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…

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.…

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…

Navigating higher education can be a challenging experience for Black men. Among these, Black men often face unique mental health challenges stemming from systemic racism, cultural expectations, and societal pressures. Addressing their specific needs requires a comprehensive approach. However, supporting Black men's mental health in higher…

Advisors of student organizations face many challenges, including holding students accountable while respecting their autonomy, dealing with challenges of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and navigating their lack of training. Coupled with other professional obligations, it is common for advisors to feel stressed and under-prepared in their…

In this article, we discuss the role of scholarly practice in activism and advocacy for student affairs professionals. We provide an overview and history of scholarly practice in student affairs, highlight the challenges and barriers to scholarly practice, and provide a needed connection between scholarly practice and activism in student affairs.…

By framing the phenomenon of resilience around adverse, harmful experiences and drawing a direct relation to positive outcomes, society desensitizes Black Women to the scale of the adversities they face and ignores the magnitude of psychological stress they have had to endure as a means of survival. The praise and reinforcement associated with…

Gender-inclusive housing (GIH) continues to grow as an option for consideration at colleges and universities across the U.S. A follow-up to a 2016 study by Taub and colleagues was conducted to gauge and assess developmental growth trends of GIH within campus housing. A majority of 184 participants (n = 129) reported that their institution has…

This study sought to understand education support professionals' (ESPs) experiences early in the COVID-19 pandemic, including how they were feeling about their roles in education, strategies they were using to cope with unprecedented times, barriers they encountered toward maintaining SE health at work, and opportunities they identified as…

There has been an increase in enrollments for students with disabilities in the post-school education sector in South Africa of late. This category of students encounters numerous challenges during their time of study at institutions of learning. It is imperative therefore for tertiary institutions to establish a learning environment that…

In this article, we investigate the nuanced challenges facing Black male faculty members in predominantly White institutions (PWIs) regarding their mental health. Through an exploration of the multifaceted roles and responsibilities of student affairs professionals, we uncover actionable strategies that can foster a supportive and inclusive…

In the ever-changing contexts of higher education in the U.S., the field of student affairs strives to evolve the knowledge and skills for effective professional practice. Through this article, the authors invite their colleagues to start a dialogue about another troublesome phenomenon that observed in the field - professional authenticity.…

The financial aid process extends beyond once a student submits the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application. Scholars have found that the financial aid process can be cumbersome, especially for minoritized students. What is unclear in the literature are the additional hurdles students encounter to obtain financial aid. I…

This program description provides an overview of the peer-to-peer student staff model used by the Women and Gender Studies Program and Center at George Mason University. The program description lays out the unique structure of the unit, the need for this type of model, and how its structure is feminist in nature while also catering to student…

Scholars and practitioners have discussed the professionalization of student affairs almost since the birth of the field in 19th century. Professionalizing a field can improve its status and better serve members of an occupation and their clients (Pavalko, 1988). The purpose of this paper is to identify points of tension that illustrate efforts to…