Developing a Cosmopolitan Outlook In Student Affairs Practice

NYU Student Affairs Conference 2014

Topics We Will Cover

Define “cosmopolitan” and “local” Benefits and challenges of both positions How balancing cosmopolitan & local

positions can positively affect practice Outline & brainstorm ways to broaden the

local paradigm

Differences(Gouldner, 1957)Local Highly committed

to organization Emphasizes

institutional knowledge

Focus on immediately available resources

More rules-bound

Cosmo More committed to

field Emphasizes global

knowledge Values external

resources and information

More willing to experiment

Influence

Challenges to Paradigm Balance

Professional Development

Task Orientati

on

Cosmopolitan On 4 Levels

FIELD

SCHOOLOFFICE

/ SERVICE

PERSON

Person: What Can I Do?

Talk to strangers. Weekly briefings. Build a big net. Keep it

working.

Office/Service: What Can We Do Innovate. But also… Go with what works. Share your results – with the

world!

Institution: You work here too? ABC: Always. Be. Collaborating. Knock down the silo. Common problems; common

solutions

Field: The Wide World of Education Find your orgs. Stay connected. Represent! (Yourself, your office,

your school, your work). Remember the nerds!

Small-group DiscussionResourc

es

• Which are being leveraged?• Location (internal/external)?• Which take the most

priority?

Balance

• How are you balancing local viability with best practices/scholarship?

• How are you engaging local stakeholders versus national social/professional networks?

Take-Away Recommendations Try to read at least one Inside

HigherEd or Chronicle or Journal article daily & share it if you find it applicable to your organization

Organize some sort of informal gathering with colleagues to discuss ideas/experiences

Engage with local, regional, and/or national professional organizations

Consider specialized institutes based on function/interest (RCI, MMI, SSO, SJTI, etc.)

Remember: Balance

Cosmopolitan

Local

Questions?Marc A. Lo, PhD StudentBenjamin S. Selznick, PhD StudentHigher & Postsecondary Education

Reference:Gouldner, A.W. (1957). Cosmopolitans and locals: Toward an analysis of latent social roles. Administrative Science Quarterly, 2(3), 281-306.