 – 22?

10. Major Issues That Students Face • Identity • Sexual orientation • Faith and spirituality • Racial and ethnic • Socioeconomic • Drugs and Alcohol • Financial • Autonomy • Freedom and independence • Being away from home • Learning life skills • Career Development • Clarifying Values, Moral, and Ethics

11. #LifeJustGotCray! • AUGUST • Homesickness • Experimentation • Involvement • Cohabitation • SEPTEMBER • Academics • Social circle formation • Greek recruitment • Honeymoon is over • End of the first 6 weeks • OCTOBER • Seasonal Affective Disorder • Midterms • Peer pressure sets in • Conflicts emerge • NOVEMBER • Holiday season • Changing parental relationship • “Turkey drop” • End of season for fall athletes • DECEMBER • Winter break • Self image • Broken bank • High school bygones

12. #LifeIsStillCray • JANUARY • Redefining home • Winter blues • New year, new you • FEBRUARY • Singles Awareness Day • Cold & flu season • MARCH • Spring flings • Housing issues for coming year • Distractingly warm days • Midterms • Summer stress • APRIL/MAY • Final exam anxiety • Springfest – poppin’ bottles! • Graduating friends • Uncertainty over major • Returning home

13. #RandomChaos • Documentation • Pregnancy scares • Failed relationships • Death of friends, family, and pets • Illness of self and others • Suicidal ideations • Eating disorders • Cutting • Departuresand dismissals • World events

14. Oh Gee Willikers, Now I’m Scared.But, What Can I Do? • Start off strong. Develop relationships! • Dust off that RA tool belt. You are competent but never alone. • You aren’t the expert, but who is? • Take the temperature of the floor/community. • Program, program, program! • Intentionality. • Self care – you’re a student too. • What do you need to do to care for yourself. • You can’t help others if you don’t help yourself first.

15. Making Memories • What is your most memorable college moment? • Where did most of these memories occur? • What role does residence life play in the college experience? What do we teach?

16. Competencies We Develop • Self awareness • Global citizenry • Responsibility to community • Values and Integrity • Health & Wellness • Life Skills • Intellectual capacity • What role do YOU play as an RA?

17. …A BIG ONE! • How do we develop students? • Challenge and support • Confrontation • Programming and bulletin boards • One-on-one conversations • Modeling the way • Affirmation • Community

18. Student Development TheoryThis could be a semester long course, but we won’t do that to you… • Student development occurs along a continuum. • No magic formula • Developmental differences • Expect the unexpected • GOAL: Achieve a proper balance of challenge and support to encourage growth. • Meet them where they are. • Do no harm. • Behavior is a function of the person in the environment. • Practice informs theory and theory guides practice.

19. How Do Know We’ve Done Our Job? While developing others, you also develop and learn about yourself.

20. Want To Be Like Us? • No one starts college knowing he/she wants to do “this.” Student affairs is a real job! • Get involved on campus. • Find a mentor. • Research professional or graduate opportunities. • Ask us questions.