The Corporatization of Student Affairs

Cairo and Cabal provide a depthful and incisive look at the ways neoliberalism has shaped work in student affairs. This book offers an historically rich and detailed account of the tensions that arise for laborers in that community, and some of the ways student affairs workers have been able to do the work they are passionate about in developing the "whole student" while butting up against the constraints of a neoliberal leadership style that has placed efficiency and time-to-graduation constraints in front of the educative needs of students. A must read for anyone in student affairs, critical pedagogues, and critical studies about administration of the modern university!

- Ryan King-White, Towson University

This volume explores the tensions between the student affairs foundation of holistic student development and the changing culture of corporatization. While there is ample evidence of neoliberalism in the academic affairs of higher education there is very littleto no research to understand how neoliberalism is driving the corporatization of student affairs. This book argues that understanding neoliberalism in student affairs is crucial to student success and the student experience. The authors provide contextualized examples for understanding our positionality within the neoliberal system, as well as practical recommendations on resisting market values as common sense, thereby helping to preserve the profession and to imagine a new one centered on people, equity, and justice.

Daniel K. Cairo serves as Special Assistant for Strategy and Operations to the Vice President of Equity Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Utah where he leads campus strategies that situate equity and belonging as key cornerstones to student success . He also served as Interim Dean of Students, Assistant Dean of Students, and Director of the Student Diversity and Inclusion Center at Westminster where he led a strategy for first-generation and low income students that garnished the college as a First Forward Institution by NASPA. Lastly, he also served as Assistant Director at the Campus Advocacy Network at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Victoria Cabal serves as Director of the Office for Student Inclusion and First Ascent Scholars at the David Eccles School of Business, University of Utah. Outside of the University of Utah, Victoria serves as Vice President of the Learner-Centered Educational organization, focused on cultivating partnerships with both public and private organizations committed to ensuring access to learning opportunities for low-income students in Utah. Victoria holds a Doctorate of Education from the University of Utah, as well as B.A. in Communication, and M.Ed. in School Counseling from Loyola University Chicago. Prior to moving to the Eccles School, Victoria worked as a school counselor where she focused on creating innovative counseling programming to create equity across academic experiences.