The Student Affairs in Higher Education master’s program at Colorado State University is undergoing exciting changes to better serve students.

The SAHE program and the Higher Education Leadership doctoral program will be combined under a new Higher Education Programs leadership structure. This leadership structure in the School of Education will streamline processes between the two programs and create additional pathways for students. A tenure-track position to serve as director of Higher Education Programs is in process.

“The SAHE program has been a feature of CSU since 1967 and is known for producing well-rounded, equity-focused leaders in the field,” said Lise Youngblade, dean of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences. “Combining SAHE with the HEL doctoral program gives students more pathways and positions this program for success in a changing higher education landscape.”

The SAHE on-campus and online programs have also been streamlined, allowing additional flexibility for students and reducing SAHE credit requirements to 33 credits.

“Today’s students are seeking flexibility while still valuing in-person connections,” said Blanche Hughes, vice president for Student Affairs. “Providing students with hybrid educational experiences while retaining the valuable practicum and assistantship experience that helps SAHE produce quality practitioner-scholars is an innovative approach.” 

Task force recommendations

The formation of Higher Education Programs is one of several recommendations made by a SAHE Task Force Youngblade and Hughes charged last spring. The task force, with representatives from SAHE, the College of Health and Human Sciences, Student Affairs, School of Education, Graduate School, and CSU Online, reviewed the budget, business model and strategic market position of the SAHE program to meet the evolving needs of today’s students and advance the program.

The Task Force worked throughout the summer and submitted final recommendations in August. Youngblade and Hughes have accepted those recommendations, and they are currently being implemented by a team from the School of Education and the Vice President for Student Affairs Office, with support from the College’s Dean’s Office and CSU Online.  Implementation team members include Jen Aberle, Jody Donovan, Alex Lange, Dave McKelfresh, Mary Pedersen and Carmen Rivera.

Applications for fall 2024 now open

In addition to the programmatic changes to strengthen the SAHE program, the number of Graduate Assistantships has increased and there will be 17 assistantships available for fall 2024.

Applications for the on-campus SAHE program are now open on the CSU Graduate School website and will close on Dec. 1. Faculty and staff who would like to refer students are welcome to do so at sahe@colostate.edu and a SAHE representative will follow up with the student. For more information on the SAHE on-campus program, see the School of Education website. See the CSU Online website for application deadlines for the online SAHE program.

“Online enrollment for SAHE is up by 20 students this fall, and we anticipate that the on-campus program will continue to be as competitive as ever with these positive changes,” said Rivera, assistant vice president for Student Affairs and co-chair of the SAHE program.

Certificate programs and study privilege

In addition to the online and on-campus master’s programs, SAHE also offers two, 15-credit SAHE certificates online that are designed to provide specific knowledge to professionals at any stage in their careers. Certificates include Student Affairs Administration and Campus Crisis Management.

CSU faculty and staff can use their study privilege to take courses in the SAHE program to work toward a degree or certificate or a select course for professional development. Courses that have been popular include:

• Student Development Theory.
• Foundations and Trends in Student Affairs in Higher Education.
• Organizational Behavior in Student Affairs.
• Financial Management in Student Affairs.
• Inclusive University.

“In the School of Education, we are excited to begin work on aligning programs to increase opportunities for students,” said Pedersen, interim director of the School of Education. “SAHE is an important program that has produced outstanding student affairs professionals for decades, and we are looking forward to implementing changes identified by the Task Force that will position SAHE to thrive into the future.”