#Student Services Issues in higher edcuation

Introduction

#Higher #education institutions are seen as centers for generating, expressing, and disseminating knowledge and ideas that foster a well-functioning society. However, these educational establishments have historical practices that oppress and marginalize minority college students (Garcia et al., 2021). These critiques of inequalities within colleges and universities have led to more excellent advocacy for diversity, inclusion, and fairness. From an educational perspective, diversity refers to students' personal or socio-economic background about their cultural environment. Inclusion denotes equity and signifies an inclusive learning environment supported by resources and curriculum that foster the educational success of all students. Therefore, lacking diversity and inclusion can impede services to marginalized student groups, hindering their satisfaction when seeking support and participating in educational programs. The student affairs issue of diversity and inclusion is elucidated by relevant theories, substantiated by the necessity for services, and fortified by various administrative proposals within the university.

Student Affairs Issue under Examination

In this context, the lack of diversity and inclusion in educational institutions poses a problem in student affairs, impacting the fairness and inclusivity of the academic environment for marginalized student groups. When students from various social groups, races, genders, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds are not adequately represented in the student body, diversity is deficient on a social level. Moreover, the academic setting also lacks diversity, as students from underprivileged backgrounds are compelled to compete with their more affluent peers in the classroom, affecting their academic performance. Additionally, universities do not provide socially welcoming environments for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, creating a lack of inclusion. Accordingly, there are differences in social group identity and academics, leading to increased discrimination, biases, and prejudice on campus. As a result, this lack of diversity impacts the several produced research and taught economic concepts, influencing the policies that contribute to economic results on the national level. Besides, diversity and inclusion have been advocated to achieve academic freedom in higher educational institutions in Canada (Karimi, 2021). Since universities are observed as settings that develop knowledge and promote the sharing of ideas, there is a need to nurture a free-speech environment to express diverse perspectives and ideas.

Relevant Theory that Frames and Contextualizes the Issue

On the other hand, different theories are pertinent to diversity and inclusion to understand its concepts and impact. Holistic development, cognitive, and critical theories are used in the student affair of diversity and inclusion. These theories offer a vital and required lens through which student affairs educators can engage their roles and responsibilities to make decisions. In other words, the theories do not inform what to do but provide educators with ways to make professional judgments on interpreting individuals, environments, and organizations (Schuh et al., 2017).

In contrast, cognitive development theories, such as Perry’s intellectual and ethical development model, can be integrated into the student affairs issue of diversity and inclusion. Cognitive development theories allow students to learn the knowledge and skills needed to solve changing and unknown demands in life. Positive learning outcomes display the successful integration of people's knowledge and skills directed by understanding the world and their position in it (Schuh et al., 2017). Perry suggests that developing personal commitments or acts that affirm one's values follows epistemological dimensions and moral concerns. The epistemological dimensions extend from one to nine positions. However, only the first five positions can be used, such as dualism, multiplicity pre-legitimate, multiplicity subordinate, relativism subordinate, and relativism correlate (Schuh et al., 2017). In dualism, the world is observed in two parts: right-good and bad-bad. Concerning the student affair, some people see the lack of diversity and inclusion as right and good, while others see it as wrong and bad. Multiplicity pre-legitimate justifies that dissimilarities of opinion and uncertainty are unnecessary confusion. Following the student affair, this position shows that having different viewpoints on the lack of diversity should not increase confusion but understand these differences. Multiplicity subordinate shows that diversity and uncertainty are recognized as appropriate but temporary in parts where authority lacks the answer. In the student affair, this position asserts that diversity and inclusion and its uncertainties are proper and permanent where it is supported, and lack of support reduces the permanent stand. Relativism subordinate observes extensive appropriateness in uncertainty, and in the student affair, this position shows that opinions concerning diversity and inclusion are equal. Similarly, relativism correlate justifies that all knowledge and values are relativistic and contextual, indicating in this student affair that whether diversity and inclusion are right or wrong must be addressed. Conversely, Kerry's cognitive development theory supports students to change their minds and incline to positive changes, develop more confidence, and show increased understanding of complex concepts. As a result, the development of these complex cognitive skills support people to understand many opinions and interpretation, increasing adaptability to changing situations. Also, these cognitive skills can be reflected in educational outcomes such as learning integration, decision-making, well-being, and intellectual maturity, which are vital in addressing diversity and inclusion concerns.

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Justification of Needed Services Supported by the Literature

Further, services are needed to address the need for more diversity and inclusion in educational settings of higher education. For instance, mission statements that emphasize commitments to diversity, inclusion, and equity are required, and student affairs offices can support these statements. In this regard, these mission statements in higher education offer direction and transparency for the institution’s goals on diversity and inclusion, helping to understand student experiences in campus environments and culture (Garcia et al., 2021). Besides, educators in the student affairs unit must discuss their identity because it plays a vital role in the campus environment. Discussion on identity influences the approach to diversity and inclusion and its impact on student-educator relationships, such as identifying the role of intersection relationships and its effects on policies and classroom environments (Abdullah, 2020). In this regard, a collection of diverse identities shows inclusion, evaluating classroom environments, and adjusting to achieve student needs. Also, a free speech environment where diverse opinions can be expressed is needed to support students' campus lives. For instance, academic freedom, a governance structure in educational institutions such as Canada, should also focus on helping students' free speech rights (Karimi, 2021). In this regard, academic freedom should not only focus on the rights of faculty to conduct research, teach, and criticize administrators without fear of vengeful sanctions. Therefore, this extension of freedom of expression constitutionally protects academic freedom and safeguards students’ free speech rights on campuses, creating a productive, healthy, and vibrant society. Similarly, it is vital to understand student inclusion to know their needs based on several factors such as social relations, legibility, extracurricular activities, safety, accessibility, academic services, hostel quality, transportation, and comfort (Browers & Ho, 2021).

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Administrative Guidance

Moreover, the administration can use recommendations to strengthen diversity and inclusion in the university. In this regard, administrators should create a welcoming campus climate that encourages a sense of belonging for all students. This can be achieved by establishing inclusive policies and continuously enforcing anti-discrimination protocols (Salmi & D’Addio, 2020). Also, administrators should collaborate with student organizations and support initiatives to educate them about the appreciation of diverse identities through creating dialogue and engagement spaces and workshops, helping them to voice their concerns (Moreu et al., 2021). Besides, administrators should recruit and retain diverse faculty staff from different cultural and social backgrounds. In the same regard, administrators can offer professional development programs focusing on inclusive teaching practices and cultural competency to support the staff with the necessary skills to engage with students from diverse backgrounds (Martinez-Acosta & Favero, 2018). Similarly, administrators should encourage departments to revitalize their curriculum and include approaches that reflect diverse perspectives (Stentiford & Koutsouris, 2022). Additionally, administrators should invest in student support services that address the specific needs of diverse student populations. Support services include counseling and mental health services to offer culturally oriented care, scholarships, and student funding programs (Salmi & D’Addio, 2020). Concisely, these recommendations show that students are valued and are given good experiences to concentrate on their personal and academic journeys.???

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Conclusion

To summarize, Diversity and inclusion are vital in higher education institutions as they address the needs of marginalized groups and impact educational outcomes. This is achieved by ensuring the representation of students from various social groups, races, genders, colors, and economic statuses during enrollment and academic competitions. Understanding these concepts is facilitated by holistic development theories, cognitive development, and critical theories. To address this issue and promote a welcoming campus climate and positive student outcomes, mission statements, identity discussions, free speech environments, and investment in student support services prove instrumental.

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