We collected narratives from five undergraduates who identified as either in the process of or had formerly transitioned from one gender to another while enrolled in a postsecondary institution. We used a narrative life story protocol to explore the greater context of participants as individuals. Participant stories focused on: the importance of…

Over the last 3 years, the advocacy organization Speech First has filed six lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of bias response teams on the grounds that they violate free speech. Bias response teams are university-wide committees that respond to reports of racially charged incidents on college campuses to promote institutional goals of…

This qualitative study examined how Black women graduate students engaged in radical healing through the Homeplace Research Collective at the University of Florida. The purpose of this study is to investigate the lived experiences of Black women graduate students by focusing on the challenges they encounter within the academy and how their…

Despite significant cultural attention on the phenomenon of school shootings, one of the most predictive dimensions of these tragedies is under-analyzed: gender. Men commit 98% of mass shootings, but robust discussion and research on this relationship is lacking. This dissertation investigates the relationship between masculinity and gun violence…

Academic conferences are integral to the dissemination of novel research findings and discussion of pioneering ideas across all postsecondary disciplines. For some participants, these environments are spaces to develop new collaborations, research projects, and social bonds; however, for others, conferences can be a place of marginalization and…

Policy optimization, a variant of The Input-Environment-Output's (I-E-O's) environmental optimization, has found traction on the edges of and outside of the discipline of higher education. It has spawned an entire industry of vendors (e.g., EAB, Starfish, and the myriad vendors specific to functional areas) selling student success solutions, and…

The quantitative study examined diversity training and police service differences on levels of ethnocultural empathy among Florida's public university campus police officers. Enrollment in Florida's public universities has increased markedly along all social, cultural, and racial lines during the last decade (State University System of Florida…

The reasons a student may choose to enroll and matriculate at a particular postsecondary institution are many. Yet a sense of belonging and a strong emotional connection often supply all the incentive students need. Campus environments play a central role in the college choice process as the ecology, climate, and culture of an institution…

One month after the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, left three dead and many injured and arrested, another university faces a tough decision about whether to allow controversial alt-right leader, Richard Spencer, to speak on campus. What seems like a simple decision to allow or deny a speaking request becomes a much deeper…

Single measures of college performance fail to reflect the mix and diversity of students served. First-time students vary widely in terms of their readiness to succeed in college. Higher education environments (ecosystems) also vary widely and afford students differing admission and transfer opportunities. These factors confound college completion…

As higher education continues to experience a shift in demographics commiserate with the United States population, colleges and universities are making more concerted efforts to recruit men of color as staff, administrators, and faculty to reflect their diversified student bodies. One way to retain men of color staff members is to provide…

The 2017 Thought Leaders report focuses on "Transforming Facilities to Achieve Student Success." The report makes the case that student success starts with retention and graduation, but it can expand to include factors from personal career goals to social responsibility. A key message from the report is that through strategic investment…

Over the last few years, there have been some egregious examples of rape culture on college campuses that call into question the effectiveness of current sexual-assault policies. This article contains brief recaps of four recent events that took place at prominent American universities, drawn from a laundry list of contemporary examples. They…

Trans* individuals have recently received greater attention in mainstream media. Trans* students and their concerns are also becoming more visible, as evidenced by the recent increase in the number of colleges and universities that are offering trans*-inclusive housing options. However, such increased visibility does not readily equate to…

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…