Social Justice in Student Affairs Graduate Programs: Exploring the Perspectives of Senior Student Affairs Officers

Abstract

This study highlights how 19 senior student affairs officers (SSAOs) perceived social justice and inclusion (SJI) content in higher education and student affairs (HESA) graduate programs. While SSAOs across identities and institutional types viewed SJI as a programmatic strength, they named tensions between advocacy and administrative work and noted that SJI critiques are less effective when lacking understanding of how to navigate political environments. We include SSAOs’ recommendations for programs and offer implications for practice.