Campus based students are welcomed to our University during the first week of their course, but for students studying by online distance learning (ODL) a comparable mechanism does not exist. Academic staff experienced in teaching by ODL considered this to be a gap in students' educational experience and, furthermore, that opportunities for early…

In this article, the author discusses how college administrators are increasingly prioritizing dating violence prevention and intervention services. To combat dating violence, campus groups and programming are becoming more prevalent as increased awareness of dating violence forces students and administrators alike to address a problem that…

To truly impact sustainability practices, campuses need to influence the overall campus culture, including that which is fostered through first-year programs. Institutions of higher education have made a commitment to make a difference for sustainability, not only by changing curriculum, but by changing the entire institutional culture. This…

While admission to a community college is simple--"apply and you're in!"--the institution itself is quite complex. Community colleges serve several purposes: transfer, vocational, recreational, and remedial. Community colleges see students through many lenses. What should counselors know in order to help their community college-bound students make…

The school library media center should be a place that every student and teacher feels compelled to visit on a daily basis. Offering good, informative orientations can provide the direction needed to ensure that happens. Orientations should be part of every school library media specialist's job description and role. Orientations can be as long or…

This article addresses the need for a comprehensive counseling center to be housed on each campus of community colleges. Counseling helps to improve student academic success and retention, transfer, and graduation rates. Current research also illustrates an increase in psychological and emotional disturbances among college students across the…

Humans, as social creatures, look to others for affiliation, support, and guidance while also having the capacity to offer something of value to someone in need (understanding, compassion, reassurance, hope, etc.). While offering such support can be easy, almost innate, for some and less natural for others, basic helping skills can be learned and…

Concern over the transition to postsecondary education for students with disabilities led Ball State University personnel to create the Faculty Mentorship Program (FMP ) in the summer of 2006. The program is a model for collaboration between the disability services office, the faculty members of Ball State, and the Learning Center. The purpose of…

As active members of the scientific community, graduate students make ethical judgments about the conduct and presentation of their research. Pressures in the research environment often influence these decisions. Because inappropriate decisions can lead to unethical behavior and scientific misconduct, it is important that students understand the…

Community colleges are dealing with, and often leading, a historical shift from a 100-year focus on access to a new emphasis on access "and" student success. The impetus for this work comes from many directions--the president of the United States and the secretary of education, at least 30 governors, other state policymakers, the…

The emergence of undergraduate students serving in peer leader or peer educator roles is relatively recent in the history of higher education. Peer leadership positions were first recorded in 1959 in the field of student services, specifically working with students entering college and living in residence halls. Beginning with the Hazen Report of…

At San Diego State University, retention and graduation rates garner national attention. The author discusses SDSU's intensive efforts to improve its graduation and retention rates and to close the achievement gap. San Diego State has been lauded nationally for its success on closing the achievement gap. An article titled "Walking the Walk on…

Transitioning from college can be a process in life that fills students with trepidation. They may experience feelings of uncertainty and anxiety over issues related to transferring to another college, going on to graduate school, entering military service, or moving into the world of work. Recognizing that these topics may cause distress to their…

Distance librarians working with graduate programs often discover many of their students have specialized information needs and require additional instruction. However, it can be impossible to discover these students without first becoming deeply involved with the program. Librarians at Benedictine University have developed a method for becoming…

Research findings on optimum use of the first day of class are mixed. Past data gathered from students from various disciplines support a first day designed to distribute the course syllabus and explain class expectations, rules, and policies. Additional literature supports a different approach to the first day; one designed to immediately engage…