ABSTRACT
Most colleges and universities in the United States provide support services and related programs to their students. The institutional component most intimately involved in the process is usually referred to as student affairs, student services, or student life, and most institutions are expected by students, parents, and the general public to provide such programs and services. In this chapter, the development of these organizations, the reasons they were created, and their purposes are discussed. Major factors influencing the student affairs organizations are presented and issues affecting student affairs organizations are addressed. Examples and suggestions about future student affairs organizational structures are offered, and recommended readings are included, as well as some questions for further discussion.
