In this article, the authors argue that the relevance of student affairs depends on the will to redefine the mission, structures, and practices to provide the leadership that institutions require. They begin with an overview of challenges to higher education and student affairs, examine the implications of those challenges for student affairs, and…

When the author worked as a vice principal at a K-8 school in Watsonville, California, a school predominantly filled with migrant workers' children, he felt a lack of support as a Latino as he began moving up into school administration. He also continued to see what he had seen as a teacher--which was how underserved minority students were. These…

The practice model described in this article represents a new synthesis of some of the best and most pragmatic models and concepts in the cultural competence literature. The article begins by infusing the ecosystems perspective with Latino-relevant theories and research for enhancing cultural sensitivity, both heightened awareness of the Latino…

The U.S. faces a changing demographic landscape that is increasingly multiracial. The application of a cultural competence model for assessing and treating the psychiatric disorders of minority youths in light of this demographic change is discussed.

In this article, the author talks about strategies for success in recruiting and retaining Hispanic students. One strategy suggested by Raul Lorenzo, account director for Bauza & Associates, a Hispanic marketing agency that helps colleges and universities recruit and retain Hispanic students, is that institutions need to speak to the heart as well…

This article presents a teaching strategy for group work that enhances the social justice consciousness of course participants by increasing their knowledge of their own cultural identity, worldview, acculturation, privilege, and oppression to improve their cultural responsiveness and understanding of social justice issues. The focus is on group…

Much has been written about reading disparities between African American males and other student groups. Interestingly, the majority of this scholarship focuses on African American males at preadolescent states of development and beyond. To date, relatively little has been documented relative to improving reading outcomes in African American males…

New Zealand is a bicultural nation, founded on the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi by the native Maori and the British Crown. It is also home to people from many countries, cultures and ethnicities. Therefore, culturally-relevant response to crisis events has become a significant aspect of the Ministry of Education's interdisciplinary Traumatic…

The resume can be a window into the life story of a client and help address barriers to work and life success. Using the resume as a narrative tool, career counselors can address these barriers and increase clients' employment potential. The strength of this approach is its cultural relevance to clients who may not otherwise seek counseling and as…

This paper describes a qualitative inquiry into the experiences of Burmese refugee families with elementary schools in the U.S. and proposes a new perspective for serving the educational needs of refugee children. Data included in-depth interviews with 25 Burmese families in a midsize Midwestern city. Findings from the preliminary analysis…

Counselors need to learn how to effectively and respectfully enter into communities hit by disasters and create collaborative partnerships with community members. Using critical consciousness theory, the authors describe a humanistic, culturally responsive approach to disaster response counseling for marginalized individuals and communities and…

Two-year colleges are facing major change. The majority will undergo a turnover in college presidencies in the next ten years, at a time when they are being asked to be engines for economic growth, enable more students--and a greater diversity of students--to gain 21st century qualifications, and provide a pathway to higher degrees, all with…

This article explores the possibilities of advancing youth dialogue and education among the Filipino youth using empirical notions of students on suffering. Examining empirical data, this analysis exposes uncharted notions of suffering and shows relevant meanings that underscore the plausible trappings of youth dialogue and its benefits on…

In this article, the author describes how high school and university students in Georgia and members of a small weaving pueblo in Oaxaca, Mexico, collaborated in designing and creating a mural in the central market ("mercado") of the pueblo. A number of lessons emerged from this multi-cultural collaboration. First they learned that using…

Part of the responsibility of early childhood educators is to help the children in their care develop into thoughtful, kind, contributing members of society. This includes being accepting and welcoming of those who are "different." Staff should be prepared to answer questions from young children regarding differences in race, ethnicity,…