A Study On The Function Of Student Associations In Moral Education In The Independent College

Independent colleges, a product of the reform and development of the tertiary education in China, have become a pivotal part of the nation’s higher education with its strong momentum. In comparison with public higher education institutions, independent colleges have shown their own characteristics in various educational facets such as student enrollment, teacher resourcing and staffing, school management, ways of instruction and student affairs. In various aspects of student affairs, the function of student organization, due to its unique properties and vitality, has been indispensable for its value of moral education, whose importance, though, is not widely acknowledged. However, theoretical research in this area is not revealed through detailed investigations. This article first field-studies an independent college "X" to investigate its status quo and eXisting problems in the moral education function of its student organizations, then it puts forward a proposal of how this function can be improved and strengthened so as to eXtend the moral education value, while promoting a continuous and healthy development of the student organization on independent college campuses.The first chapter is the literature review on the studies both at home and abroad about the functions of moral and political education of college communities and associations. This chapter also briefly introduces the methodology and research procedure of the study.In the second chapter, the X independent college as the research object is studied, and the present status in moral function of its student associations and the problems within the function are analyzed. Moral function of student organizations have been developed, but during the process of realization of the moral function in student organizations emerged some problems, i.e., moral value-oriented is not clear, both moral cultivation and action norm did not get into full play, and there is a lack of moral awareness.In the third chapter, analyzes the factors that impede the function of moral education in independent college student associations. The impeding factors are insufficient policy support, inadequate management regulations, the lack of cognition of students on the moral education in activities organized by student associations and the shortage of funds. The fourth chapter as a conclusion puts forward the means to realize the functions of moral education in independent college student associations, arguing that to fully realize the functions of moral education requires strengthened policy guidance, well-drafted norms and regulations on the establishment and operation of student organizations, students’ understanding on moral education in associations and funds that facilitate the operation of student organizations.