Twenty years ago, I began a project to learn about the professional and personal lives of 130 deans of women who were practicing in their careers between 1903 and 1922, and who laid the foundations of what is now called student affairs. The collective group shows both trends and diversity in the identities, professional lives, and personal choices…

The goal of this qualitative case study was to determine what institutional processes and practices have been developed in relationship to mass shootings and gun violence, as well as how mass shootings in educational settings impact the way a campus responds and prepares a safety plan. Through speaking with threat assessment team members, student…

The unprecedented growth of universities in recent years has meant that there are more students with learning disabilities attending courses. Consequently, universities have had to adapt, improve and create new resources to ensure greater inclusivity. These resources, their design, and development are managed by inclusion support services, aiming…

The Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) has conducted biennial surveys of disability resource professionals (DRPs) in higher education since 2008. In 2020, this national survey gathered information about the work, background, experience, and salaries of DRPs. An online survey instrument was distributed to the AHEAD membership in…

Guided by a framework combining scholarship on critical consciousness and anti-racism in education, this narrative inquiry study sought to understand how practitioners within Gender and Sexuality Centers (GSCs) perceive their engagement with anti-racism. Centering the stories of 20 GSC professionals, findings revealed the racialized differences in…

Limited research exists relating to the development and initial implementation of new higher education policies during a crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic took the world by surprise, and higher education leaders found themselves adjusting traditional roles and services to help students and staff navigate the crisis. Multiple streams policy theory,…

This article explores the mentoring networks for 34 mid-level Latinx/a/o student affairs administrators who aspire to senior leadership roles. Findings indicate that (a) most participants have entrepreneurial developmental networks; (b) participants with mentors gained career and psychosocial functions, including forms of community cultural…

Women of color who pursue careers in higher education administration face a double bind of navigating institutional barriers wrought by sexism and racism while simultaneously taking on the crucial work of mentoring, advocating, and caring for students of color. This multi-method study drew on organizational support theory (Eisenberger et al.,…

Researchers have discussed the crucial effect that information technology (IT) personnel have in a variety of industries. However, a knowledge gap exists in analyzing the effect that interactions between higher education IT personnel and their customers (learners, faculty, and staff) have on the ability to learn, teach, and achieve. The current…

Student Affairs professionals report concerns of stress, burnout, work-life balance issues, overall job satisfaction, and unrealistic demands and expectations often resulting in employees exiting the field (Boehman, 2007; Evans, 1988; Lorden, 1998; Marshall et al., 2016; Mullen et al., 2018; Rosser & Javinar, 2003; Ward, 1995). The COVID-19…

In the spring of 2020, the US Department of Education updated Title IX guidelines addressing the way campuses investigate gender-based violence. This paper explores how then Vice President of Student Affairs at Phoenix College handled changes to Title IX compliance in the early months of the Coronavirus pandemic while also transitioning to remote…

There is a gap in student affairs divisions when using a standard for assessment at the divisional level. While there is extensive literature on assessment within student affairs divisions, there is little to no information on the assessment of student affairs divisions. This study employs an exploratory quantitative research methodology to…

Development occurs over the lifespan, and student affairs educators are not exempt from that life-long process. This article examined the coming out experiences of gay men within student affairs master's preparation programs. The study was comprised of 11 participants representing seven different higher education/student affairs administration…

This study highlights how 19 senior student affairs officers (SSAOs) perceived social justice and inclusion (SJI) content in higher education and student affairs (HESA) graduate programs. While SSAOs across identities and institutional types viewed SJI as a programmatic strength, they named tensions between advocacy and administrative work and…

Higher education and student affairs are fields of study that focus on the institution and student experience in post-secondary education at the graduate level. Located in colleges of education, these departments often offer academic leadership minors often taught by student affairs leadership educators.