Where You Work Matters

by Hirt, Joan B.

• ISBN13: 9780761834236
• ISBN10: 0761834230
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-03-02
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Summary

This volume challenges the widely held assumption that the professional practice of student affairs administration transcends the influence of organizational culture. Based on data and commentaries from more than 1,100 practitioners, this book describes how the experience of student affairs administrators varies by institutional type. The findings paint a multifaceted and integrated portrait of the profession. For instance, the standard bearers at liberal art colleges share as much in common with the generalists at comprehensive institutions as they do with the interpreters at religiously affiliated campuses. The specialists at research universities are juxtaposed against the producers at community colleges, however they have closer ties to the change agents at Hispanic-serving institutions. The work of the guardians at historically Black colleges and universities is linked to practice at both liberal arts and community colleges. Where You Work Matters offers current and future administrators a greater appreciation for the vibrancy and complexity of the student affairs profession.

Author Biography

Joan B. Hirt is Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Virginia Tech

Table of Contents

ACPA Books and Media Editorial Board	iv
List of Tables	ix
Preface	xi
Acknowledgements	xvii
Chapter One What Do We Really Know About Student Affairs Work	1	(18)
Higher Education in the United States	2	(4)
The Literature on the Profession	6	(3)
What We Need to Learn About the Student Affairs Profession	9	(1)
The Studies	10	(5)
The Calendar Study	10	(1)
The National Survey Study	11	(1)
The Community College Studies (Case Study and Follow-Up Study)	12	(1)
The Association Study	13	(1)
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Study	14	(1)
The Hispanic Serving Institutions Study	15	(1)
Some Caveats	15	(2)
Conclusion	17	(2)
Chapter Two The Standard Bearers: Student Affairs Professionals at Liberal Arts Colleges	19	(20)
Historical Evolution	20	(3)
The Nature of the Liberal Arts College Campus	23	(3)
Mission	23	(2)
Faculty	25	(1)
Students	26	(1)
The Nature of Student Affairs Work	26	(6)
The Work Environment	27	(2)
The Pace of Work	29	(2)
How Work Gets Done	31	(1)
The Nature of Relationships	32	(4)
The Nature of Rewards	36	(1)
Conclusions	36	(3)
Chapter Three The Interpreters: Professional Life at Religiously Affiliated Institutions	39	(22)
Historical Evolution	40	(2)
The Nature of the Religiously Affiliated College Campus	42	(5)
Mission	43	(2)
Faculty	45	(1)
Students	46	(1)
The Nature of Student Affairs Work	47	(7)
The Work Environment	47	(4)
The Pace of Work	51	(2)
How Work Gets Done	53	(1)
The Nature of Relationships	54	(3)
The Nature of Rewards	57	(2)
Conclusions	59	(2)
Chapter Four The Generalists: Student Affairs Work at Comprehensive Colleges and Universities	61	(24)
Historical Evolution	62	(3)
The Nature of the Comprehensive University Campus	65	(5)
Mission	66	(2)
Faculty	68	(1)
Students	69	(1)
The Nature of Student Affairs Work	70	(7)
The Work Environment	72	(2)
The Pace of Work	74	(2)
How Work Gets Done	76	(1)
The Nature of Relationships	77	(3)
The Nature of Rewards	80	(2)
Conclusions	82	(3)
Chapter Five The Specialists: Professional Life at Research Universities	85	(24)
Historical Evolution	86	(4)
The Nature of the Research University Campus	90	(4)
Mission	90	(2)
Faculty	92	(1)
Students	93	(1)
The Nature of Student Affairs Work	94	(7)
The Work Environment	96	(2)
The Pace of Work	98	(2)
How Work Gets Done	100	(1)
The Nature of Relationships	101	(3)
The Nature of Rewards	104	(2)
Conclusions	106	(3)
Chapter Six The Guardians: Professional Life at Historically Black Colleges and Universities	109	(26)
Historical Evolution	110	(4)
The Nature of the Historically Black College and University Campus	114	(5)
Mission	114	(2)
Faculty	116	(2)
Students	118	(1)
The Nature of Student Affairs Work	119	(5)
The Work Environment	120	(2)
The Pace of Work	122	(1)
How Work Gets Done	123	(1)
The Nature of Relationships	124	(4)
The Nature of Rewards	128	(3)
Conclusions	131	(4)
Chapter Seven The Producers: Professional Life at Community Colleges	135	(24)
Historical Evolution	136	(2)
The Nature of the Community College Campus	138	(7)
Mission	139	(3)
Faculty	142	(1)
Students	143	(2)
The Nature of Student Affairs Work	145	(1)
The Work Environment	146	(6)
The Pace of Work	149	(2)
How Work Gets Done	151	(1)
The Nature of Relationships	152	(3)
The Nature of Rewards	155	(2)
Conclusions	157	(2)
Chapter Eight The Change Agents: Student Affairs Administration at Hispanic-Serving Institutions	159	(26)
Historical Evolution	160	(1)
The Nature of the Hispanic-Serving Institution Campus	161	(7)
Mission	162	(2)
Faculty and Staff	164	(2)
Students	166	(2)
The Nature of Student Affairs Work	168	(7)
The Work Environment	170	(2)
The Pace of Work	172	(2)
How Work Gets Done	174	(1)
The Nature of Relationships	175	(3)
The Nature of Rewards	178	(3)
Conclusions	181	(4)
Chapter Nine Where You Work Matters	185	(26)
How Student Affairs Administration Differs by Institutional Type	186	(16)
The Standard Bearers at Liberal Arts Institutions	186	(6)
The Interpreters at Religiously Affiliated Institutions	192	(2)
The Generalists at Comprehensive Institutions	194	(1)
The Specialists at Research Universities	195	(2)
The Guardians at Historically Black Colleges and Universities	197	(1)
The Producers of the Community Colleges	198	(2)
The Change Agents at Hispanic-Serving Institutions	200	(2)
Implications for Practice at the Graduate Preparation Level	202	(3)
Implications for the Hiring and Recruiting Process	205	(2)
Implications for Professional Development Programs	207	(1)
Conclusion	208	(3)
References	211	(12)
About the Author	223