It's Not Just a Job Anymore: The Influence of Cultural Change on Student Services Staff in a Community College

Abstract

Today's colleges and universities operate in a complex environment characterized by rapid and unrelenting change, and nowhere do the challenges inherent in change more directly impact students than in the delivery of student services. The need to integrate new models of service delivery, data-driven approaches to enrollment management, greater accountability for student success, stronger emphasis on customer service, and provision of "anytime, anyplace" services through technology are readily evident. Yet, many institutions are finding that their internal cultures are unreceptive, even hostile, toward adopting needed changes. This qualitative case study focusing on a 4year purposeful change initiative at a community college was conducted to provide higher educational leaders with a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the influence of cultural change on student services staff. The results of this study indicated that student services staff

Perspectives on comprehensive internationalisation of higher education

“…Firstly, based on benchmarking, harmonising teaching with other universities and developing student services (e.g. market orientation) pushes universities to adapt to student demands (Kalpazidou Schmidt & Langberg 2008;Levy & Ronco 2012;Locke & Guglielmino 2006;Marginson 2018;Porter & Vidovich 2000;Taatila 2017;Trow 1999;Vidovich et al 2007;Woodard, Shepherd & Crain-Dorough 2011).…”

Tracing accountability in higher education

“…Market orientation leads to adaptation to student demands, e.g. developing student services (Locke and Guglielmino, 2006) and harmonizing teaching with other HEIs, e.g. based on benchmarking (Levy and Ronco, 2012).…”