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Balancing Priorities
in a student affairs master's program to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge
to navigate the complexities of today's college student. Additionally, greater emphasis
could be placed on the candidate's reference checks, conducted as part of the hiring
process, especially when hiring a lower qualified candidate; previous employers can
judge whether or not the candidate has the correct mindset for the role, a desire to help
students, and an inclination for professional learning and growth.
Decreasing Enrollment in Student Affairs Graduate Programs
Dr. Stephanie McBrayer, associate vice president for student affairs at the University of
Central Arkansas, believes that part of the low enrollment in student affairs graduate
programs can be attributed to restrictions related to the pandemic. Students simply
have not witnessed the true magic of housing and residence life and therefore have not
been inspired to pursue a career in student affairs or HRL (Stoner, 2022). Although
there may be truth in that assessment, there are still many opportunities to inspire
students through mentoring relationships, which can encourage them to consider the
field and recognize the positive impact they can make. At the University of Central
Arkansas, they created multiple senior resident assistant positions specifically designed
for juniors and seniors who are considering a career in student affairs, with the
premise that they will enroll in the College Student Personnel Administration master's
program and concurrently receive a graduate assistantship with the HRL department.
These positions allow students to gain additional leadership experience, manage budgets,
co-manage a facility, and run their own staff meetings. In turn, they receive a
better compensation package and a larger private apartment. The philosophy behind
this initiative is to give them a glimpse of the role and provide transparency about
departmental operations, with the hope that they get the " HRL bug. " Another way to
help combat low enrollment is through an underutilized source: the power of alumni.
Connecting successful alumni with students is a fantastic way to counter negative perceptions
about the department or the student affairs field in general.
Generational Impact
It is incredibly important for current HRL leadership to know who their entry-level staff
are and what they value professionally. Baby Boomer and Gen X leaders must unlearn
many old work philosophies and come to terms with the new work culture, which involves
being willing to change old habits and create new models that promote and foster
healthier work habits for employees while maintaining excellent quality and reaching
Baby Boomer and Gen X leaders must unlearn many old
work philosophies and come to terms with the new work culture,
which involves being willing to change old habits and create
new models that promote and foster healthier work habits
for employees while maintaining excellent quality and reaching
desired objectives.
80 The Journal of College and University Student Housing
journal_vol51no1

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