Student Affairs Administrators Research Articles

Skills, Knowledge, and Personal Traits Necessary for Success as a Student Affairs Administrator: A Meta-Analysis of Thirty Years of Research

This study synthesized 30 years of research relating to successful student affairs administration using meta-analysis techniques. The findings suggest a successful student affairs administrator has skills such as administration, management, and human facilitation; knowledge of student development theory and functional responsibilities; and traits of personal integrity and cooperation. The researchers noted possible additional skills, knowledge bases, and personal traits for continued success as a student affairs administrator relating to technology, assessment, political skills, and postsecondary public policy knowledge.

Book Review: Exploring Leadership for College Students Who Want to Make a Difference

Historically, the primary mission of higher education has been to prepare students to be effective leaders and informed citizens. Throughout the past 2 decades, colleges and universities have placed an increasing emphasis on programming related to leadership (Roberts, 1997). Student affairs administrators have designed academic courses, cocurricular programs, and experiential learning focused on the development of college student leadership. Parallel to this emphasis, there have been significant developments in the study of leadership. The shift has been from focusing on the characteristics of individual leaders (perspectives embedded in Western culture), to leadership as a group process involving change (Johnson, 1995). As a result, leadership educators find a plethora of literature that is cumbersome and difficult to synthesize for a course or program. Susan Komives, Nance Lucas, and Timothy McMahon provide educators with a contemporary, consolidated resource with their book, Exploring Leadership for College Students Who Want to Make a Difference. What makes this publication unique is that it is a textbook written specifically for college students to be used in a variety of contexts.

Effects of Mentoring on the Employment Experiences and Career Satisfaction of Women Student Affairs Administrators

Women student affairs administrators were surveyed to determine the relationships between mentoring and role conflict, role ambiguity, organizational commitment, career satisfaction, and perceived sex discrimination. These relationships were examined for White women and women of color, both with and without mentors. Results indicate mentoring may benefit White women and women of color in different ways, and may result in reduced role conflict and ambiguity as well as increased organizational commitment.

Factors That Influence Satisfaction for Student Affairs Administrators

This chapter provides a review of the literature on the factors that influence job satisfaction, life satisfaction, stress level, and inter-role conflict for student affairs administrators.

Book Review: Seeking Excellence Through Independence

Terrence McTaggart and his coauthors have assembled an interesting book on the tensions between autonomy, accountability, and decen-tralization in higher education. Although there are some references to private-sector institutions, this edited volume will primarily be of interest to senior campus leaders and members of boards of trustees and state coordinating boards in the public sector. Some senior student affairs administrators and graduate students in higher education programs may also find this book stimulating.

Opportunities for International Travel and Professional Exchange for Student Affairs Professionals

AbstractAs student affairs administrators' interest in international issues has risen, so has the importance of international travel and professional exchange.

Promoting the Scholarly Writing of Female Doctoral Students in Higher Education and Student Affairs Graduate Programs

This study reports on the influence of their doctoral experiences on the scholarly writing and productivity of tenured women faculty members in higher education and student affairs programs. Factors that contributed to creating their identities as scholarly writers and influenced their scholarly writing and productivity included: a) structured opportunities in research, writing, and publishing, b) mentors, and c) student peers. Strategies are presented for faculty members, student affairs administrators, and female students who encourage women to develop a commitment to integrate scholarly activities and writing into their professional identity and practice.

The Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Locus of Control among College Student Affairs Administrators and Academic Administrators

This study examined the relationship between job satisfaction and locus of control among student affairs administrators and academic administrators in higher education. Demographic variables of ethnicity, gender, age, educational level, and type of educational institution were also examined to determine how they affected the relationships between main variables.

Making Room for Religious Diversity on Campus: The Spiritual Pathways Series at the University of Minnesota–Morris

When the University of Minnesota–Morris (UMM) confronted the challenge of promoting religious expression for students of diverse spiritual orientations, the result was a series of forums entitled Spiritual Pathways. Here is how Spiritual Pathways brings together students, student affairs administrators, and faculty to discuss and understand diverse spiritual practices and perspectives.

The Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Locus of Control among College Student Affairs Administrators and Academic Administrators

This study examined the relationship between job satisfaction and locus of control among student affairs administrators and academic administrators in higher education. Demographic variables of ethnicity, gender, age, educational level, and type of educational institution were also examined to determine how they affected the relationships between main variables.

Promoting the Scholarly Writing of Female Doctoral Students in Higher Education and Student Affairs Graduate Programs

This study reports on the influence of their doctoral experiences on the scholarly writing and productivity of tenured women faculty members in higher education and student affairs programs. Factors that contributed to creating their identities as scholarly writers and influenced their scholarly writing and productivity included: a) structured opportunities in research, writing, and publishing, b) mentors, and c) student peers. Strategies are presented for faculty members, student affairs administrators, and female students who encourage women to develop a commitment to integrate scholarly activities and writing into their professional identity and practice.

Book Review: Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession, Third Edition

"Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession" traces its origins back to a conversation that Allen Jossey-Bass had with the authors of the book's first edition, Ursula Delworth and Gary R. Hanson, over twenty years ago. That conversation charted a course for developing a handbook for practicing student affairs administrators that has continued through its three editions. Not only is the "Handbook" one of today's most widely read texts in student affairs graduate programs, it remains a critical stimulus and reference source for all those who aspire to work or who do work in student affairs positions. It can also serve as a resource for others in academic institutions who wish to more fully understand student affairs programs and services.

Book Review: Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession, Third Edition

"Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession" traces its origins back to a conversation that Allen Jossey-Bass had with the authors of the book's first edition, Ursula Delworth and Gary R. Hanson, over twenty years ago. That conversation charted a course for developing a handbook for practicing student affairs administrators that has continued through its three editions. Not only is the "Handbook" one of today's most widely read texts in student affairs graduate programs, it remains a critical stimulus and reference source for all those who aspire to work or who do work in student affairs positions. It can also serve as a resource for others in academic institutions who wish to more fully understand student affairs programs and services.

Religion on Campus: Suggestions for Cooperation between Student Affairs and Campus-Based Religious Organizations

The authors present evidence that spiritual development is an integral part of students' overall development and argue that it is too often ignored on college campuses. They offer a number of strategies to improve cooperation between student affairs administrators and representatives of religion on campus to acknowledge this aspect of students' lives more fully.

The Attorney-Administrator Relationship: A Perspective on Institutional Decision-Making and Power

In this study, the author developed an instrument to investigate the relationship between the perceptions of full-time, in-house campus attorneys and chief student affairs administrators concerning their influence in institutional decision-making. Based on the results of the study, the author makes recommendations for collaborative decision making.

Effects of Career Development on the Organizational Commitment and Life Satisfaction of Women Student Affairs Administrators

Women student affairs administrators were surveyed to examine relationships between career development, organizational commitment, and life satisfaction. Specifically, the authors analyzed the effects of age, position title, educational attainment, years employed in higher education, and years in current position. Results indicate a significant relationship between career development variables and both organizational commitment and life statisfaction.

Navigating the Changing Climate of Moral and Ethical Issues in Student Affairs

AbstractAlthough student affairs administrators might be primarily interested in exploring ways to solve ethical issues concerning sex, drugs, alcohol, academic dishonesty, and violence, the answers are often less important than the ethical standards or core values that guide decision making in our changing professional climate.

Fear of AIDS Among Faculty Members and Student Affairs Administrators

The authors present the results of a study examining fear of AIDS and the level of AIDS knowledge and homophobia among student affairs administrators and faculty members. Student affairs administrators were found to have more knowledge and less fear of AIDS than faculty members. A discussion of these results and recommendations for practice are presented.

The Impact of Inner-City Values on Student Social Adjustment in Commuter Colleges

Despite their race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual preference, students remain similar in one respect: their need to belong. Student affairs administrators are responsible for helping students make appropriate social transitions so that college degrees become realities, a task that is complicated when the student is and inner-city commuter.

Redefining College and University Relationships with Students

The author reviews the approaches of three commentators - a philosopher and academic administrator, a student affairs administrator and lawyer, and a law professor - concerning the chaning natur of institution-student relationships, discussing their shortcomings and common themes along with implications for practice.