Identify and briefly summarize the philosophical statement, principle, or framework youselected.

One of the four essential elements of professional philosophies is values. Stamatakos and
Rogers (1984) argue that clarity about the values that arise from and sustain the basic principles
that underlie a profession are critical to its foundation. The values upheld in a profession are
derived from and consistent with the profession’s basic principles. In a profession, principles and
values are critical. The principles speak to what is, while values speak to what should be (Schuh
et al., 2017). Different scholars have had various arguments with regard to values. For instance,
according to Boland, values must answer questions pertaining to the purpose of higher education,
aspects of human nature that are desirable in students, as well as ways through which such traits
can e acquired by students (Schuh et al., 2017). Other scholars have come up with different sets
of values that are commonly shared by and fundamental to student affairs practitioners. For
example, Young and Elfrink (1991) established seven values that are essential to anyone serving
as student affairs practitioners (Schuh et al., 2017).
The first value identified by Young and Elfrink is altruism. The scholars believed that
student affairs practitioners should be altruistic in that they should show concern for the welfare
of others. Secondly, equality is key to the profession (Schuh et al., 2017). Students need
assurance that all people have the same status, rights, or privileges. Student affairs practitioners
should possess the qualities of people that provide satisfaction to those they serve. They should
also exercise freedom and give students the capacity to exercise their choices. Student affairs
practitioners practice human dignity. They know the inherent worth and uniqueness of every

individual that they interact with. Another value that is fundamental to their profession is that of
justice (Schuh et al., 2017). Student affairs practitioners uphold the moral and legal principles
that pertain to their profession. The seventh value is that of truth or maintaining truthfulness to
reality and facts in their service.

Explain why you find it to be compelling or of interest.

I find values of interest because they inform the thoughts, words, and actions of student
affairs practitioners. Values help in growth and thus can propel the student affairs practitioners
forward as they enable them to create the future that they want. Values are practical, and they
provide standards for morality and competence. Due to their practicality and centrality to the
core of individuals, values can bring great change to a profession. When student affairs
practitioners uphold values that guide the profession, they can impact student lives positively.
They can provide the necessary support to students that will help them grow towards a more
complex and integrated whole. Since our values inform our actions, I think that values have a
significant influence on our interactions with others.

Further, values are essential to student affairs practitioners because they play a central
role in the development of the “whole person.” The values are consistent with the good practice
among student affairs professionals and help them meet their founding commitments. When
values are incorporated in the professional’s daily duties, they shape how they perceive their
responsibilities, how they communicate with students as well as how they guide the students.
The values thus create a continual context and a strong foundation on which student affairs
programs are examined and implemented.

Example of a Fictional Scenario

A faculty member approaches student affairs over concerns that one of the students has been
having difficulties and has even exhibited signs of depression. As a student affairs practitioner,
one of the values that guide the profession is altruism or showing concern over the welfare of
others. In this case, a student is exhibiting signs of potential depression. This could be through
changes in appearance, personal hygiene, conduct, academic performance, and behavior. An
altruistic professional will reach out to the student. The professional will call the student and talk
to them in private. The student affairs practitioner will listen carefully and validate the student’s
experiences and feelings. As an altruistic professional he or she will act in a supportive manner
and express concern over the situation that the student is in. the practitioner will then exercise
freedom and give the student the opportunity to make a choice depending on the situation. For
instance, the practitioner may resolve to discuss clearly with the student and come up with a
concise action plan. The student should be actively involved in coming up with an action plan
that will help them come out of the depressing situation. The practitioner will be accommodative
enough and even be willing to consider additional help. For instance, if the student lives with an
abusive parent or guardian, and this is the source of depression, then the practitioner may
consider taking the student in for a while to alleviate stress and instill hope. The practitioner will
walk with the student and guide them until they come out of their depressive states. However, if
the problem persists and the student tends to worsen, then medical help will be sought.

References

 Schuh, J. H., Jones, S. R., & Torres, V. (Eds.) (2017). Student services: A handbook for the
profession (6th ed.). Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com