Reframing Organizations
by Lee G. Bolman & Terrence E. Deal (Jossey-Bass, 1997)

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this course students should be able to demonstrate:

1. An understanding of the historical context of higher education and how its purposes are inherently linked to the educational mission of Student Affairs.

2. An understanding of the sociocultural foundations of higher education, including the traditional Western perspective as well as the influence of other cultures.

3. An indepth and pragmatic understanding of the various theories of college student development, including the psychosocial theories of Erikson and Chickering, the cognitive-structural theories of Kohlberg, Gilligan, and Perry, Kitchener, and King, and the typological theories of Jung and Myers-Briggs.

4. An understanding of how these theories are applicable to Student Affairs practice in the facilitation of personal development, social development, and career development.

5. An understanding of the behavioral and environmental implications of student development theories.

6. An understanding of the implications of student development theory for the delivery of student services such as programming, discipline, and education.

7. An understanding of how student development theory is inherently linked to outcomes assessment in areas such as individual and collective student outcomes and institutional outcomes.

8. An understanding of how student development theory affects research, current practice, and the planning process in Student Affairs.

9. An appreciation of the importance of student development theory to the Student Affairs profession.

10. An appreciation of the complex nature of student development.

11. An appreciation of the stresses that inherently impede upon students within higher education and how those conditions affect the potential for success in fostering and maintaining coherent and focused student development.

(1) Simulation. Each member of the class will be placed on a team which will investigate, in depth, the administrative aspects of a particular Student Affairs unit. Teams will then be responsible for devising an organizational structure for their unit along with administrative policies and procedures applicable for that specific unit. Teams will also be required to complete a number of tasks relevant to the efficient operation of their particular department. At each phase of the simulation, integration with other "departments" will be emphasized.

(2) Class Discussion. Each student is required to lead a discussion over material assigned by the instructor. A designated chapter from the course textbook will be assigned to each student who will then conduct a discussion over the material at a selected class meeting. These discussions should last 30 minutes and include a critique of the primary points made by the author.

(3) Attendance/Participation. Each student is expected to attend all class meetings and be prepared to contribute meaningfully to a discussion of the particular topic under consideration. As such, each student is expected to read the assignments prior to the class period in which they will be discussed.

(4) Final Exam. At the conclusion of the course, students will complete a final exam which will give them an opportunity to demonstrate what has been learned throughout the semester. The final exam will be essay and cover the full content of the course. We will review prior to administration of the final; everyone who participates in the class throughout the semester should have no difficulty with the final.

Grading:

Simulation ................ 40%
Class Discussion ...... 15%
Final Exam ............... 30%
Participation ............. 15%
Total ..................... 100%

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