Student Affairs Leadership Research Articles

Discover how intro to psych lessons can apply to student affairs leadership

The American Psychological Association estimates more than 1 million students take Introductory Psychology annually. Psych 101 syllabi expose students to dozens of lessons spanning the broad field of psychology.

The Lived Leadership Experience of Women Senior Student Affairs Administrators

This qualitative study grounded in feminist theory uses narrative inquiry to explore the stories of 26 senior women student affairs leaders. We tell the collective story we heard participants bring forward by describing plotlines that reverberated across their accounts. We call these plotlines: Experiencing Communication through Gendered Problematic Frames, Emotional Labor, and Impact on Career Trajectory. The collective narrative offers current and future administrators a better understanding of how women leaders navigate their roles and the gendered nature of leadership.

Students look to student affairs leaders, especially in challenging situations

Difficult situations unfortunately come with the territory in student affairs. The biggest challenges for Edee Schulze, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Life at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, have involved student death, students grappling with serious physical and mental health issues, and natural disasters such as fires and mudslides.

STUDENT AFFAIRS LEADERSHIP EDUCATORS’ NEGOTIATIONS OF RACIALIZED LEGITIMACY

Critical and justice-oriented approaches to leadership are incomplete without attention to racism and racialization. This study employed basic qualitative inquiry to examine racialized legitimation within student affairs leadership education through lenses of whiteness as property and legitimacy. Findings detail how leadership educators sought to gain and/or maintain legitimacy and the ways racialization is embedded in these processes through professional experiences, leadership knowledge, and identity. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

THE PLACES AND SPACES STUDENT AFFAIRS PRACTITIONERS SHOULD LEARN AND PRACTICE LEADERSHIP EDUCATOR COMPETENCIES

Although leadership education typically is not explicitly incorporated into student affairs preparatory programs, student affairs practitioners are expected to facilitate the leadership development of their students. Thus, through two simultaneous Delphi panels, Group A: Student Affairs Practitioners (n=17) and Group B: Student Affairs Preparatory Program Faculty (n=20), this study explored the places or experiences where student affairs practitioners should learn and practice the professional competencies needed to be a student affairs leadership educator. Both expert panels agreed the graduate assistantship was the most important place to learn and practice how to be a leadership educator. Yet these findings demonstrate a gap between research and practice within student affairs preparatory programs. Four recommendations are provided to strengthen the professional preparation of student affairs practitioners as leadership educators.

Learning from the Mediators: How Student Affairs Staff at Christian Colleges Combine Care and Conviction in Their Responses to LGBTQ+ Students

The relationship between faith-based institutions and students who identify as LGBTQ+ has attracted considerable attention of late. Most of this scholarly attention, however, has focused upon the students themselves. In this article, we examine the contemporary experience of 371 student affairs leaders (SALs) who serve as the primary mediators between the desires and demands of LGBTQ+ advocates, scholars, and students, and the policies of current administrators. This article reports on previously unexplored data from a larger grounded theory study on Christ-enlivened student affairs to answer the research question: How do SALs at Christian universities approach LGBTQ+ students in light of the Christian mission of their institutions? Data were collected using a qualitative questionnaire of 301 SALs, as well as extended interviews with 70 SALs. Participants’ moral/theological responses included a collection of Christian virtues and rules. They indicated a range of helpful practices—including how they handled campus groups—but generally agreed on the dearth of training and education they had received on the topic. In our discussion, we compare our findings to the recommendations of previous scholars before elaborating our own list of recommendations. Our suggestions for Christian campuses include a re-imagined policy statement, a commitment to education rather than training, a focus on the spiritual needs of students, and some recommendations for LGBTQ+ campus groups.

Our Presence is Resistance: Stories of Black Women in Senior-Level Student Affairs Positions at Predominantly White Institutions

Black women have made tremendous progress in higher education. However, despite increases in enrollment and graduation, research regarding Black women’s experiences in senior-level positions in the student affairs field is limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of seven Black women in senior-level positions in student affairs at predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Analyzed using a Black feminist thought theoretical framework and narrative inquiry, this study amplified the unique standpoints of Black women in student affairs leadership positions at PWIs. The findings revealed strategies used and barriers faced when navigating racism and sexism for Black women in senior-level administrative positions in student affairs.

How a Public Relations Crisis Led to the Development of a Partnership Between Academics and Student Affairs to Enhance Student Success.

In 2013, a public relations crisis led a mid-size university to reconsider the concept of student success on campus. Collaborations between Academic and Student Affairs leaders have resulted in important changes at the university. The university developed increased ability to support student success by investing in staff positions, exploring best practices to increase student success and retention, and implementing several initiatives including a first-year seminar pilot. Relying on data from national surveys, areas for improvement were identified. Underscoring all of these activities was a focus on student development theory, an increased understanding of institutional data, and a commitment to a comprehensive pan-institutional approach. Because the university has a lower than desired graduation rate (55%), several action teams were created to oversee various goals related to communications, year-long orientation experiences, and an academic anchor. Ultimately, this work has now reached the stage where a strategic enrollment management plan is under creation.

Higher Education and Student Affairs: Applying Expertise in Student Leadership Development and the Collegiate Context.

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.

A Contemporary Portrait of Black Women Student Affairs Administrators in the United States

Although Black women are the most represented minoritized group among U.S. higher education administrators, they continue to lag behind White women and men in terms of leadership in the student affairs profession, which may be exacerbated by their relative underrepresentation in graduate programs in education. Further, beyond generalized narratives about the aggregated experiences of Black women in higher education, little is actually known about the status and ambitions of contemporary Black women in student affairs. A secondary analysis of archival data extrapolated from a program evaluation survey provided preliminary insight into the educational and professional characteristics and aspirations of 401 Black women student affairs administrators who participated in the African American Women’s Summit. Findings revealed that the majority of participants had earned master’s degrees, were employed as assistant deans/directors, and were earning between $30,000–$49,999 annually. The most represented student affairs functional areas among participants were Housing and Residential Life Programs, followed by Multicultural Student Programs and Services. Most participants were employed at large, public, 4-year, predominantly White institutions. Further, despite hesitations about enrolling in doctoral programs and persisting in the profession, many participants still aspired to terminal degree completion and senior-level leadership. The data were interpreted in relation to existing research about the career pathways of chief student affairs officers and suggest that more specific strategies are needed to facilitate the promotion of Black women into student affairs leadership positions. While the findings of this study focused on a specific group of Black women student affairs administrators and thus should be applied cautiously, the portrait offered contributes to the scant body of literature about Black women employed in student affairs and suggests interim strategies that may be used to ameliorate their underrepresentation in the field.

A Conversation Among Student Affairs Leadership Educators

AbstractThis chapter explores the nature of leadership education work and the development of leadership educator identity in a student affairs context through the lenses of seven colleagues in conversation with one another.

LEADERSHIP EDUCATION BEYOND THE CLASSROOM: Characteristics of Student Affairs Leadership Educators

Currently, more students receive leadership education from student affairs offerings than academic leadership courses. Using two simultaneous Delphi panels, Group A – 17 student affairs managers and Group B – 20 student affairs preparatory program faculty members, this study sought to identify the characteristics of a student affairs leadership educator. While there was agreement (93.8%, n = 32) that student affairs practitioners are leadership educators, there was a disconnect between the two panels in how leadership education should be demonstrated within the context of student affairs. These findings support previous research that student affairs practitioners and preparatory program faculty disagree on the characteristics needed to be a successful student affairs practitioner and expands the impact of these findings into the area of leadership education.

Key stakeholder opinions for a national learner education handover

BackgroundSharing information about learners during training is seen as an important component supporting learner progression and relevant to patient safety. Shared information may cover topics from accommodation requirements to unprofessional behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine the views of key stakeholders on a proposed national information sharing process during the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate medical education in Canada, termed the Learner Education Handover (LEH).MethodKey stakeholder groups including medical students, resident physicians, residency program directors, medical regulatory authority representatives, undergraduate medical education deans, student affairs leaders, postgraduate medical education deans participated in focus groups conducted via teleconference. Data were transcribed and coded independently by two coders, then analyzed for themes informed by principles of constructivist grounded theory.ResultsSixty participants (33 males and 27 females) from 16 focus groups representing key stakeholder groups participated. Most recognized value in a national LEH that would facilitate a smooth learner transition from medical school to residency. Potential risks and benefits of the LEH were identified. Themes significant to the content, process and format of the LEH also emerged. Guiding principles of the LEH process were determined to include that it be learner-centered while supporting patient safety, resident wellness and professional behavior. The learner and representatives from their undergraduate medical education environment would each contribute to the LEH.ConclusionsThe LEH must advocate for the learner with respect for learner privacy, while promoting professionalism, patient safety and learner wellness.

Every Woman Has a Story to Tell: Experiential Reflections on Leadership in Higher Education

This study explores and shares key professional development advice related to career paths, challenges faced, and lessons learned from senior women leaders at a public, urban, research university. Interviews were conducted as part the NASPA Alice Manicur Symposium, a national student affairs leadership development program for women. Findings identified two themes at the personal and institutional levels. Sub-themes included strategies for career advancement in higher education, such as accepting opportunities, being visible, understanding the business of higher education, and obtaining a terminal degree. Aspiring women should be ready to navigate institutional challenges, often outside of their control, such as bureaucracy and politics, budgetary constraints, forces impacting student affairs, and institutional change. Participants shared perspectives on addressing institutional change including assessing needs and affect, exploring perceptions of change, gaining buy-in, and leveraging the change. Because emerging women leaders in higher education are often overwhelmed and confused in the realm of career assessment, findings from this study address the problem. The needle can move for women in higher education leadership positions if women identify themselves as aspiring leaders, create time for career assessment reflection, and take action to implement strategies for advancement endorsed by successful senior women.

‘Latino spaces have always been the most violent’: Afro-Latino collegians’ perceptions of colorism and Latino intragroup marginalization

This study centers on the racialized experiences of Afro-Latino undergraduates at historically White institutions. Of particular interest, I examine how six Afro-Latino collegains experience intragroup marginalization due to colorism. The research design is undergirded by critical race theory and a critical race methodology. Participants’ narratives reflect how colorism manifests in the lives of Afro-Latino collegians. In drawing attention to a population that has been rendered invisible in higher education, findings from this study guide implications for future research and practice for higher education and student affairs leaders.

Learning from Tragedy: Student Affairs Leadership Following College Campus Disasters

The phenomenological study illuminated the lived experience of senior-level student affairs administrators who encountered high-profile crises, such as natural disasters, intentional violence, or accidents. In the midst of unimaginable tragedy, their lived experience was defined by: uncertainty and fear, heightened awareness, personal impact, and incidental learning. As the community emerged from tragedy, leaders viewed their ultimate responsibility as creating healing environments and helping others move forward in a meaningful manner.

Who Teaches Leadership? A Comparative Analysis of Faculty and Student Affairs Leadership Educators and Implications for Leadership Learning

This study combines multiple national datasets on leadership educator demographics, education, positions, and experiences, in order to answer the question: Who teaches leadership? Comparing leadership educators across both curricular and co-curricular contexts allows a snapshot of the diverse perspectives of leadership educators and informs a set of critical questions and challenges for the field. Questions about the preparation and socialization of leadership educators, the development of pathways for faculty from traditionally underserved backgrounds, and the multiple roles and identities of leadership educators merit further investigation.

Past, Present, and Future: Contexts for Current Challenges and Opportunities for Student Affairs Leadership

Contexts for identifying and understanding current opportunities and challenges for student affairs leaders are described and a framework for the rest of the sourcebook is offered.

Embracing Core Values: Finding Joy in the Challenges of our Work

This chapter describes and discusses implications of the experiences of student affairs leaders—the challenges and the opportunities, the obstacles and the joy—for understanding and facilitating student affairs leadership.

Apply business‐world techniques to student affairs leadership

Student affairs professionals often talk about how much time they spend in meetings.