Practice Are These the \"Right\"

¶ … Practice

Are these the "right" core values and are they the dominant major issues?

Helfgot's (2005) core values consist of the following tenants: a commitment to the whole student, recognition and appreciation of individual differences, a commitment to facilitating student development, success, and learning, providing quality services to meet student needs, a belief in the power and richness of the out-of-class environment, and a commitment to providing access and opportunity. There is nothing about these core values that is inherently "wrong;" indeed, most would argue that such goals are certainly admirable ones for the department of student affairs or student affairs' personnel. They address one of the most important problems of the modern university -- the unification of the learning and non-learning portions of university and college life. Helfgot (2005) argues that it is important for college students to learn the basics of certain subjects while also applying them. Blimling and Whitt further show that students at modern colleges face an array of challenges. Through developing student affairs' goals that address the issues that Helfgot (2005) proposes, student affairs personnel can help students deal with those challenges. For instance, student affairs personal who follow Helfgot's (2005) core values can help students learn to take academic knowledge who turn it into something that they can use in the career world. In addition, today's world offers many challenges to students, especially those in community colleges. Not the least of these include the harrowing economic situation, which makes it much more difficult to take care of families. Through student affairs personnel who are committed to help the student develop as a whole, people can learn how their higher education not only allows them to earn a degree and rise in a career, but also to deal more helpfully with their problems. Thus, these core values allow students to develop socially as well and progress the world to newer heights and push new movements. Thus, Helfgot's (2005) values are, indeed, the major issues. Problems such as discrimination in public schools and helping students deal with threats to their academic life from their personal or professional lives are certainly relevant to today's college student. However, Helfgot's (2005) values are not necessarily the only core values that the student affairs personnel should be dedicated to implementing.

1. Are there other values and considerations that need to be brought to the table and are there other challenges, which Helfgot may have overlooked?

Although Helfgot's (2005) core values are certainly important and relevant in the lives of today's college student, he has overlooked some of the challenges proposed by Blimling and Whitt. Most notably, Helfgot's (2005) values do nothing to discuss how student affairs personnel could deal with the challenges that come as a result of technology, affordability, and the new relationship between faculty and staff. These challenges must be addressed in order for college students to emerge into the new world of higher education. First, technological challenge all students, but especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds and returning students. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds may not have the experience with technological equipment that other students do and that the faculty members expect. This is especially true in the scientific, medical, and technological fields. Furthermore, returning students who may not have received technological training during their years of primary education may have difficulty using technology in the college environment. Helfgot (2005) notes that acknowledging diversity and providing an environment that cultivates such diversity is important for the member of the student affairs personnel. While people quickly think of diversity as having to do with race, ethnicity, religious background, etc., diversity in the college environment is also highly characterized by age and abilities, which Helfgot (2005) mentions. However, instead of simply allowing the university to be a place where diversity is cherished and grown, it is important that student affairs personnel help students who have difficulty adjusting to the technological components of campus life because of their different backgrounds by providing aid and training.