If everyone can agree academics are the most important part of higher learning, what would be second on the list? My suggestion would be the office that seeks to make students feel comfortable on campus.
Some schools call it Campus Experience and others call it Student Affairs. At Harding we call it Student Life. No matter what you call it, the purpose of the office is to help students assimilate into an environment that is temporary, and nurture those students as they develop intellectually, emotionally, physically and spiritually.
University employees who focus on helping students grow and succeed in college have a small window of time to make the nurturing process happen, but the avenues through which campus employees can help students are plentiful.
Some meet one-on-one with students and counsel them with wisdom carried down from the ages. Others orchestrate various stress-relieving opportunities on campus such as concerts or game nights. Still others, particularly the Student Life deans, counsel students who struggle with substance abuse, depression, family crises, roommate conflicts, disorderly conduct or simple homesickness.
But it’s not just the deans who help nurture students during this critical time in their life. It’s a faculty member who goes out of her way to smile at every student she passes while walking to class. It’s the upperclassman who loves his school and shows it by taking a few freshmen under his wing to mentor.
Is it possible that everyone on campus could be considered an integral part of student life, making a positive or negative effect on campus? Is it also possible that academics aren’t the most important part of higher learning? Does higher learning fall under the umbrella of student life? I would suggest that a solid foundation for higher education is a healthy student life. I am in no way discounting academics. However, learning in the university takes place outside of the classroom as much as if not more than, it does inside the classroom.
Anyone who is a part of the campus community at an institution of higher learning, no matter the size, has the chance to serve in a powerful way. Everyone can contribute to a positive student life. How will you participate?
