You Can't Rock the Boat if You're Rowing It: And Other Observations About Life as a Student Affairs Administrator

Abstract

Life as a college administrator offers a complex set of challenges, frustrations, and learning opportunities that are seldom recorded or shared. Drawing from a journal he has kept for many years, Gregory Blimling shares his observations about student affairs administration and the lessons he has learned from more than 30 years as a professional in the field, nearly 20 of which has been as a senior student affairs officer. He cautions readers that he is not offering advice and that his comments reveal his weaknesses, frustrations, and his maturing beliefs about higher education and the role of student affairs.