Creeping Legalism: How External Demands Reshape Student Affairs Practice

Abstract

Abstract:Using data from twenty-one interviews conducted with student affairs practitioners within a constructivist grounded theory study, we examined how legal issues influence the daily work of student affairs professionals. Findings demonstrate that concerns about legal issues may intrude on student-centered practice, which participants identified as a core value of the student affairs profession. The paper concludes by offering recommendations for navigating the tension between student-centered practice and legal issues.