Models of student affairs help educators to “reflect on the characteristics of student affairs practice and the extent of the emphasis on student engagement and success” (Manning, Kinzie, and Schuh, 2017, p. 271). In order to enrich students’ educational experience and holistic development, I believe different student affairs models can be implemented at different levels while holding true to a university’s institutional mission.
For over a year, I have worked with MBA students at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in the Evening and Weekend Programs Office. Booth’s mission centers around empowering students to “dig deeper, discover more, and shape the future” through personal, inquisitive thinking and open inquiry (Chicago …show more content…
As Davis (2011) stated “giving customers what they want in the marketplace fails miserably as an educational practice with students in higher education” (p. 86). Treating students with an attitude of “the customer is always right,” does nothing for these students’ holistic development. While it is important to handle students’ requests and inquiries with respect, higher education is tasked “to challenge students to more deeply integrate for themselves a more cogent, differentiated understanding,” rather than giving into their every demand (Davis, 2011, p. …show more content…
While this model still embodies the individualism of our business school, students receive support from student affairs professionals. From the literature on student development, one knows Rendon’s (1984) theory of validation expounds the benefits of validating students, which is an “enabling, confirming and supportive process […] that foster[s] academic and interpersonal development” (as cited in Guido et al., 2016, p. 41). Student affairs professionals’ guidance can serve to validate, as well as offer challenge and support to students, which will continue in their development throughout their educational
For over a year, I have worked with MBA students at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in the Evening and Weekend Programs Office. Booth’s mission centers around empowering students to “dig deeper, discover more, and shape the future” through personal, inquisitive thinking and open inquiry (Chicago …show more content…
As Davis (2011) stated “giving customers what they want in the marketplace fails miserably as an educational practice with students in higher education” (p. 86). Treating students with an attitude of “the customer is always right,” does nothing for these students’ holistic development. While it is important to handle students’ requests and inquiries with respect, higher education is tasked “to challenge students to more deeply integrate for themselves a more cogent, differentiated understanding,” rather than giving into their every demand (Davis, 2011, p. …show more content…
While this model still embodies the individualism of our business school, students receive support from student affairs professionals. From the literature on student development, one knows Rendon’s (1984) theory of validation expounds the benefits of validating students, which is an “enabling, confirming and supportive process […] that foster[s] academic and interpersonal development” (as cited in Guido et al., 2016, p. 41). Student affairs professionals’ guidance can serve to validate, as well as offer challenge and support to students, which will continue in their development throughout their educational