The study reviews the impact of the freshman year and 4 years of undergraduate study on the formation of character and its progression from late adolescence to young adulthood. Much of the empirical data used is drawn from the Sierra Project, a study originating in the 1970s that addressed traditional obstacles in higher education in meeting its…

A high level of informal contact with faculty members by college freshmen was associated with positive views of their academic and non-academic lives and persistence at the institution. (MM)

Describes psychosocial factors that predicted college adjustment of first-year undergraduate students on the basis of studies conducted in two universities of differing size, focus, and geographic location. Academic self-confidence, positive attitudes toward the university, and faculty and peer support significantly predicted more successful…

Examines how much progress has been made in racial equality, what "wider access" for black college students means, and their actual perceptions and experiences. Results show colleges and universities still have a long way to go in achieving racial equality and that black students are questioning institutional commitment, while experiencing…

Study explores how institutional context affects the development of self-concept in a sample of 273 African American college students. Findings suggest that students attending church affiliated historically Black colleges develop significantly higher self-ratings in three domains of self-concept-psychosocial wellness, academic, and achievement…

This article derives from local research at two UK universities as part of their institutional strategies to address retention and progression and enhance their students' experiences of higher education. In both Middlesex University and the University of Salford, research has been undertaken to identify factors which influence the retention and…

A study examined the interpersonal influence strategies reported by college students in two alcohol-related situations--a drunk driving intervention situation and a non-driving alcohol abuse situation. Subjects, 489 undergraduate students attending a large midwestern university, a large central midwestern university, or a mid-sized upper…

This report is designed to provide the University of South Carolina community with information about undergraduate experiences and activities as perceived by the students. The report deals primarily with: academic experiences and activities and to a lesser extent with student-faculty relationships, friends and acquaintances, extracurricular…

Argues that potentially dramatic undergraduate educational reform lies in aggressive leadership provided by student affairs professionals and university presidents in quality of life issues outside classroom. (Author/CM)

This study identified differences in work motivation factors of resident assistants. Responses indicated that gender, length of experience, and hall assignment have statistically significant effects on work motivation of resident assistants. Suggestions are included for housing professionals on how to maximize the potential motivational…

Using data from a national survey of colleges and universities, examines the educational benefits of having a racially diverse student population. Results indicate a racially diverse student body has a positive effect on educational outcomes through its effects on diversity-oriented student activities and experiences. Discusses benefits of racial…

Article represents a symposium that examined the problem of college drinking. Findings are presented and integrated from four longitudinal studies that involved nationally representative samples and single university samples. The primary goal was to better understand what motivates and inhibits risky drinking from a developmental perspective, and…

This research investigated the extent to which potential barriers to educational attainment and campus adjustment prompted 138 nontraditional students (25-63 years of age) to use more academic and social services. In four models tested, the younger, the unemployed, and those stressed by increased tuition used more services. Most of the barriers…

A conceptual view of student development and the milieu of an urban commuter college are discussed. Student development is defined as the application of human development theory, principles, and concepts in an educational setting to identify the forms of development in students to which the institution is willing and able to commit its resources.…

Extends previous research, which investigated relationships between female students' perceptions of a "chilly campus climate" and cognitive outcomes in the first year of college, by examining those relationships through the junior year. Results, implications, and limitations of the study are discussed. (Author/GCP)