EDD 8061 – Organizing and Managing Programs and Services – Does your institution tie planning with budgeting?

Organization and Functions of Student Affairs

Student affairs consist of many different functions and are organized differently at

various institutions. New pressures from external forces have created, in some situations,

more centralization of student services. The lines between academic and student affairs

are blurred and constantly moving. One of the challenges that student affairs

professionals face is ensuring they are interacting with academic administrators and

faculty. Some colleges and universities have addressed this issue by having student

affairs report to the provost or president.

Student affairs encompass many functions and may typically include:

*Academic Advising

*Admissions

*Assessment, Research, and Program Evaluation

*Athletics

*Campus Safety

*Career Development

*College or Student Unions/Centers

*Community Service and Service Learning

*Commuter Services and Off-Campus Housing

*Counseling and Psychological Services

*Dean of Students Office

*Dining and Food Services

*Disability Support Services

*Enrollment Management

*Financial Aid

*Fundraising and Fund Development

*Graduate and Professional Student Services

*Greek Affairs

*Health Services

*International Student Services

*Judicial Affairs

*Leadership Programs

*Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Student Services

*Multicultural Student Services

*Orientation and New Student Programs

*Recreation and Fitness Programs

*Religious Programs and Services

*Registration Services

*Residence Life and Housing

*Student Activities

*Women’s Centers

Student affairs professionals need to be aware of changes (external and internal) and

adjust accordingly. Technology will continue to be intricately involved in the delivery of

services that we provide our students and other constituencies. Although the roles of

student affairs differs at institution, we should all be dedicated to the development of the

whole student, encouraging learning and growth, both in and out of the classroom setting.

Strategic Planning and Finance

The last few years have been financially challenging for most public institutions and

many privates. In most states tuition costs have soared, state subsidies have decreased,

and economic concerns have grown. This has led the public to question the value of a

public education. These fiscal challenges have led to many institutions to look for ways

to use resources more efficiently and alternative sources for new revenue.

Strategic planning is being used by a growing number of colleges and universities in an

effort to allocate resources in a more deliberate manner. The planning process includes

reviewing the mission statement of the institution, assessing the environment, developing

vision and goals, reviewing preliminary plans, identifying alternatives and finalizing the

plan. It is critical that this be a collaborative effort and involve students, faculty, and

others in the process. One should try to anticipate resistance, since that is generally to be

expected with any change in the environment. The plan should include a method to

evaluate its success or failure, as well as a timetable for implementation. Student affairs

professionals should take care that their plans are aligned with the institutional mission

and have support. Often it is helpful to start with smaller changes (pilot programs) and to

assess success before to committing to large-scale transitions.

Along with strategic planning is the concept of linking budgeting with planning. Student

affairs personnel need to be well versed in preparing and monitoring budgets, especially

in today’s climate of limited resources. Recent trends in finance and budgeting include

downsizing due to fiscal limitations and outsourcing of services. Although outsourcing

services to private companies may result in financial savings (and sometimes increased

income), it is important to weigh all the factors. Frequently those employed by private

companies have fewer benefits when compared to college employees. Looking at the

institution’s mission, reviewing the cost/benefits, and the strategic plan should assist

student affairs professionals in determining if outsourcing is an appropriate action to take

before heading down that path.

Institutions are always looking at ways to increase revenues. A recent trend has been to

have auxiliary units “charge” for their services to the other units on campus. Another

strategy is to charge students specific fees. For example, at my college we started

assessing a technology fee. Of course, adding fees continues to add to the financial

burden of students along with increases in tuition, housing, and textbooks. Student

affairs personnel have begun to look at fundraising and grant writing, not frequently done

in years past, as avenues to increase revenues. It is clear that effective planning and

budgeting skills is a requirement for student affairs leadership now and in the future.

References

Komives, S. R., Woodard, D. B., & Associates. (2003). Student services: A handbook

for the profession. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Sandeen, A., & Barr. M. (2006). Critical issues for student affairs: Challenges and

opportunities. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Reflections and Responses to Lecture #6

1. Describe how student affairs are organized at your institution. Would you

consider the organization more centralized or decentralized?

2. Has your institution outsourced any services within the past five years? If so,

how would you evaluate the impact of that outsourcing?

3. Does your institution tie planning with budgeting? If so, how is this

accomplished? If not, what recommendations would you give to changing the

budget process?

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