New Realities in the Management of Student Affairs: Emerging Specialist Roles and Structures for Changing Times ed. by Ashley Tull and Linda Kuk (review)

Ashley Tull and Linda Kuk's edited volume, New Realities in the Management of Student Affairs, extends the well-documented argument that 20th century models of higher education are incapable of addressing 21st century challenges such as shifting student demographics, diminished fiscal resources, rapid technological innovation, and rising student consumerism. Student affairs organizations—the campus division delegated authority for managing students' out-of-class experiences—are not immune to these shifting environmental dynamics. Accordingly, Tull and Kuk assert that many student affairs organizations are engaged in or are approaching a period of profound change characterized by the emergence of new professional roles, responsibilities, and structures. Traditional hierarchical and functionally focused student affairs organizational structures are giving way to hybrid and matrix designs that include multiple cross-organizational positions (e.g., Director of Communications) and teams (e.g., Assessment Task Force).

As thoughtfully described in this book, organizational change of this nature holds complex implications for the recruitment, training, and supervision of student affairs professionals. For example, to what extent do new organizational realities necessitate changes in student affairs graduate programs? What are the benefits and limitations of hiring staff with professional training and expertise beyond student affairs (e.g., public relations)? Contributing authors to New Realities in the Management of Student Affairs address these timely questions, offering student affairs leaders a theoretical foundation as well as practical tools for redesigning student affairs organizations to meet 21st century challenges. Integrating scholarly insights and specific institutional examples, the book's lessons center on helping readers identify the knowledge and competencies needed to productively manage change and reconceptualize student affairs professional development.

The book's three sections are divided into 16 chapters. Part 1 includes three chapters, the first of which frames the book's main arguments. Chapter 2 provides an overview of student affairs organizational design paradigms and examines the potential benefits of adopting matrix organizational structures. Chapter 3 seeks to empirically substantiate claims that student affairs organizations are undergoing change, presenting findings from a national survey of senior student affairs officers. Although survey data confirm the presence of cross-organizational positions within participating student affairs organizations, I did not find this chapter particularly compelling given the limited amount of information on the study's research design; for example, the author did not provide details on the sample size and survey response rate.

The heart of the book is Part 2 with each of its eight chapters providing a detailed overview of a different student affairs specialist position. The roles of technology director, development officer, communications coordinator, and chief of staff are framed as emerging while the responsibilities of assistant to the senior student affairs officer, human resources/professional development, auxiliary services, and assessment are described as representing significant changes to existing professional positions.

One of the book's strengths is Part 2's consistent organizational framework; each chapter provides information on the history of the professional role, essential knowledge and competencies, sample job descriptions, and a discussion of each position's particular challenges and needs. Contributing authors were selected based on their personal knowledge of the specialist positions. As a result, their recommendations are articulate and experience driven.

Part 3 is perhaps the least conceptually integrated section in the book. Chapter 12 explores the application of organizational change theories in student affairs. Acknowledging that the specialist roles featured in Part 2 are more often found in student affairs divisions embedded in large four-year universities, Chapters 13 and 14 explore emerging professional roles and structures in small college and community college contexts. Student affairs faculty will find Chapter 15, "Preparation for New and Emerging Roles and Responsibilities," particularly relevant to their work as it raises important questions and offers meaningful suggestions for reimagining professional education programs. The final chapter summarizes the book's main...