CHAE Speaker Series: Navigating Logics for Inclusive Student Affairs

Navigating Logics for Inclusive Student Affairs

The logics of an organization—its values, rules, norms, and beliefs—influence the meaning individuals assign to their daily activities. In student affairs, these activities may reflect a range of logics that uphold or compete with those of the institution. With social justice and inclusion as core competencies and values for the profession, there is a charge for organizations and the individuals therein to proactively create environments in which the needs of all participants can be met.

The concept of logics—a systematic way in which to make sense of the multiple norms and beliefs in any one organization, as well as the processes for structural change—can be used to critically explore issues in student affairs and higher education. As the demographic makeup of colleges and universities continue to become more diverse, student affairs professionals play a critical role in understanding, enacting, and creating the logics that shape the environment for students. In this talk, Dr. Templeton shares several case examples to demonstrate how student affairs professionals can navigate their institution’s logics to serve students more inclusively.

Dr. Emerald Templeton     

Dr. Templeton is an Assistant Professor of Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education and Coordinator of the Student Affairs Administration Program at Michigan State University. She has more than a decade of experience in higher education and student affairs administration as a counselor, career development practitioner, educator, and director of student affairs. While her focus is theory to practice, her research interests include access, equity, and institutional logics in higher education.