Many student affairs practitioners passionately support students, but the cost of caring may include compassion fatigue or secondary stress. This constructivist case study examined how a program that serves at-promise students contributes to and alleviates compassion fatigue among staff members. While the scope of work, position of the program at…

Student development theory (SDT) is a diverse corpus of academic and popular psychology with real-world application to the maturation of college and university students. It originated during the campus upheavals of the 1960s as part of a collective effort to reconcile restive students to mass higher education and modern technological society.…

Many student affairs professionals had impactful experiences as undergraduate students, themselves, and they want to facilitate those same opportunities. They believe their work is meaningful to students' experiences and is also valued by institutions. So if that is what motivates many student affairs professionals, what happens when they begin to…

The purpose of this paper is to share preliminary findings from a grant-funded research project that explores the experiences of higher education and student affairs (HESA) professionals who work with undocumented students. Specifically, we derived our conclusions from the experiences of 10 HESA professionals with advising responsibilities.…

Evidence demonstrates work intensity is on the rise and can lead to higher rates of burnout. The UK Higher Education professional services sector has been under-researched in terms of work intensity levels and experience of burnout. This research measured these levels and sought evidence of whether high-performance work practices (HPWPs) moderate…

The retention of student affairs professionals remains a significant challenge for academic institutions, as these professionals play a critical role in supporting student retention and ensuring completion rates. A misalignment between employees' preferred work environments and current institutional policies and traditions hinders the transition…

Since its conception as a distinctive form of scholarship, the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) has evolved into a legitimized field. Despite its rapid evolution, there still exists confusion surrounding its definition and distinctions from scholarly teaching. Additionally, although it is widely recognized across many disciplines, there…

Recently, leadership education researchers and practitioners have raised significant concerns about the gap between the expectations of, and professional training for, leadership educators in student affairs. These professionals are frequently required to facilitate leadership learning, especially in co-curricular training spaces for student…

In the spring of 2021, staff from the University of Minnesota Morris participated in Fika Coffee Time gatherings, inspired by a Swedish tradition to slow down, have coffee, conversation, and a treat with friends or colleagues. As Minnesota is the state with the largest number of Swedish Americans, it has a great deal of institutions that celebrate…

An imaginary divide exists between academic affairs and student affairs, fueled by disagreements over responsibility for the educational mission of a university. Some in academic affairs doubt the capability of student affairs professionals to promote rigorous learning, because student affairs is often viewed as the realm outside of the classroom.…

Doing more with less is a continual dynamic faced by leaders in higher education, particularly within small institutions where resources can be scarce, and professionals often are wearing multiple hats. The ability to prioritize programs and services in student affairs rises to the forefront of our work every day. As a result, leaders often need…

Since 2010, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among college students have increased. Student affairs (SA) practitioners may not have received sufficient training to handle issues regarding student suicidality. Results of a survey of SA professionals across the United States assessing their knowledge, opinions, and actions taken around student…

Using a constructivist paradigm, this qualitative study investigated the impact of social identities on how professionalism is learned, practiced, and challenged by new professionals in student affairs. Collaborators in this study included 25 recent graduates of a student affairs professional preparation program. Findings suggest race, gender,…

Institutional politics and emerging changes to the professoriate have potentially positioned tenure-track faculty within an academic labor system that assumes academic training and expertise guides their progression. This qualitative narrative study of 12 higher education and student affairs (HESA) pre-tenure faculty explored their navigation of…

Higher education institutions can often serve as sites of growth and possibility. At the same time, trauma in varying forms permeates higher education across institutional types. The authors define trauma as the short- and long-term direct and indirect response to deeply distressing events. Students, faculty, and staff all experience various…