NUFP - Student Affairs @ UC Berkeley

Student Affairs at UC Berkeley
The mission of Student Affairs at UC Berkeley includes three strategic priorities:

• Access: Maintain access and affordability; provide opportunities for equity and excellence
• Service: Improve and sustain cutting edge student services, making them more applicable to this generation of students
• Engagement: Foster learning and leadership development, transforming students into engaged local, national, global citizens

What is Student Affairs?

Student affairs is a division/department that provides services, programs, and resources for students at higher education institutions to enhance student growth and development.

What do people do in Student Affairs?

• Enhance student learning
• Guide academic and career decisions
• Mentor students
• Promote leadership skills
• Counsel students through crises

What are examples of functional areas of Student Affairs?

Academics and research services  |  Campus Life  |  Diversity and Inclusion  |  Health and Wellness
Housing or Accomodations  |  New Student Enrollment and Enrollment Services  |  Sports and recreation

Academics and research services

• Academic Advising - Academic advisors support students by helping them create a plan of study that has a good change to allow him or her to reach a goal.
• Career Development - Career development specialists help students locate opportunities for internships, cooperative education experiences, find employment, plan their job search, find their career path, and learn skills to be successful.
• Assessment, Research, & Program Evaluation - Individuals who work in assessment, research, and program evaluation gather and report information about their student, including, but not limited to, grades, test scores, demographics, and student opinions.
• Fundraising and development - Staff that work with fundraising and development concentrate on annual giving and obtaining gifts for projects or programs in student affairs.

   

Campus Life

• Dean of Students Office - Many of the functions of the dean of students office include responding to student-related issues or concerns, establishing community and institutional standards, or organizing and directing the institution’s response to student crises.
• Student Conduct - Student conduct officers ensure that academic integrity, ethics, and behavioral standards of the institution are maintained.
• Campus Safety - Campus safety officers work with developing students and communities to take responsibility for their own safety and the welfare of the campus community.
• College or Student Unions - Individuals who work with college or student unions manage the services and amenities that support the community and the lives of students such as bookstores, coffee shops, food courts, computer centers, or travel services.
• Student activities- Student Activities provides a range of programs and services on like cultural and leadership programs, campus entertainment, off campus trips, and advise student organizations. The purpose of the department is to support the learning process outside the classroom.
• Community Service and Service Learning Programs - Individuals who work in community service and service learning programs often help students find volunteer sites or experiential learning opportunities.
• Greek affairs - Greek affairs officers typically work with fraternities and sororities to emphasize community building, socialization, and adherence to the values of scholarship, leadership, and community services.
• Leadership Programs - Staff in leadership programs typically create programs to help students acquire self-awareness, communication skills, critical thinking, and skill building.
• Religious programs and services - Staff that work with religious programs and services develop programs and activities for the campus community that support students who are religiously affiliated.
   

Diversity and Inclusion

• Women’s Centers - Through counseling and educational materials and programs, women’s centers focus on issues such as equity, leadership, money management, professional development, safety, health, work life balance, and relationship violence for women.
• Multicultural student services - Staff in multicultural student services work to welcome, support, empower, and integrate all students into the life of campus. Staff may work with individual students, groups of students, and the campus as a whole.
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Student Services - The primary purpose is to provide resources and services that encourage a welcoming and safe environment for LGBT students, faculty, and staff.
• Disability support services - Staff in disability support services provide academic services such as note taking, interpretation. They may also work to improve physical access on campus for students, advise students about their rights and responsibilities, and provide outreach and consultation to other offices on campus.
• International Student Services - Staff in international student service staff typically support students by helping them with both the logistical aspect of transitioning to a new university.
• Graduate and professional student services - Staff that work with graduate and professional student services typically work closely with faculty and administrators to deliver support services for graduate or professional students.
   

Health and Wellness

• Counseling and psychological services - Counseling center staff not only react and respond campus crises but also engage in outreach activities with campus units and departments.
• Health Services - Within health services, there are staff that work with the assessment, planning, and implementation of health and wellness programming. They may also write grants, recruit and train student peer educators, and manage program staff. 
   

Housing or Accommodations

• Dining and food services - Dining services staff typically provide programs and information for students on topics such as nutrition, food labels, and wellness.
• Commuter service and off campus housing - Staff in commuter services advocate on behalf of commuter students and ensure that there are services that support them. Staff may also work with students to help them find information about off-campus apartments.
• Residence life and housing- Residence life and housing is responsible for providing healthy, clean, safe, diverse, and educationally supportive living environments that complement the academic mission of the institution. This includes selecting, training, and supervising the student and professional staff members who lives and work in the on campus residence halls.
   

New Student Enrollment and Enrollment Services

• Enrollment management - Individuals who work in enrollment management insure that critical areas for recruitment and retention such as admissions, records, financial aid, student research, and marketing work together to enroll more students, shape composition of the class, reduce attrition rates, and develop appropriate publications, services, and electronic alternatives for interacting with the campus.
• Financial aid - The primary duty of financial aid officers is to access student financial needs and make decisions about student aid packages. Staff may also assist students with personal financial planning in college.
• Registration services - Registration services is typically responsible for all of the processes associated with enrollment and registration for classes. They may also maintain official academic records of all current and former students.
• Admissions - Admissions personnel work with prospective students to inform them about the institution and its programs, as well as recruit, screen, and accept applicants.
• Orientation and new student programs - Student affairs staff in orientation and new student programs are responsible for welcoming new students to the campus, as well as introducing them to the history, traditions, educational programs, academic requirements, and student life of the institution.
   

Sports and recreation

• Athletics - Individuals who work with athletics provide opportunities for students to formally compete with students at other institutions in a variety of sports. They also work with gender equity issues and finances.
• Recreation and fitness programs - Staff in recreation and fitness programs typically promote good health and wellness, teach physical skills, and encourage positive interaction among students.

ACPA and NASPA Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners