Job placement rates. Academic program rankings. Cost of tuition. Location.
Factors such as these are often some of the first to come to mind when researching colleges, but they only begin to encompass what awaits students when they come to campus for their first tour.
Often an afterthought when choosing a college, student activities and similar programs may not be the primary element that attracts students to a university, but for many, it’s where they find their home for four years.
Whether it’s making lasting friendships as a Resident Advisor or finding your life’s calling while tutoring students at the Center for Learning Assistance, the departments that fall within the Division of Student Affairs play a significant role in many students’ college careers.
From greek life to orientation services, campus recreation to career advisement, these programs fall under an umbrella that so often gets little to no recognition.
As students, we are told over and over again that it is what we do outside of our classes—involvement in student organizations and internships in the professional world—that truly prepare us for the next step. Yet, the departments that offer us these opportunities are sorely lacking in resources, and the staff members are not being fairly rewarded for their work.
Although these issues are seen within most divisions of the University, those within Student Affairs rarely give voice to their concerns.
So many of these staff members are working nearly 60 hours a week, coming in at 8 a.m. and staying until 9 p.m. for weekday meetings of clubs they advise.
They give up Friday nights to work Late Night BU until 2 a.m. before returning to campus early Saturday morning for that weekend’s 5K fundraiser, Service on Saturday, leadership conferences or round table discussions.
They are taking on teaching roles, sometimes for no additional compensation, as they lend their skills to a variety of classes such as The University Experience, leadership studies and public speaking.
With significant time commitment, consistently bringing high energy and a having the ability to pinch pennies just a few of the unofficial basic requirements of a Student Affairs employee, a tendency to get burnt out with work is understandable. It’s a trend that is seen across the industry and is not unique to Bradley.
However, as many Bradley Student Affairs employees have said both officially and unofficially to members of The Scout, low morale among staff members is a larger issue at Bradley than other universities where they have worked, and it is an issue that continues to grow.
This stems not just from low compensation, but moreso from a lack of trust in university operations, fear of retribution for challenging authority and a reluctant acceptance of no foreseeable improvements.
Those that have been at Bradley for many years have questioned what happened to “the Bradley family,” referring to the former culture where lower level employees truly felt valued by the highest levels of university decision-makers.
Budget cuts have affected operations all across campus, causing most employees to see no salary increases and new programs to be squelched because of lack of funds or limited staff availability. This certainly hurts morale, inhibits opportunity for growth and fuels low confidence in the abilities of our university leaders.
For those in Student Affairs, the non-monetary rewards are seemingly abundant. These employees are so often making the kind of positive impact that those of us soon entering the professional world can only hope to make in our future careers.
But these impalpable aspects cannot serve as tangible compensation for the employees that are still living paycheck-to-paycheck despite having years of professional experience. They cannot justify inabilities to grow and adapt as student desires change and new programs are needed.
There is no easy solution to this problem, but it is a problem that needs to be heard.
So, to those setting managerial policies and making the decisions about university fund allocations, we ask that you more seriously consider this division that plays such a strong role in our college careers.
And to those within the division that have served as both club advisors and life advisors to us students, to those that have inspired us to work harder and be better and to those that have given so much of themselves without asking for anything in return, thank you. It may not be that much-needed tangible improvement, but we want you to know: you are appreciated.
