A Comparison Study On The Theory And Practices Of Student Affairs Administration In Chinese And American Universities

This study focuses on student affairs and their administration in Chinese universities by comparing them with those in American universities. Various aspects of student affairs administration in Chinese and American universities are compared, including theoretical concepts, history, guiding principles, administrative structure, programs, and staff development. The comparison is conducted along such dimensions as history and reality, micro-structure and macro-structure, and theory and practice, leading to general conclusions about the theory and practice, and similarities and differences of student affairs administration in the two countries. In addition, the relationship between student affairs administration and the social background upon which higher education was developed is also brought into discussion.Broadly speaking, student affairs administration in the United States originates from religion and has a relatively long history. Considering its heritage, student affairs administration in China actually got started at the founding of new China and it was initiated by the political and ideological work. Due to the differences of cultural tradition, political and economic system between the two counties, the concepts of students and student management in these countries are greatly different from each other. In the United States, people pay more attention to democracy and an equitable teacher-student relationship is well maintained. In contrast, the practices of our student affairs administration are inclined to view student as the educated and regulated. In terms of theoretical basis and guidelines, the United Stated regards "individual-based" as its value orientation and pays attention to the individual development. Moreover, guided by the theories of student service and development, student affair administration in the United States focuses on serving students and meeting the need of students with different talents, requirements, goals and personalities. With core values of socialism, student affairs administration in China focuses on the macro-needs and emphasizes political and theoretical education. And this administration serves to cultivate qualified builders and reliable successors for the socialist cause. As for the institutional and organizational structures, student affair administration in the United States has a professional independent position and is well catalogued by the kind of services. Its student-oriented services reflect a relatively high professionalism. With the influences of party and government, student affair administration in our country adopts a system combining both party and government and this system operates through a layered and partitioned mode, i.e., carrying out management though universities, departments and grades (classes). In terms of the content of management, the administration in the United States is mainly composed of consulting, life services and campus life while for a long period of the past this administration in our country focused on the management of politics, ideology, disciplines, rewards and penalties.On the basis of the finding in the study, forward-looking analyses are conducted of some issues concerning the construction of the pattern for student affairs administration in Chinese universities in the new era of mass higher education. The analyses highlight some suggestions and measures to be taken to enhance and improve student affairs administration in Chinese universities at present and in the near future.