COED 660: Introduction to Student Affairs in Higher Education
Credit Hours: (3)
Introduces role and philosophy of student affairs in higher education. Students examine professional journals and organizations associated with higher education, philosophical issues in the field, and research in a problem area in higher education.
Detailed Description of Content of Course
This course is intended as a survey of all services, organizations and offices that are labeled as student personnel services in higher education. The course also examines present philosophies of student personnel services.
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
1. Guest Speakers/Class Discussion
A number of class discussions will be led by guest speakers presenting an overview of their respective Student Affairs units. Occasionally, a speaker may request the class to meet at his/her work center in order to enhance the presentation. A period of discussion and reporting will conclude each presentation. All students are expected to contribute to the discussion drawing from readings and personal experience.
2. Papers
Students are required to prepare a short paper for five of the topics to be covered during the semester. Though not intended as a rigid guideline, it is recommended that each paper consider one or more of the following topics: current practices, personnel requirements, legal concerns, problems, and/or future trends of the area being reported. The chosen topics should be researched thoroughly using required readings supplemented by materials located in McConnell Library and elsewhere. A reference list must accompany each paper and appropriate citations should appear in the text using some standardized format (APA, Turabian, etc.) The body of each paper (excluding the reference page) should not exceed five pages, typed and double-spaced. Fourteen points are possible for each paper. Both content and writing skill will be graded. Students are asked to provide two copies of each paper. One will be returned with comments from the instructor.
3. Final Paper
A final paper covering the history and philosophy of Student Affairs will be required. The student will need to synthesize and apply material researched and presented throughout the semester to complete the final paper. The body of the final paper should not exceed twelve pages, typed and double-spaced. Twenty points are possible on the final paper.
Goals and Objectives of the Course
1. To develop a broad perspective of the field of Student Personnel in Higher Education
by reviewing appropriate literature and understanding the general objectives of component
areas.
2. To understand the overall mission of Student Personnel programming and its interrelatedness
to the academic mission of the college/university.
3. To examine the changing nature of the student population in contemporary society
and the impact on Student Personnel activities.
4. To research specific problems, issues, and legal concerns confronting Student Personnel
administration.
5. To articulate, in written and oral form, the history and philosophy, practices,
personnel, legal aspects, issues, and future trends of the various components of Student
Personnel work.
6. To create or enhance a student centered personal philosophy for all aspects of
Higher Education activity.
Assessment Measures
Grading will be based on a 100 point system. Students are expected to actively participate in class discussions which will be worth up to 10 points. A maximum of fourteen points will be possible on each of the five required papers. Late papers will be penalized 1 point. The final paper will be worth up to twenty points.
Other Course Information
None
Review and Approval
April 1999 Revised