Running head: PHILOSOPHY OF STUDENT AFFAIRS-PART II

Philosophy of Student Affairs-Part II

Tyler Sanders
Western Michigan University

PHILOSOPHY OF STUDENT AFFAIRS-PART II

Philosophy of Student Affairs-Part II

It would be a gross understatement to say that the field of student affairs has progressed
since its humble beginnings to extent of the field in the world today. Similar to a majority of
student affairs professionals, the field was unknown to me until my arrival at Ball State
University. After observing those involved in the field, I immersed myself into a community that
not only was working, but working to improve the value and experience of the college education.
The more I saw the more I started to understand how important this field was to each individual
student. I was inspired by the work that these individuals were doing and I realized that this is
what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
In an attempt to better prepare for my future, I had to delve deeper into the understanding
of what student affairs means. While the field is not a term families or even academic faculty
understand, it can be at the heart of a college or university. Student affairs expands from the first
letter of interest sent to a student or a tour of campus on a school field trip to providing alumni
networking and hiring events. It is about providing services and resources for each student, each
need, each want to make them individually successful academically, mentally, and in any way we
can as student affairs professionals. Student affairs essentially becomes the muscle of the
university as each office represents another opportunity for the students enrolled and through the
improvement of programming growing the strength of the body of the university.
Although it is obvious that student affairs has a major role in student success, the value of
a college education continues to be questioned on a national level. By understanding the value
of student affairs, the people may be able to see this clear value of a college education. In the
article Learning Reconsidered, the authors discuss the importance of student affairs as a
partner in the broader campus curriculum (ACPA & NASPA, 2004, p. 1). A majority of the

PHILOSOPHY OF STUDENT AFFAIRS-PART II

country sees college education as everything taught in class, but Learning Reconsidered takes
that a step further by explaining the there is something much bigger and more important to the
experience. As student affairs professionals we insist on providing help in student development
and education. In a partnership with academia, student affairs professionals add learning
opportunities beyond the classroom through employment opportunities, educational
programming, and immersive learning to the student body.
What drove me to this profession is the experience I had with the field and the value that
it added to my education. As a graduate student entering the profession the importance of
student learning has become apparent through class and in my assistantship. Our most important
asset is the students and thus we must value the opportunities that help them to engage in
learning more than the facts taught in their classrooms, but also from the experiences they have
in the residence halls, with their student organizations, and in every decision they make in
college. Another way to explain this is the interweaving of students academic, interpersonal,
and developmental experiences (Whitt, Nesheim, Guentzel, Kellogg, McDonald, & Wells,
2008, p. 4). Principles of Good Practice for Student Affairs (2008) explains that the
profession has to be focused on creating communities that support the continuous learning of the
student attending the university. As professionals we have to be prepared to promote this
learning on different levels and ways for each student. Though each day can bring a new
challenge in an office, going back to an article like this can act as a reminder of why we do what
we do. It is important to recognize that the promotion of active learning is not only for the
students, but also for us professional staff members as well.

PHILOSOPHY OF STUDENT AFFAIRS-PART II

Understanding that education on different levels is occurring is key to being a

professional in the field and to further understand the students. Personally, I am still developing
and this is why I put a great deal of importance into helping students process their development.
Whitt, Nesheim, Guentzel, et al. (2008) shared a similar thought as I do in the process of
development throughout the college experience in saying Student development education
always occurs in the active context of students lives (p. 12). In a majority of the actions
professionals take on a daily basis an objective for student learning can be seen is some way. To
further prove the fact that this time is undeniably a period of time when students are developing
Pascarella and Terenzina (2005) studied the effects of college on students. In their study, it was
clear that students start to explore their identity, improve critical thinking skills, and create a
tolerance for others of diverse backgrounds. With this development occurring, it becomes
crucial for student affairs professionals to provide students the assistance needed. Pascarella and
Terenzina (2005) conclude their study sharing that these and many other developmental factors
have a direct relationship to success after college.
In my experiences so far as a professional, one of my most beneficial interactions came
from a student going through a bevy of different forms of development. The student first came
to my office to tell me that he was meeting with the religious advocate who had caused
controversy on campus. His ability to talk through the issue in a respectful manner against his
personal views showed development that I had never seen in the student. This same student
would come out to me as a homosexual later on in the academic year. In both cases, I was able
to sit down and process the incidents with him. Reflecting on the experience, it had seemed like
the student was just going through the college experience, but looking at it today the relevance of
his development is clearer to me. Over the last semester I have continued to be more engaged

PHILOSOPHY OF STUDENT AFFAIRS-PART II

and understanding of the development that is occurring on campus. Understanding student

development becomes important in being able to provide effective service to students who need
help processing.
One area that had an immense influence on my ability as a professional was my
development in being open minded. Not only was it key to my development, but also takes an
active role in being an effective professional. By being open minded I started to challenge and
question my ideals to help to strengthen past beliefs or create new ones. This has become my
centralized value that I used in my previous example and also with any student that I interact
with. Having this open mind assists me in being prepared for the unknown and unexpected that
comes with the job daily. While this is important, perhaps one of the most important lessons in
the field came from attending a different institution for my graduate degree.
To prepare for each adventure, a professional should look into Elizabeth Whitts Dont
Drink the Water (1998). In this article, Whitt explains that coming to a new institution requires
many actions into understanding the campus culture. Through listening to institutional leaders,
learning the language, and once again using an open mind; individuals can start to be better
prepared for this transition (Whitt, 1998, p. 518-522). Following along with these ideas, I think
it is important for professionals to follow similar plans with each academic year. While the
campus may stay the same, each year is a new year and thus to be a successful professional one
must not reflect on the past as a comparison tool. This is not to say that the past is not important,
but rather to make a clear point that presumptions should not be made on a new year.
As I create my own experiences and knowledge about the field and student development,
my networking and connections still hold great influence in my beliefs in knowledge. In class
our speakers shared many insights to everything that they have grown to know in their

PHILOSOPHY OF STUDENT AFFAIRS-PART II

accumulated time in the field. Something that continued to arise in the conversation was the
importance of gaining a bevy of experiences. Whether that is getting involved or working in
different departments, by working on numerous different projects a student and professional will
gain more knowledge through these experiences. Working in residence life for most of my
career, I saw specific importance in hearing how professionals make decisions to move from an
area that they have become comfortable with. Understanding the right time and fit becomes
significantly important as a professional.
Even from the moment of coming to graduate school to now, I will continue to keep an
open mind and learn. Through reading the text and conversing with knowledgeable colleagues, I
have started to understand my fit and know what my role is in student learning. ACPA and
NASPA (2010) simplify this idea in one of the competency areas saying one must make
meaning from experience (p. 8). This is exactly what I must do in every interaction I have with
students. Processing and acknowledging the lessons that come from the experiences we share
not only help me, but also the students involved. My work may help to provide resources, but
the most important part of our job as a student affairs professional is that of help student to
process their learning. Student affairs may be a broad term, but my personal goal will be to
always be there for the students to provide the individualized assistance they need and deserve.

PHILOSOPHY OF STUDENT AFFAIRS-PART II

References
American College Personnel Association & National Association of Student Personnel
Administrators. (2004). Learning Reconsidered: A Campus-Wide Focus on the Student
Experience. Washington, DC.
American College Personnel Association & National Association of Student Personnel
Administrators. (2010, January). ACPA and NASPA Professional Competency Areas for
Student Affairs Practitioners.
Pascarella, E., & Terenzina, P. (2005) How college affects students: A third decade of research.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Whitt, E. J. (1998) Dont Drink the Water?: A Guide to Encountering a New Institutional
Culture. Professional Development in College Student Affairs Administration, 516-523.
Whitt, E. J., Nesheim, B. E., Guentzel, M. J., Kellogg, A. H., McDonald, W. M., & Wells, C. A.
(2008). Principles of Good Practice for academic and student affairs partnership
programs. Journal of College Student Development, 49(3), 235-249.