Contested Issues in Student Affairs: Diverse Perspectives and Respectful Dialogue

by Peter M. Magolda (Editor), Marcia B. Baxter Magolda (Editor)

What is your level of understanding of the many moral, ideological, and political issues that student affairs educators regularly encounter? What is your personal responsibility to addressing these issues? What are the rationales behind your decisions? What are the theoretical perspectives you might choose and why? How do your responses compare with those of colleagues?Contested Issues in Student Affairs augments traditional introductory handbooks that focus on functional areas (e.g., residence life, career services) and organizational issues. It fills a void by addressing the social, educational and moral concepts and concerns of student affairs work that transcend content areas and administrative units, such as the tensions between theory and practice, academic affairs and student affairs, risk taking and failure; and such as issues of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and spirituality. It places learning and social justice at the epicenter of student affairs practice.The book addresses these issues by asking 24 critical and contentious questions that go to the heart of contemporary educational practice. Intended equally for future student affairs educators in graduate preparation programs, and as reading for professional development workshops, it is designed to stimulate reflection and prompt readers to clarify their own thinking and practice as they confront the complexities of higher education.Student affairs faculty, administrators, and graduate students here situate these 24 questions historically in the professional literature, present background information and context, define key terms, summarize the diverse ideological and theoretical responses to the questions, make explicit their own perspectives and responses, discuss their political implications, and set them in the context of the changing nature of student affairs work. Each chapter is followed by a response that offers additional perspectives and complications, reminding readers of the ambiguity and complexity of many situations.Each chapter concludes with a brief annotated bibliography of seminal works that offer additional information on the topic, as well as with a URL to a moderated blog site that encourages further conversation on each topic and allows readers to teach and learn from each other, and interact with colleagues beyond their immediate campus. The website invites readers to post blogs, respond to each other, and upload relevant resources. The book aims to serve as a conversation starter to engage professionals in on-going dialogue about these complex and enduring challenges.Short ContentsThe 24 questions are organized into four units.I. The Philosophical Foundations of Student Affairs in Higher Education explores the implications and complications of student affair educators placing learning at the epicenter of their professional work. II. The Challenges of Promoting Learning and Development explores the challenges associated with learning-centered practice. III. Achieving Inclusive and Equitable Learning Environments addresses crafting learning environments that include students whose needs are often labeled “special,” or students and/or student subcultures that are often marginalized and encouraged to adapt to normalizing expectations. IV. Organizing Student Affairs Practice for Learning and Social Justice addresses the organizational and professional implications of placing learning and social justice at the epicenter of student affairs practice.

Genres: Professional Development, Education

522 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2011

Reviews

[Steve P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great topics affecting Higher Education administrators in the 21st century, presented in a point-counterpoint format with different perspectives.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contested Issues in Student Affairs: Diverse Perspectives and Respectful Dialogue

by Peter M. Magolda and Marcia B Baxter Magolda
(Sterling, Virgina: Stylus Publishing, 471)


There are currently many diverse approaches taught through the traditional introductory texts on High Education Student Affairs. These introductory texts can be summarized into three 'trends'. The first are common approaches which have occurred over the last 50 years: Student Services, Student Development and Student Learning. The second is the primarily technical nature of these texts, providing little of the moral, ideological and political aspects of the student affairs enterprice. Lastly is the frequent focus on boundaries; boundaries differentiating institutions, student affairs vs academic affairs and even boundaries within student affairs – separating departments into functional units or basic groups. Peter and Marcia Baxter Magolda compiled this book to challenge graduate students enrolled in student affairs preparation programs and leaders of divisions of student affairs to rethink the way the subject is being taught to current and future professionals and develope a resource which address issues which are not currently covered in traditional introductory texts.

Contested Issues in Student Affairs is a collection of 24 essays and responses – written by more than 50 experts and long-standing professionals in the field. It is organized into four key parts:
Philosophical Foundations of Student Affairs in Higher Education
Challenges of Promoting Learning and Development
Achieving Inclusive and Equitable Learning Environments
Organizing Student Affairs Practice for Learning and Social Justice
Each of the 24 chapters ends with a chapter link and additional resources which readers can access to continue the dialogue about the contested issues cover in that chapter.

“Desired outcomes for readers of this book are that they explore the many different theoretical and ideological approaches that student affairs scholar practioners employ when addressing complex questions and situations, and that professionals are encouraged to generate and disseminate their responses to these prospectives about professional challenges through participatiing in a sustained online dialogue.” (xix)

The links and web resources available with the book are a great opportunity to discuss critical topics however I found only limited involvement and a lack of ongonig dialogue left the experience falling short. It make make more sense to access these resources as a graduate student as part of a course but there was not a lot of someone accessing it independantly.

That being said the format of the book was excellent allowing a point of view to be expressed and then challenged by another professional or group of professionals – sometimes in a casual and conversational tone. The entire book felt very much like a conversation between peers and I learned a great deal from it. The opinions expressed were not those of the authors but by the essayists. They were varied and balanced.

Contest Issues in Student Affairs focuses on student affairs educators as learning specialists and explores moral, ideological and political issues without getting caught up in the content. This leads to interesting discussions around the education of the educator. The however it also causes the book to have a limited appeal and readership that doesn't exist outside of Graduate Students in Student Affairs and Faciliators of Student Affairs programs. This was pretty disappointing considering the topics were so interesting that a broader audience could have led to further exploration of these issues and more extensive online discussions.

I appreciated the approach of editors and found their selection of contributors appropriate and thoughtful. A broader appeal could push book closer to the intended goal of encouraging online discussion however this book will no doubt be used as a resource for graduate and professional development programs on an ongoing basis.

[Dustin Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Critical book for student affairs professionals. While it definitely shares tenets of social justice in its message, the overall point of the book is to raise awareness around timely issues in the field. At first glance, chapter titles may seem biased, but most chapters are balanced with a point-counterpoint concept.

Additionally, it provides an online blog and further reading options at the end of each chapter/topic that make it great for professional development!

[Mills College Library]

378.197 C7619 2011

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important read. Some chapters and responses to chapters better than others.