Values, Philosophy, and History
Category: Proficient
In this competency, I have developed in the following areas:
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“Describe the foundational philosophies, disciplines, and values of the profession” (p. 18)
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“Articulate the historical contexts of institutional types and functional areas within higher education and student affairs” (p. 18)
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“Describe the roles of faculty, academic affairs, and student affairs educators in the institution” (p. 18)
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“Articulate the history of the inclusion and exclusion of people with a variety of identities in higher education” (p. 18)
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“Articulate the changing nature of the global student affairs profession and communicate the need to provide a contextual understanding of higher education” (p. 18)
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“Articulate the similarities and differences of varying and emerging global student affairs philosophies” (p. 18)
Activities:
CSP 6010. CSP 6010, Foundations and Functions of College Student Personnel, provided a strong foundation of the different philosophies, disciplines, functional areas, and values within student affairs. In addition to the structural makeup of student affairs, we also learned about the history of student affairs, and what events in history have led to the current structure of higher education and the development of student affairs. We learned about World War I and World War II’s impact on education, and how the Servicemen’s readjustment act changed the landscape of education. Additionally we learned about the important legal cases, Gott v. Berea and Dixon v. Alabama, which marked the beginning and end of In Loco Parentis for higher education. Specifically related to student affairs, we read important documents that have shaped the work of student affairs for decades. These documents include The Student Personnel Point of View, The Student Learning Imperative, and Learning Reconsidered. Reading these and many of the other materials from class helped me understand the history of higher education, the role of student affairs and faculty, and the varying disciplines within the field. This deep understanding of higher education in the United States has served me in all of my classes, but most specifically provided a foundation for comparison during the South Africa study tour.
One of my favorite aspects of this course was being able to learn about functional areas and disciplines that I had never had exposure to in college. Through reading the CAS standards and doing a presentation on Greek Life, I was able to develop a better understanding of a functional area I had no exposure to and make connections on campus to professionals outside of my area. Additionally, I enjoyed interviewing a faculty member for the Faculty paper because it helped me have a better understanding of the connections between student affairs and academics, and what student affairs needs to do to bridge the gap between these two areas. As I move forward in my career, this perspective will be important in helping fellow student affairs colleagues understand the importance of reaching out to faculty.
South Africa Study Tour. I had the privilege of participating in the summer study tour that visited South Africa. This experience was very eye-opening for me because it introduced me to a completely new culture that is still suffering from the aftermath of apartheid and it allowed me to see how a different higher education system works. In many ways the aftermath of apartheid has had a significant effect on how higher education works in South Africa and it was important to see how another country is handling issues of inclusion and exclusion. During the pre-departure sessions we learned about the history of higher education and I saw many parallels to the problems we are currently experience in the United States with regards to access and opportunity. Visiting South Africa helped frame what we learned in the classroom because in reality the problem was much worse than I could have imagined, but administrators were generally very proactive about trying to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds. At the University of the Western Cape we were able to meet with student affairs administrators who were using student development theory the same way we do in the United States. This was the first place we were able to see this, and while it was encouraging, it made me wonder how applicable those studies are to different countries and different cultures. Overall this was a great experience that expanded my understanding of student affairs on a global scale and contributed to my understanding of issues of social justice.
Reference
ACPA & NASPA (2015). Professional competency areas for student affairs practitioners. Washington, DC: Authors.
