Job analysis and its outcome, position descriptions, are two necessary and related staffing functions for any hiring authority. Using a formal job analysis process has many benefits for any student affairs unit. There is, however, a dearth of information on this topic as applied in student affairs work. A model adapted from business is presented…

The authors identify challenges for student affairs professionals and suggest responses and questions for more effective work with Asian American students. (Author)

When the University of Minnesota-Morris confronted the challenge of promoting religious expression for students of diverse spiritual orientations, the result was a series of forums entitled Spiritual Pathways. Explains how Spiritual Pathways brings together students, student affairs administrators, and faculty to discuss and understand diverse…

This study examined the impact of gender, race, intergroup contact, and diversity training on racial prejudice of student affairs professionals. Diversity training and race of participants were statistically significant contributors to change in racial prejudice. Findings suggest that racial prejudice decreases as diversity training increases.…

Decisions by university officials not to notify a student's parents following a suicide attempt on campus have been severely criticized by some observers. Although courts have not imposed a parental notice requirement, the practice is advantageous to students in many situations. The author recommends a system of notification that relies primarily…

The field of philosophy has much to contribute to academic advising, both because of the kinds of training philosophers typically receive and because of the sorts of projects on which they work. Because of these factors, philosophers have the potential to make excellent academic advisors, and they can broaden and enrich the theoretical…

This chapter provides an overview of the challenges to and strategies for successful staffing in a small college student affairs division.

This study identifies selected skills and competencies attained by entry-level student affairs professionals through master's-level graduate education and the degree to which these skills and competencies were perceived as necessary for entry-level student affairs work. Given a list of 28 skills drawn from preservice preparation and student…

This paper describes a university initiative, cochaired by a faculty member and a student affairs administrator, to increase the collaboration between academic and student affairs. The initiative, called Claiming a Liberal Education, adapted a conflict resolution model, intergroup dialogues, to increase the interaction and communication between…

Grant writing provides not only financial rewards but also insights into the living mission of an institution, and points toward collaborative opportunities within and among various units across a campus. In the future, more and more grant funded programs will be a necessary part of our work in student affairs. This manuscript offers basic tools…

Issues surrounding student cheating and plagiarism are ubiquitous in higher education. Research has consistently found gaps between policies and practices on our campuses, a struggle for those student affairs professionals charged with institutionalizing the value of academic integrity. While the motivations and roles of students have been…

The first-year experience movement opens a window of opportunity for student affairs professionals to extend their educational endeavors into the classroom, thus allowing entrance into segments of campus once reserved exclusively for faculty.

This book, a revision of a 1983 edition, addresses both theoretical and practical issues faced by entry-level and mid-level practitioners who espouse a commitment to student development. Chapters include: (1) "Human Development and Higher Education" (Theodore Miller & Roger Winston, Jr.); (2) "Organizational Theory: A Primer" (George Kuh &…

This monograph considers student affairs research, providing an overview of research issues; a practical guide to conducting and teaching about research; and a critique of current research assumptions, methods, and practices. "The Promise of Student Affairs Research" (Karl Beeler and Deborah Ellen Hunter) uses "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" as…

Formalized training can only improve the efforts of a resident assistant. It increases the seriousness of the nature of the job and provides a means to broaden the overall educational base of the residence halls. (Author)