Chapter 5 - The Evolution of the Student Affairs Profession and the Ethos of Specialization

Summary

In the early twentieth century, American universities began hiring professionals to support student life outside the classroom. Deans of women pioneered the new field of student affairs, emphasizing holistic, not just intellectual education, and creating their own national professional associations. After WWII, men coming out of the military began to displace women from leadership roles in student services and oversaw the expansion of the fragmented field we have today. The chapter traces the growth, evolution, professionalization, and organizational complexity typical of student affairs since the mid-twentieth century. In the same period, attempts to more closely coordinate fragmented national student service associations failed. Currently, growing costs for student services threaten higher fees for students. Potential savings through modernizing and integrating services have yet to be fully explored. Meanwhile, current fragmentation on campus has negative implications for a vision of a more integrated and holistic educational experience.