Foundation Document

Office of Student Life

Foundation Document

The Office of Student Life

Bakersfield College

Last Updated: TBD

Mission Statement

Through innovativeexperiences in a co-curricular classroom, the Office of Student Life engages students in meaningful interactions and hands-on skill development that fosters academic progress,student success, social justice, and citizenship while serving the diverse breadth and scope of the Bakersfield College’s student community through recruitment, persistence, retention, and graduation efforts.

Vision Statement

The Office of Student Life will be a catalyst for the Renegade community to engage and develop active responsible citizens.

Core Values/ Student Learning Outcome Base Question

Each event/program/service will have a minimum of four learning outcomes, each centered around one of the four core values that drives the question,

How does the event/program/service contribute to:

  1. Academic Progress
  2. Student Success
  3. Social Justice
  4. Citizenship

Program Description:

The Office of Student Life works collaboratively with the Student Government Association of Bakersfield College (SGA) and the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs to engage, educate and empower students to take action in the best interest of the student body and the College community. The Office of Student Life provides learning, leadership, and serve opportunities outside the classroom. Research indicates that engagement theory suggests that students involved in an activity on campus, any activity outside of the classroom, are more likely to persist and graduate. The Office of Student Life provides it’s participating students the opportunities to develop and hone their leadership skills, ultimately supporting student learning by providing a plethora of programs in which students can be engaged.

We nurture a culture that fosters learning outside of the academic classroom by creating an educational environment that connects the campus community to the importance of processes that lead to student self-governance. The Office of Student Life fosters the development of student's civic responsibility, community engagement, leadership, and personal growth. The meaningful interactions are the root for our student advocacy that contributes to effective pathways via the leadership and service opportunities provided.

The Office of Student Life provides advising to SGA's appointed and elected officers, all clubs and organizations, and its entities. Additionally, the Office of Student Life provides learning opportunities for students to enhance their overall educational experience through their involvement with the programs and services funded by SGA, the College, and the community. The Office of Student makes a concerted effort to recruit, educate, inform, and retain students through student organizations, the student government, and the assorted student activities and workshops hosted. To that end, the Office of Student Life supports student organization development whose focus is to build community through groups focused on academics, culture, campus-life, specific-interests, community service, and social bonding.

The Office of Student Life recognizes that its mission, in cooperation with the learning mission of the College, is accomplished through cultivating a personal standard of ethics and values while providing opportunities that enhance a sense of community between students, the campus, and the local community. Therefore, the Office of Student Life supports Bakersfield College’s mission and core values by contributing to student access, fosters students’ abilities to think critically, communicate effectively, and demonstrate competencies and skills.

Academic Progress:

Academic Progress is the academic and social integrations that extends support to an individual’seducational experiences while satisfying the basic needs.

Theoretical Framework

Academic and social integrationsare complementary but independent processes by which students adjust to college life (Tinto, 1987). Academic integration represents both satisfactory compliance with explicit norms, such as earning passing grades, and the normative academic values of the institution. Social integration represents the extent to which a student finds the institution’s social environment to be congenial with his or her preferences, which are shaped by the student’s background, values, and aspirations. Once in college, a student’s chances for completing a post-secondary degree can vary widely especially in their social and academic experiences. Additionally, in order to meet the physiological needs of students, one must satisfy lower level basic needs before progressing on to meeting higher levels of growth including self-actualization (Maslow, 1943, 1954). Persistence studies tend to focus on institutional factors and programs that promote continuous student achievement. However, a key factor is the effort students put forth, especially the amount of time they spend studying (Astin 1993; Bailey, Jenkins, and Leinbach, 2005). The nature of these integrations and the extent to which they support students in their educational experiences or present obstacles to academic progress can vary along multiple dimensions. Academic Progressis the timely accomplishment of the academic requirements for degree completion (including term-by-term course completion, major credit accumulation, and GPA eligibility), including the use of available academic or social support services that satisfy basic needs, uphold achievement, and promote progress.

Praxis

  1. The Office of Student Life incorporates the theories of Tinto (1987) and Astin (1993) into daily practice to promote the recruitment, persistence, retention, and graduation efforts set forth by the College’s leadership.
  2. The Office of Student Life aids to satisfy the deficiency needs (physiological, security, social, and esteem) documented by Maslow (1943, 1954) which is important to avoid unpleasant feelings or consequences to motivate positive human behaviors.
  3. In collaboration with SGA, the Office of Student Life aids in encouraging active learning through the students’ vision in their strategic plan.

References

  1. Astin, A. W. (1993). What matters in college? Four critical years revisited. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
  2. Bailey, T. R., Jenkins, D., & Leinbach, D. T. (2005). What we know about communitycollege low-income and minority student outcomes. New York: Community College Research Center, Columbia College.
  3. Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review. 50(4), 370-396.
  4. Maslow, A. (1954). Motivation and personality. New York: Harper & Row.
  5. Tinto, V. (1987). Leaving college: Rethinking the cause and cures of student attrition. Chicago: College of Chicago Press.

Student Success:

Student Success is when an individual develops transferable skills through critical feedback while interacting with others.

Theoretical Framework

Involvement on college campuses create an opportunity for interaction with others including with fellow peers and faculty members (Astin, 1993; PascarellaTerenzini 2005). Students learn more when they are engaged in both the academic and social aspects of their collegiate experience (Astin, 1977, 1984). Interactions with others, particular faculty, create opportunities to earn feedback, in turn creates opportunities for reflection and growth for the student. Feedback is based on a balance of challenge and support from peers and professional staff (Sanford, 1967). Too much support with too little challenge creates a comfortable environment for a student, where little development is possible. However, too little support with too much challenge makes development an impossible and negative experience. In other words, involvement generates an opportunity for growth through the various interactions. Student employment is one strong predictor of student development in preparation for their futures (Athas, Oaks, and Kennedy-Phillips, 2013). Thus, transferable skills or a student’s awareness of the transferability of skills developed through involvement is a function of the quality of feedback received while interacting with peers and faculty.

Praxis

  1. Based in the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS, 2008), the Office of Student Life builds the foundation to aid in the development of student leaders with transferable skills.
  2. The Office of Student Life facilitates in creating a comfortable learning environment where personal development is strengthened, through strategic advisement based on Sanford’s Support and Challenge Theory (1967).
  3. Based on the research of Student Success in College (Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, & Whitt, 2010), the Office of Student Life utilizes good practices in student affairs to promote student success.
  4. In collaboration with SGA, the Office of Student Life aids in enhancing support mechanisms through the students’ vision in their strategic plan.

References

  1. Astin, A. W. (1977). Four critical years (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  2. Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25(4), 297-308.
  3. Astin, A. W. (1993). What matters in college? Four critical years revisited. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
  4. Athas, C., Oaks, D.J., & Kennedy-Phillips, L. (2013). Student Employee Development in Student Affairs. Research & Practice in Assessment (8), 55-68.
  5. Kuh, G. D., Kinzie, J., Schuh, J. H., Whitt, E. J., & Associates. (2010). Student success in college: Creating conditions that matter. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  6. Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, R. T. (2005). How College Affects Students, Volume 2, A Third. Decade of Research. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  7. Sanford, N. (1967). Where colleges fail: The study of the student as a person. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Social Justice:

Social Justice is accessing resources and expanding an individual’s awareness through interactions and education with similar and dissent groups.

Theoretical Framework

Social justice includes a vision of society that is equitable and inclusive of all members who are physically and psychologically safe and secure. Social capital (Putnam, 1993, 2000) is a resource available to an individual to access as a member of a social organization, thus creating interactions which facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit of all parties, distinguished in two forms: bonding and bridging. Bonding social capital is exclusive and inward looking and tends to reinforce group identity and group solidarity. Bonding social capital is described by closer connections between individuals and is characterized by strong bonds, for example family members or members of the same ethnic or religious group. Bridging social capital refers to inclusive and outward looking social networks across diverse groups. Bridging social capital is described by more distant connections when members of one group connect with members of other groups to seek access, support, or to gain information, for example business associates, acquaintances, friends from different ethnic or religious groups, friends of friends. Equity, inclusion, and social justice are essential and needed to be infused throughout to the operations and development of any program or service. Social justice is defined as both a process with a goal that social justice is full and equal participation of all groups in a society that is mutually shaped to meet their needs (Adams, Bell and Griffin, 2007). Hence, social justice should be fully committed to protecting the right to engage in all forms of interactions and education including those that stimulate tolerance and openness, while guarding against improper suppression.Social Justice is the ability to realize potential by accessing resources and expanding awareness through interactions with similar and different groups, as well as the ability to effectively collaborate and manage conflict and dissent that may arise.

Praxis

  1. To educate students on the importance of equity, inclusion, and social justice, theOffice of Student Life is committed to:
  2. Treating all individuals equally
  3. Including and representing all identities, cultures, and ideologies
  4. Educating for the purpose of equality
  5. In collaboration with SGA, the Office of Student Life aids the evolving campus culture through the students’ vision in their strategic plan.

References

  1. Adams, M., Bell, L. A., & Griffin, P. (Eds.). (2007). Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
  2. Putnam, R. D. (1993). Making democracy work: Civic traditions in modern Italy. Princeton: Princeton College Press.
  3. Putnam, R.D. (2000). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Citizenship:

Citizenship is the reciprocal partnership where contributions from an individual invest into the community to instill one’s civic responsibility.

Theoretical Framework

Involvement occurs when a student devotes considerable amounts of energy to excelling academically by participating in activities and building relationships (Astin 1996). The amount of physical and psychological energiesa student expends at their institutions, positively impacts their development (Astin, 1977, 1984, 1993; Astin & Astin, 2000). Service-Learning and civic engagement is a specially designed model of experiential-learning which combines service at a community organization with intentional learning outcomes achieved through critical, reflective thinking (Furco, 1996). Civic responsibility dedicates to active participation in the public life of a community in an informed, committed, and constructive manner, with a focus on the common good (Gottlieb & Robinson, 2006).While students gain academic knowledge in the classroom, students should incorporate academic concepts into hands-on experiences to cultivate civic duty and engage into the surrounding community. Community engagement describes collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity. (Carnegie Classification, 2014).These studies indicate that the students’ involvement on and off campus is an investment toward their future careers. Civic engagement by means of civic responsibility and duty is a function between the student and other stakeholders within and outside of the campus community. Thus, Citizenship is a reciprocal partnership and investment between an individual and the community, wherein the individual recognizes that contributions to the community are a civic responsibility.

Praxis

  1. Based on the purpose of community engagement (Carnegie Classification, 2014) the Office of Student Life looks for mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources between on and off campus entities.
  2. “The purpose of community engagement is the partnership of college and university knowledge and resources with those of the public and private sectors to enrich scholarship, research, and creative activity; enhance curriculum, teaching and learning; prepare educated, engaged citizens; strengthen democratic values and civic responsibility; address critical societal issues; and contribute to the public good. (Carnegie Classification, 2014)
  3. The Office of Student Life advocates for students to participate various service learning and civic engagement projects, as these projects are known to aid students to:
  4. Improveacademic achievement (Billig, & Furco, 2002; Billig, & Meyer, 2002; )
  5. Improveacademic engagement and retention (Bilingand Klute, 2003)
  6. Enhance interpersonal skills (Furco, 1996; 2002, Lichenstein et al. 2011)
  7. Enhance Work Force Development Skills (Lichenstein et al., 2011)
  8. Increase Civic Responsibility (Youniss et al., 1997)
  9. In collaboration with SGA, the Office of Student Life aids in expanding the co-curricular experience through the students’ vision in their strategic plan.

References

  1. Astin, A. W. (1977). Four critical years (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  2. Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25(4), 297-308.
  3. Astin, A. W. (1993). What matters in college? Four critical years revisited. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
  4. Astin, A. W. (1996). Involvement in learning revisited: Lessons we have learned. Journal of College Student Development, 37(2), 123-134.
  5. Astin, A. W., & Astin, H. S. (2000). Leadership reconsidered: Engaging higher education in social change. Battle Creek, MI: W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
  6. Billig, S. H. & Furco, A. (ed.). (2002). Service learning: Through a multidisciplinary lens. Charlotte: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
  7. Billig, S. H., & Klute, M. M. (2003). The impact of service-learning on MEAP: A large-scale study of Michigan Learn and Serve grantees.
  8. Billig, S. H., & Meyer, S. (2002). Evaluation of the Hawaiian Studies Program at Waianae High School for CREDE. Denver, CO: RMC Research Corporation.
  9. Classification Description. (2014). Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Retrieved from community_engagement.php?utm_source=Carnegie+Foundation+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=3b5562162a-CE_Classification_announcement_2013&utm_medium=emai
  10. Furco, A. (1996) Service-Learning: A Balanced Approach to Experiential Education. Expanding Boundaries: Service and Learning. Washington DC: Corporation for National Service, pp. 2-6 .
  11. Furco, A. (2002). Is service-learning really better than community service? A study of high school service. In Furco, A. & Billig, S. H. (Eds.), Advances in service-learning research: Vol.1. Service-learning: The essence of the pedagogy (pp. 23–50). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishers.
  12. Gottlieb, K., & Robinson, G. (2006). A Practical Guide for Integrating Civic Responsibility into the Curriculum (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Association of Community Colleges.
  13. Lichtenstein, G., Thorme, T., Cutforth, N., & Tombari, M.L., (2011). Development of a National Survey to Assess Student Learning Outcomes of Community-Based Research. Journal of Higher Education and Engagement, 15 (2): 7-29.
  14. Youniss, J., McLellan, I.A., & Yates, M. (1997). What We Know About Engendering Civic Identity. American Behavioral Scientist, 40, 620-631.

Office of Student Life Core Values Relationship Model