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Higher Education (HE) is constantly evolving, and balancing academic excellence with a supportive social environment is a constant challenge for Student Affairs teams. Bridging the gap between administrative responsibility and genuine student engagement requires a deep understanding of the college experience.
Kerrin Lyles, Vice President (VP) for Student Affairs at Kean University, brings a unique, lived perspective to his role. Kerrin took the time to speak with Jack Eagle, Co-Host of The Interview, to share how his progression from student to Student Affairs officer helps him connect with students and provide holistic support.
I’m Kerrin Lyles, the VP for Student Affairs at Kean University, located in Union, New Jersey. I’ve been at Kean in a professional capacity for 22 years, but I also studied here, so my relationship with this institution goes back at least 30 years.
It’s rare for Student Affairs professionals to stay at one institution for so long, and it can be seen as a disadvantage as we might not have had the opportunity to work in other types of institutions. Though I graduated and left for four years, so I did take a little break, my educational experiences are solely here at Kean. I’ve seen the university’s administration and student body grow and change, I’ve watched new buildings get built on campus and the culture shift, so I’m able to share that perspective of progress with my team and our students. I also feel that I’ve been able to advance in my career here, and take on steady challenges surrounded by people that share my values. It makes working with the students really enjoyable as I can see myself and my journey in them. For me, there are far more advantages than disadvantages to staying at Kean, and it really is the ideal environment for me.
It’s essential to be visible within the campus community. The students have to see our team members, and not just when something’s gone wrong. Again, with my background here, I can consistently connect with students so that when situations arise, globally or locally, they know they can talk to me. Because we make the effort to listen to them, it also gives us more leeway to share the university’s perspective, and remind students of the policies and procedures that protect them. They know that we don’t want to hide or bury their opinions, so not only do they feel safe talking to us, but that we have their best interests in mind.
We have to make sure that students are aware of our policies because there is a right and a wrong way to go about having these conversations. As students might not understand a complex global issue, we bring in professionals or faculty members who are experts in these topics, hopefully with a neutral stance, who can educate them, answer their questions, and allow them to form their own opinions. Then, we allow these conversations to take place, but we’re always on the sidelines to make sure they don’t encounter problems. As faculty and administrators, we also try to stay informed so students know that they can have productive conversations with us.
It’s not always easy, especially because we serve a lot of first-generation students who need to travel to campus or have commitments to their families, and most of our students have jobs outside of their academic endeavors. Sometimes, they simply don’t have enough free time to come to forums and share their views, and that’s okay! We hold events at different times on different days, some at lunch and some in the evening, so we can reach as many students who are willing and able to attend as we can. But if they can’t, then at least we’re making an effort to speak to the populace as a whole.
Currently, our areas of focus are active engagement and critical skill building. It’s no secret that the more students engage with campus initiatives, the more likely they are to stay at the university, the better they do in their classes, and the happier they feel. Like many HE institutions, we foster a sense of belonging through clubs and organizations, and we try to introduce first-year students to these from the moment they step onto campus. If students know what’s available to them, they’ll engage with us throughout their educational journey, and gradually build up their CV or co-curricular transcripts. Our leadership opportunities, such as our annual retreat for student leaders, also focus heavily on skill building. Our theme for this year's retreat was 'Leadership in Action', and it gave students a chance to think introspectively about who they are as leaders, develop their characteristics and values, and hone soft skills like communication, conflict resolution, and critical thinking. Engagement opportunities like this will strengthen the academic side of Student Affairs, rather than becoming another thing on students’ to-do lists.
To connect with students holistically, we use Navigate360 through EAB. It tracks academic achievement and alerts us if a student falls behind or starts missing classes. When we see these early warning signs, we can address them through conversation with the individual, or create programs to support the student body as a whole. As for wellbeing outside the classroom, mental health is a big focus on our campus and around the country. Students can encounter issues at points when our campus is closed, so we provide a service called Uwill that offers mental health support 24/7. The technology is definitely there, so it’s our job to ensure students are aware of these resources and engaged enough to use them.
As humans, when we see people doing amazing things and achieving success it’s natural to think, ‘I want to be like them.’ We are all unique, each with our own talents and skills. My advice is to avoid trying to imitate others and focus on being the best version of yourself.
My second piece of advice is a quote: ‘Do something today that your future self will thank you for.’ No matter how small, if you put the effort in and plant the seeds now, five or ten years in the future you’ll be in a much better position.
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