H. Evan Miller/Shutterstock
Dr. Kevin Kruger, president of NASPA, discusses the current state of the student affairs profession, the challenges that lie ahead, and advice for early career student affairs professionals.
Andrew Hibel, HigherEdJobs: In a 2018 interview with HigherEdJobs, you said, “A lot of student development happens outside of the classroom through extra-curriculars, internships, and interactions with peers. A significant college experience involves the academic experience in the classroom as well as the out-of-class experiences.” How has this ‘outside the classroom’ component evolved over your years in the profession, and how has student affairs supported this evolution?
Dr. Kevin Kruger, NASPA: I still strongly believe that student interactions and engagement out of the classroom contribute to critical learning and development outcomes for students. However, as I reflect on these experiences, increasingly, I think it is critical that we look at learning both in and out of the classroom with an equity lens. It is vital that we understand the barriers many of our students face in engaging in the most powerful learning opportunities. For example, low-income students may not have equitable access to some out-of-class experiences as their peers. We know that students are increasingly working full-time, or may be parents themselves, preventing them from engaging fully in out-of-class experiences. It is so important that we design experiences and opportunities for students who may not have the same access points as their peers. For example, we know that on-campus employment can be a powerful lever for degree progress for low-income students, and so, expanding these options should be a priority for campuses. We also know that coaching is another lever for students who are struggling academically. It is important that we think broadly about how we define the co-curricular or out-of-class experiences offered.
Hibel: What have you enjoyed most about your nearly 30-year tenure with NASPA? What has called you to the work that you’ve done over the years in the field of student affairs?
Kruger: One of the most rewarding parts of my job has been interacting with so many student affairs professionals over my 30 years, including NASPA Board members, NASPA leaders, and NASPA members who participate in a program or write for one of our publications. I am continually energized and inspired by the passion and commitment I see from professionals across the career spectrum. I’ve always thought this was noble work that we enter this profession with the idea of creating environments that change the lives of our students. I think that something that is more evident today than ever before is that many student affairs professionals are also advocating for structural and institutional changes so that we can support all students. And when I say all students, I mean students from historically marginalized and minoritized communities who have often struggled with the structures and systems that affect the success of low-income, first-generation students, and students of color.
Lastly, I have also had the privilege of working with amazing people who work at NASPA. NASPA staff who have a higher education background, as well as association professionals. I have been so appreciative of their hard work and their collective and individual efforts to serve NASPA members. It has made coming to work every day a real joy.
Hibel: As you speak to young professionals (either just entering the field or perhaps early in their careers), what advice or words of wisdom do you have? What does it take to succeed in a student affairs role today (and into the future)?
Kruger: When I speak to new professionals who are entering student affairs, there are a few things that I think are important. For one — every student affairs professional is on the front line of the mental health crisis. That’s a core part of the work today, whether you’re in advising, or in recreation, or residence life. I also think it’s important for us to see that the future of student affairs is centered around providing opportunities for students to succeed academically. Student affairs is a critical part of the student success story for their institutions; in particular, closing attainment gaps for low-income students, first-generation students, and students of color. I think that is going to frame a lot of the priorities for work over the next decade. I would add that the work that we do around equity, diversity, and inclusion is also a core part of our work. We need to recognize that we can’t expect DEI work to only occur in those offices, and that it is a part of everyone’s work.
Lastly, I would say that I am acutely aware of the growing dialogue about the workforce and student affairs. I think that we have work to do in terms of identifying resources to create pay and compensation that is commensurate with the experience and education that people bring to their jobs. I also think that we have to understand that working at a college or university is an in-person activity. Students largely are in person, and the work of student affairs often is best done in a face-to-face or live environment. Having said that, I also think that we should expect coming out of the COVID pandemic that there will be more opportunities to work remotely in some sort of hybrid environment, and there needs to be some remote flexibility in the work of student affairs.
Hibel: As you look back at how the field of student affairs has changed and where it is today, what do you think the field needs to do differently? What are the key issues to tackle, and what goals would you suggest for the next 5-10 years?
Kruger: As I look forward to the next 5 to 10 years, there are some definite headwinds that higher education and student affairs will be facing. The combination of lower enrollments, reduced state support of higher education, and increased tuition and cost pressure will result in a very challenging fiscal environment for all institutions. The more recent inflationary pressure has accelerated the need to address these fiscal issues. So, we are looking at a period of time when institutions will be making cuts to academic programs and offerings, and it is likely we will also see a fiscal contraction in student affairs as well. As student affairs absorbs these cuts, I think this suggests the need to recruit and hire staff to serve more as generalists rather than specialists. It will be critical for staff to be able to work outside of their departmental area. The second area is that it’s clear that the socio-emotional needs of students are increasing. Supporting students through their mental health and well-being needs will be critical in creating environments that support student success. As higher education continues to enroll an increasingly diverse student body, creating and designing environments that support low-income and first-generation students and student of color in their educational pursuits will be an important aspect of our future. I feel very strongly that higher education and student affairs should be judged on their ability to address critical equity challenges that campuses face. We need to make more substantial progress in closing attainments gaps for low-income and first-generation students, and Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, and API students on our campuses. We should all be held accountable for progress in that area, and I think that will be important over the next 5 to 10 years.
Hibel: A recent CUPA-HR survey was released discussing employee retention in higher education, and unfortunately, student affairs professionals ranked high in the likelihood of looking for another position in the next 12 months. (Over 60% stated they were somewhat likely, likely, or very likely) to look for other employment. What are your thoughts on these statistics, and what can be done to increase retention (and satisfaction) in these roles?
Kruger: We are clearly facing some substantial workforce challenges in student affairs. It is clear that student affairs professionals are struggling with their current work, and are increasingly looking for other positions, both inside and outside of higher education. I think it’s important to acknowledge that the COVID crisis had a significant impact on how student affairs professionals felt about their work. Student affairs was at the very center of how campuses supported their students through the pandemic. Student affairs played a critical role in keeping campuses open and engaged throughout the COVID crisis. On most residential campuses, for example, student affairs professionals were on the front line of the pandemic. We asked staff to put on full personal protective equipment (PPE) and to transport, support, and feed students in quarantine residence halls. It was never intended to be the work of student affairs that we would be on the front line of a public health crisis.
Coming out of COVID, I think there is a fresh reflection on pay equity, the number of hours staff are being asked to work, and on opportunities for flexible solutions around hybrid and remote work. In response, I think we have work to do in a couple of areas. First, we need more transparency about what student affairs work really is. It is a job that often does require working beyond 9 to 5. It is a job that comes with some degree of stress and crisis management, as you think about the problems that we address. Second, we need to address pay equity. For too long, we’ve allowed the salaries of student affairs professionals, particularly entry and mid-level professionals, to not be commensurate with their education and experience, and in some cases to be some of the lowest paid staff on a college campus. This has contributed to the frustration that younger student affairs professionals are experiencing.
We do need to reinforce that working on a college campus is enormously rewarding. The opportunity to have an impact on students both individually and collectively creates a unique job opportunity. I think that’s what draws people into this work in the first place. But we do have work to do in creating environments that support younger and mid-level professionals. For example, many report that they don’t feel valued by their institution or their supervisor. That’s something that needs addressing immediately.
This is important work and will continue to be important work, and I think that it is critical for institutional leaders to ensure that value is communicated to their employees. We also hear from student affairs professionals that there are so many hidden responsibilities in the job description and that’s one of the reasons they’re thinking of leaving. We can do a better job in articulating what the real work is like; that it does involve some crisis management, that it can be stressful, and that it does require interacting with people who are struggling with mental health issues. We can also be transparent about the reality of the work; that much of it is after hours or beyond the 9-5 workday. In general, we need more transparency about the expectations of student affairs work.