the role of student affairs and services in higher education

SECTION III – THE CENTRAL ROLE OF PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION
AND ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
AND SERVICES STAFF
As a fundamental premise of providing pertinent and appropriate high impact,
student centered services and programs on an on-going basis, it is imperative
that the individuals charged with these tasks acquire the necessary knowledge
and skills to carry them out in an effective manner. Although formal academic
preparation in the field is preferable, it is recognized that few of these programs
are offered throughout the world. As a consequence, the following elements
provide the necessary foundation for the preparation and development of the
required expertise for student affairs and services work. It is understood that
more specialized competencies (e.g., counseling and others) will require a
specific professional designation.
KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS AND STUDENT CULTURES
It may seem obvious that the most important knowledge required of staff
working in the area of student affairs/services should be a thorough knowledge
of the students with whom they work. Since students are the raison d’être for
higher education, a thorough knowledge of the composition and characteristics
(demographics) of the student population, the broad diversity, their expectations
and satisfaction , their psycho-social/physical development, as well as their
behavior and motivation is crucial in ensuring the development and
administration of the programs necessary to promote student success.
In a word, student Affairs and services staff members are required to be, or at
minimum become, along with their faculty partners, the campus experts on
knowledge and understanding about students and their development. Through
careful analysis of existing data, the staff needs to develop a comprehensive and
accurate socio-cultural picture of their student population, identifying inadequate
or missing information elements so that they can initiate appropriate action and
inform campus administrators, faculty, student leaders, and government officials
of the nature of the student body.
Although work in this area readily gives staff a feel for students’ needs and
wants, a sort of phenomenological understanding, it is crucial that scientific
instruments and methods be used to supplement this view and provide a wider
sociological perspective of the student body. In this sense, surveys, focus groups
and panels provide, among others, the appropriate context to better understand
the data on the student population as opposed to individual students.
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