In conversations with Student Affairs Executive, senior leaders described the decisions demanding more of their attention, from making the case for their work to preparing future leaders.
What’s taking up student affairs leaders’ attention? Over the past several months, Student Affairs Executive has put that question to dozens of executives at institutions of different sizes. Five issues came up repeatedly in those conversations.
These interviews offer a view of what leaders are navigating. They aren’t a formal survey of the profession, and the pressures differ from campus to campus. Still, the following common themes surfaced repeatedly.
1. Demonstrating the value of student affairs
Leaders described growing pressure to show how student affairs contributes to institutional goals. Participation figures can show how many students use a service, but they rarely answer the questions regarding impact a president or board may ask when considering an investment.
Several executives discussed working with institutional research teams to examine connections among student engagement, belonging, well-being and outcomes such as retention. That work takes time and care. A correlation on its own doesn’t establish that a program caused a student to persist. It can, however, give leaders a better basis for asking questions, improving services and explaining why an investment deserves attention.
As such, student affairs leaders are looking for better ways to assess their work, understand its impact and make a credible case for investment.
2. Making the case to people outside the division
Along similar lines to demonstrating value, student affairs executives increasingly find themselves presenting to boards, working with donors and building relationships across campus. Interviewees spoke about the difficulty of explaining a broad, complicated portfolio in the few minutes often available to them.
The audience matters. A provost, trustee and prospective donor may each ask different questions about the same project. Leaders need to know which details will help that person understand the decision at hand, whether it’s approving a facility, supporting a program or changing an institutional priority. Some interviewees said they wished they’d received more preparation for this part of the job.
Ultimately, it’s clear effective communication strategies are top of mind for student affairs leaders today.
3. Making difficult budget choices
Financial pressure was among the most consistent concerns raised in the interviews. Leaders described rising costs, limited budget growth and the need to decide which activities their divisions can sustain.
Some are looking at partnerships, sponsorships and fundraising to support their work. Others are examining how existing resources are allocated. These choices are highly dependent on the institution: A revenue approach that works for one division may be a poor fit for another’s students, staff or mission. Executives expressed interest in hearing what peers have tried, including what proved difficult to maintain.
4. Deciding where AI belongs
AI came up in many conversations, though leaders were at different stages of using it. Questions included which tasks might benefit from automation, how staff should handle student information and who’s responsible for checking a tool’s output.
Those decisions become easier to assess when a division starts with a specific use. A tool that helps staff draft routine communications, for example, raises different questions from one used to respond directly to students. Leaders are beginning to work through those distinctions while considering what guidance their teams need, including ethical concerns.
More broadly, leaders also wanted to understand how AI is changing the student experience and how other institutions are setting policies and deciding where to use it.
5. Developing future leaders
Overwhelmingly, executives raised concerns about staffing pipelines, burnout, retention and succession. Some described a smaller pool of applicants with traditional student affairs training. Others focused on the challenge of preparing staff to lead across functions beyond their own areas of expertise.
That preparation is especially relevant for professionals moving into AVP and VP roles. They may inherit a wide portfolio while learning to manage budgets, supervise specialists and advise senior campus leaders. Interviewees pointed to mentorship, opportunities to work across departments and better documentation of essential functions as ways to prepare for transitions.
Commonly, leaders also described differences in how staff approach work-life balance and communication. They’re looking for ways to manage those expectations while meeting their divisions’ needs.
These five issues came up repeatedly in our conversations, but they won’t capture every challenge facing student affairs leaders. What’s taking the most time and attention in your division right now? Is there a topic missing from this list that you’d like us to cover? We’d welcome your perspective as we continue reporting on the decisions leaders are making across campuses. Email rachel@peakemedia.com with any feedback.
Continue the conversation: Each of these issues will be addressed at the 2027 Student Affairs Executive Summit, July 20–22 at The Lodge at Spruce Peak in Stowe, Vermont. The event will bring senior student affairs leaders together to discuss their approaches. Applications to attend are open.
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With more than a decade of experience in B2B journalism, Rachel Chonko is Editor-in-Chief of Student Affairs Executive and Peake Media. She specializes in connecting leaders with the ideas, strategies and peers that can help them navigate complex challenges and strengthen their organizations.
Through Student Affairs Executive, Rachel works closely with senior student affairs leaders across higher education to explore the issues commanding executive attention — from student success, data and assessment to organizational strategy, financial leadership, technology and stakeholder engagement. Her reporting is grounded in conversations with the leaders doing the work, with an emphasis on practical insights, institutional case studies and peer perspectives.
Rachel also helps shape the Student Affairs Executive Summit, an intimate, discussion-driven event designed to bring senior student affairs leaders together for candid conversations, relationship building and shared problem-solving.
Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn or explore her latest articles.
