Understanding the institutional context of financial issues and related communication enhances the effectiveness of student affairs administrators within their areas of responsibility and as leaders of change on campus. This chapter focuses on key aspects of developing a comprehensive communication strategy.

Dana is a graduate assistant in the second year of a master's program in student personnel. In a class discussion of assistantship issues, Dana reveals that he has decided not to enforce the university's policy of "writing up" all underage students who are in a residence hall room where alcohol is present. He says that in his opinion the punitive…

This researcher addresses whether transition planning with classified special education students is being implemented in accordance with the Kohler model for successful transition programming. Using archival data obtained from two high schools, one with a specialized on campus program (School A) and the latter as an excluded site specializing in…

Although the college years prove to be a vulnerable time for students and a critical period for suicide prevention, few school-based prevention strategies have been empirically evaluated. The current study examined the short-term effects of Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR), a gatekeeper training program that teaches how to recognize warning…

In the past ten years, a growing body of research has been devoted to examining the role of spirituality in the lives of college students. Recognizing the importance of distinguishing between religion and spirituality, some have characterized spirituality in terms of students' journey or quest in search of their own answers to the "big…

In 2009, leaders representing two professional associations in student affairs, the American College Personnel Association (ACPA-College Student Educators International) and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education), came together in a joint task force to establish…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain insight on the nontraditional pathways to a college presidency. Specifically, this inquiry explored the career trajectory of college presidents with experience as a former chief student affairs officer (CSAO). The population of the study was comprised of 12 presidents from a myriad of four-year…

The purpose of this study was to explore how midlevel managers in student affairs learn supervisory skills. Student affairs professionals are given tremendous responsibility for the lives of students outside the classroom. The Association of College Personnel Administrators and other sources outlined the necessary competencies for student affairs…

This qualitative investigation examines the use of behavioral agreements by Senior Student Affairs Officers and Counseling Center Directors to manage student mental health concerns and minimize behavior that poses threats to campus communities. Six pairs of Senior Student Affairs Officers and Counseling Center Directors at the same institution…

Recently, colleges and universities across the country have created executive level positions responsible for institutional diversity. The origins of this work within higher education lay in the civil rights movements and its consequences for desegregation of higher education. Early diversity officer positions usually resided within student…

The path to upward mobility or economic success for African American men is often filled with obstacles and roadblocks. Many first-generation African American men entering colleges and universities face limited resources and opportunities to aid in their career development and efforts to meet their career objectives. This article explores the…

Women make up a majority of those employed in higher education, yet they are still a minority in leadership positions. Completing a doctoral degree, relocating for career advancement, and working in demanding, high time commitment roles are typically required to achieve the chief student affairs officer (CSAO) position, as well as contributors to…

Online degree programs have been one of many institutional innovations related to the enrollment growth in higher education over the last decade. The changing format of instruction alters the practice of student affairs in the virtual learning environment. This shift requires faculty, administrators, and student affairs professionals to examine…

The focus and purpose of master's degree student affairs preparation programs is to prepare students to become competent student affairs practitioners. Program assessments, especially those focused on outcomes are important metrics for understanding the role and impact of student affairs professional preparation programs. A well designed…

Over the past several years, the student affairs literature has begun to attend to lesbian, gay, and bisexual concerns (e.g., D'Augelli, 1991; Evans & Levine, 1990; Evans & Wall, 1991; Liddell & Douvanis, 1994). Only two sources, however, provide any information about student affairs professionals who themselves are lesbian, gay, or bisexual.…