Examining the Legal Consciousness of Residence Life Staff

Abstract

Understanding the law has become an integral part of the work of higher education professionals, especially residence life staff. For decades, courts have contributed an increasingly important role in shaping the litigious nature of society at large and within higher education (Greenleaf, 1982). Barr and Associates (1988) noted the increasingly major influence of the law on campus life. Even in the mid-1990s, Gehring and Penney (1995) highlighted the critical need to understand legal issues for those professionals entering the field of higher education and student affairs. Since Olivas (2013) found that higher education law is a rapidly changing area in the field, knowledge of the law is critical to anyone in a professional position in higher education. [Discussion questions developed by Amelia King-Kostelac.]