Making Change Happen in Student Affairs : Challenges and Strategies

This book is a call to action for student affairs leaders as they encounter ongoing and emerging issues and problems facing their students, their staff, and their institutions. It reframes the purpose, role, and function of student affairs leaders as educators more than mere service providers. By applying shared foundations, ethical principles, a rich knowledge base, and experience, student affairs leaders can develop effective strategies to confront and resolve vexing problems. While not prescriptive, the book describes practical strategies for analyzing problems and issues and developing effective plans for action. Each chapter includes concepts or tools that might be used to confront issues and problems on campus (e.g. management of financial resources; staffing and supervision; diversity and multiculturalism; advocating for some students while serving all students; managing mental health issues, using of technology to affect change, working with and adapting to institutional culture, ethics, values, and change in leadership). Through extensive examples and case studies, the book shows student affairs leaders how to strategically apply these concepts or tools to resolve a variety of issues they face.