In this article, the author illustrates how three campuses have, in their own way, attempted to bring coherence to the student experience and enrich that experience by more closely matching what was promised to what each student actually experiences while enrolled. Fulfilling students' expectations that were purposefully articulated in the mission…

Uses examples from different types of colleges and universities to describe how three clusters of institutional properties (mission, philosophy, culture) work together to influence behavior of students, faculty, and administrators. Offers four suggestions for consultants who wish to incorporate appraisals of institutional character in their work.…

Recent research and critiques of affirmative action in college admissions raise questions about popular approaches for enhancing learning outcomes, suggesting that a diverse student body is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for experiencing diversity, creating supportive learning environments, or fostering desired outcomes of college.…

Analyzed self-reported experiences of undergraduates to identify characteristics associated with student engagement. Parental education and student academic preparation were positively associated with higher levels of engagement. Whites were generally less engaged, and men were more likely to be disengaged or highly engaged. Students at public and…

Suggests that the disparity between staff expectations and actual reality is related to misunderstandings about how student affairs units are supposed to function. Presents seven stress management measures to help staff members cope with and take advantage of seemingly inexplicable situations. (JAC)

Tests a learning productivity model for undergraduates using hierarchical linear modeling. Perceptions of the campus environment influenced student learning productivity by affecting institution-level student effort, learning efficiency, and student gains. Student affairs professionals can promote higher levels of student learning by helping to…

Although institutional characteristics are assumed to influence student learning and intellectual development, this link has not been empirically confirmed. This study examined whether institutional mission, represented by Carnegie classification, is related to student learning and development. Participants were a stratified random sample of 1,500…

The ethos of a college or university is a belief system widely shared by faculty, students, administrators, and others. Colleges with an ethos of learning share three themes: (1) a holistic institutional philosophy of learning; (2) an involving campus culture; and (3) a climate encouraging free expression. A learning ethos must be cultivated…

The increasing number of minority group students in colleges and universities mandates that student activities be designed to promote cultural pluralism and interaction among all students. (MSE)

Student culture exerts significant influence on many aspects of college life by determining the kinds of people with whom one spends time and the values and attitudes to which one is exposed. To encourage attitudes and values consistent with the institution's educational purpose, cultural elements must be discovered and understood. (Author/MSE)

Some colleges have been able to create and maintain campus climates that promote educationally purposeful student behavior. The 14 "involving colleges" identified in a recent study provide unusually rich extra-classroom learning opportunities for undergraduates. Common cultural features of the institutions include strong institutional…

Based on existing data about colleges and universities and their students, a study examined the factors in the college environment that contribute to or inhibit students' character development. Results indicate that colleges that take character-building seriously invest significant human and financial resources. A six-step agenda outlines what…

The properties of institutional culture are identified, and the way cultural perspectives have been used to describe life in colleges and universities are examined. Seven sections cover the following: cultural perspectives (the warrant for the report, organizational rationality, the remaining sections); culture defined and described (toward a…

The authors examine the college conditions that contribute to character development, using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). (Contains 4 tables and 5 figures.)

In terms of personal characteristics and campus perceptions, adult students are a diverse group. In general they do not perceive the college environment to be supportive or to encourage personal development. Student affairs personnel must encourage self-identification of desired dimensions of growth. (Author/JAC)