Student Affairs Research Articles

ABSTRACT Some of the first competencies for higher education professionals were published in the 1937 Student Personnel Point of View . These have evolved and expanded over time, and professional associations have defined knowledge, skills, and dispositions for the field in general and specific functional areas. These competencies, along with the CAS standards for Master's Level Higher Education and Student Affairs Professional Preparation Programs , provide the foundation for preparing future practitioners.

ABSTRACT US higher education is undergoing rapid change, faster than it has in its 400‐year history. While some changes could have been predicted, others, such as COVID, could not. This article will explore issues in the future of higher education, implications for student affairs, and their impact on the preparation of higher education graduate professionals.

ABSTRACT The demographic landscape of higher education is shifting , undergoing a profound transformation, with “new majority” student populations—such as first‐generation students, ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and returning adults—becoming increasingly prevalent. This article explores the implications of these shifts for the preparation of future higher education and student affairs professionals, emphasizing the need for graduate training and professional development that addresses the diverse and intersecting identities of today's students. Grounded in an intersectional framework, the article examines the unique challenges and opportunities these students face and highlights strategies for enhancing the preparation of future professionals who would be well‐equipped to foster equity, belonging, and success for all students in higher education. By focusing on inclusive practices and forward‐thinking approaches, this article contributes to existing scholarship while offering a vision for a more responsive and student‐centered future in higher education.

ABSTRACT In this qualitative inquiry, we examine the experiences of women who work in student affairs and have children with disabilities and how they navigate their dual roles. Using Critical Disability Theory and Clark's Borderland theory to frame the study, we conducted interviews of 21 student affairs mothers of children with disabilities. We found that the women in this study rarely navigate their roles and responsibilities alone. In order to successfully navigate work and family, supports were created in three domains: work, family, and social. Collectively, these three domains make up an overall support system that helps these women juggle their work and family responsibilities. The finding of the social domain makes a theoretical contribution by expanding Clark's Work/Family Border Theory (2000) to include what we call ‘borderland helpers.’ The theory acknowledges how border keepers (supervisors, colleagues, higher administration, spouse/partner, parents, or children) impact the permeability of the border between the family and work domains.

ABSTRACT After decades of training and professional development focused on individual learning, researchers now argue for moving toward collaborative learning models with the potential to shift institutional culture. To offer an example of such an approach, this study describes how cross-functional Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) fostered an iterative, individual and collective learning process among student affairs and academic affairs professionals as they worked together to improve at-promise student experiences, outcomes, and success.

ABSTRACT Master's programs serve as a traditional entry point for many professionals working in higher education. These programs are at an inflection point with declining enrollments, financial constraints at institutions negatively impacting graduate assistantships, proliferation of anti‐diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) policies, and different pathways into the field. This article invites readers into a critical and reflective conversation about four contemporary key issues impacting graduate programs and key collaborators (i.e., program faculty, campus partners, and graduate students).

Instagram utilization is able to meet followers’ information needs, provide both social and commercial benefits for users, and serve as a medium to attract public interest in better understanding the user or content provider. In the field of education, Instagram can also be used for various purposes such as learning media and promotional tools. SMK Walisongo Semarang, the partner in this community service program, already manages two Instagram accounts: @smkwalisongoofficial and @osis_skawas. The @smkwalisongoofficial account is managed by teachers and staff, while @osis_skawas is managed by student council (OSIS) members. The focus of this program is the @osis_skawas account, which was created in 2023 and currently has 93 posts and 170 followers. Unfortunately, within approximately two years, the account has only published that number of posts, consisting of 81 photos with captions and 12 reels. According to one of the community service team members, the account’s content has remained limited and monotonous since last year, indicating low activity and lack of development from the administrators. Based on interviews with the Vice Principal of Student Affairs, the administrators faced challenges in content creation, both technically and in terms of ideas. Through lecture, discussion, and hands-on practice methods, this training had a positive impact on the students of SMK Walisongo Semarang. Knowledge and skills related to the types of content, ways to create and edit, motivation enhancement, and effective content creation strategies were provided to the target audience, enabling them to understand how to increase engagement in each post. In addition, the use of CapCut in video production was also discussed, equipping them with sufficient skills to edit videos and develop the @osis_skawas account.

ABSTRACT Future imaginaries shape the policy innovations that guide universities in their approaches to internationalisation. China’s Greater Bay Area (GBA) represents a transformative grand strategy aimed at fostering a regional innovation system through knowledge creation, cross-boundary collaboration, and the cultivation of high-quality talent via inward-oriented higher education (HE) internationalisation. This paper examines how innovative universities in the GBA construct future imaginaries of internationalisation and communicate these images, as well as the ways in which they translate these imaginaries into practice by managing the student affairs and campus experiences of international students. Employing a multiple case study approach, the study focuses on two innovative GBA universities, utilising discourse analysis of institutional policies and social media, complemented by semi-structured interviews with stakeholders. Findings reveal that these universities align their internationalisation imaginaries with a state-directed vision that emphasises political, diplomatic, and cultural partnerships over entrepreneurial motives. Unlike Anglo-Saxon models influenced by neoliberalism and academic entrepreneurialism, China’s approach leverages HE as a tool for cultural diplomacy and soft power, promoting Chinese characteristics in a multipolar, multicultural world. This research contributes to reimagining indigenous HE internationalisation, offering insights into how future imaginaries guide policy innovation and approaches to HE internationalisation. By situating university practices within national frameworks, the study underscores the interplay between state-led visions and institutional agency in advancing the regional innovation ecosystem.

ABSTRACT The Campus Pride Index (CPI) is often used as a litmus test for assessing the level of LGBTQ+ inclusion and support within higher education institutions. However, little research has explicitly examined the relationship between CPI rating and LGBTQ+ students’ perceptions of supportiveness. To explore this, the study analyzed 118,244 student responses about their institution’s support for diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Results indicate that at top-rated CPI institutions, LGBQ+ students had lower perceptions of support than their peers. This article discusses the implications of these results, focusing on how institutions may uncritically utilize CPI as the ceiling for LGBTQ+ support rather than a minimum, with ideas for how student affairs practitioners can utilize CPI while also going beyond CPI’s metrics.

ABSTRACT Professional associations support a field in many ways, including professionalization, setting standards of practice, advocating for members and the industry it supports, and generating and sharing knowledge, research, and scholarship. While they provide ongoing education, they can play a more intentional role in professional preparation. This article will discuss how comprehensive and functional area professional associations can support preparation for entry into the field of student affairs and higher education.

This article explores the adaptation of the Decoding the Disciplines (DtD) framework from its traditional classroom context to the broader institutional arena, specifically targeting student affairs. Originally designed to make disciplinary expert thinking explicit, DtD has been reimagined here to uncover and address hidden institutional bottlenecks that impede student success. Using South Mountain Community College (SMCC) as a case study to explore this adaptation of the DtD framework, we document the transformation of the framework into a tool for diagnosing and decoding complex administrative processes—such as admissions, enrollment, and financial aid—that often present significant challenges for students. At SMCC, the authors engaged in a series of workshops where student affairs staff, redefined as “insiders,” engaged in systematic reflection and cross-departmental collaboration to identify both procedural and emotional barriers. The findings underscore the potential of this adapted framework to reveal tacit institutional knowledge, challenge entrenched assumptions, and promote structural change. This work not only extends the applicability of the DtD model but also offers actionable insights for institutions striving to create more transparent, supportive pathways that foster academic and professional success.

Review our list of upcoming annual higher education conferences for 2025–2026, and consider which ones are most suited to the needs of your student affairs staff members.

It might seem much less than ideal for a college athletics director to take on the additional responsibility of overseeing areas that traditionally fall under the student affairs umbrella. But Peter Dryer, Ph.D., has found that serving in dual roles as Athletics Director and Dean of Students at Arizona Christian University, has resulted in a better experience for student‐athletes, coaches, and staff.

PurposeStudying abroad represents a significant risk factor for diminished health and well-being due to cultural, environmental, and psychosocial challenges. This study aimed to explore international students’ perceptions of well-being and examine the factors contributing to their well-being while living and studying abroad.MethodsWe used an exploratory sequential mixed-methods study design. The first part of the research involved a qualitative study conducted through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. We analyzed the data using thematic analysis. We used the results from the first stage to develop the quantitative part of the study. Multiple regression was used to analyze the factors contributing to international students’ perceived well-being.ResultsThe qualitative study identified four main factors: academic life, health, social connectedness, and environmental factors. The quantitative study found that faculty and student status significantly affected well-being.ConclusionUniversities and those managing international student affairs should develop pre-arrival plans for incoming students, considering their diverse backgrounds and perspectives on well-being. Student well-being positively influences academic results by enhancing cognitive function, motivation, social engagement, and resilience while reducing risks of stress, burnout, and dropout rates.

Higher education is an educational institution that has an important role in producing a quality young generation by facing various challenges in managing daily operations and providing adequate services to students. Student Affairs is one of the units that manage quite a lot of student activities. Student affairs on campus refers to various services, activities and organizations related to students. Student information management at STMIK TIME is still carried out separately and not integrated such as through social media, WhatsApp, and drive links which cause errors and duplication of information. This research aims to design an integrated web-based student management information system to facilitate access to information and improve service efficiency. The system includes four main features namely Services, Activities, Student Activity Assessment, and National Scale Activities. The Agile method is used in the system development process which includes the stages of requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, and review. The result of this research is a website that can help students and student affairs in managing information quickly, efficiently, and structured.

This study examines the self-reflections of first-year life science students enrolled in introductory biology courses across three institution types. Using an abductive analysis approach, we analyzed written reflections from 390 students to identify recurring non-academic themes and explore how these align with Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) theory. Our findings reveal that many challenges students experienced, such as unexpected academic and social difficulties, the influence of living arrangements, mental burnout, and uncertainty about personal abilities are not explicitly captured within SRL's current categories but nonetheless shape students' engagement with SRL processes. These results highlight the need for earlier, proactive interventions, as many students reported recognizing these issues only late in the semester. We offer practical recommendations for educators and student affairs professionals to better support students by addressing non-academic factors early in their college experience. We frame these non-academic influences as contextual factors that interact with students' self-reflection (including self-judgment and self-reaction), and we identify them as important areas for future exploration.

This research evaluated the students' satisfaction with Student Affairs Services at Bohol Island State University-Candijay Campus through a descriptive survey. The study had 974 student participants. The research tool measured the levels of satisfaction in nine areas of services, namely: Registrar Services, Library Services, School Clinic Services, Student Publication Services, Supreme Student Government Services, Guidance Services, Multi-faith Services, Cultural Services, and Sports Services. In each category, five specific items related to service delivery were used to measure. It was found that students were generally delighted with most services, while some of them rated the services as satisfactory. Overall, the outcomes suggest that the campus is successful in addressing student needs, although there is room for further improvement in certain areas of service.

BackgroundStudents with disabilities encounter numerous challenges in life, which ultimately harm their psychosocial well-being. These psychosocial challenges pose a threat to their university life experience and hinder the chances of success for students with disabilities.ObjectivesThe study aims to explore the perspectives of student affairs practitioners and students with disabilities on the psychosocial challenges of students with disabilities.MethodIn this study, we used data from semi-structured interviews with 12 purposively selected student affairs practitioners and students with disabilities. After transcription, the data were analysed thematically.ResultsFour themes were identified: (1) poor infrastructure and a lack of resources; (2) stigmatisation and discrimination; (3) mental health and social challenges; and (4) awareness of disability and provision of adequate resources.ConclusionStudents with disabilities face several psychosocial challenges and these challenges harm their mental health and social well-being.ContributionThis study adds to the expanding body of knowledge on the psychosocial challenges of students with disabilities. Universities have committed to advocating for and ensuring the inclusivity of these students. Consequently, it is crucial to understand their daily challenges and the necessary interventions to address them, ensuring that these students feel a sense of belonging and recognition.

The Texas Association of College and University Student Personnel Administrators' Centennial recognizes its rich history as a state-wide higher education professional association "dedicated to the development, support, and promotion of student affairs professionals in the State of Texas". The TACUSPA Foundation, an entity within the association, provides financial support for graduate student scholarships to attend the conference, the Thomas Moorman Fellowship program, and professional development initiatives for the members. Learn more about the early beginnings of the TACUSPA Foundation, its dreams and successes, and its plans for the future.

The intensifying competition for talent among Chinese cities has encouraged local governments to implement proactive talent policies as a strategic priority. Unlike their metropolitan counterparts, medium-sized cities face heightened challenges in talent acquisition and retention. Nonetheless, a conspicuous gap persists in understanding the tangible ramifications of talent policy implementation and the underlying drivers of talent attraction. This research focuses on Yantai City, a coastal urban center in eastern China, as a specific case study to investigate how talent policies in medium-sized cities on the intention of college students to remain in their educational locales, using push-pull theory. In collaboration with university student affairs departments, we used stratified sampling to conduct an online survey of graduates from five major undergraduate institutions in Yantai City, obtaining 1,872 valid responses. Using regression analysis and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), our study reveals that talent policies do not exert a significant effect on the students’ intention to stay in the city, failing to achieve desired outcomes. Conversely, emotional support mechanisms and the overall quality of urban life demonstrate a positive association with the inclination to stay. Notably, insufficient emotional support diminishes the efficacy of talent policies to a certain degree. This study offers valuable insights into the multifaceted determinants shaping the post-graduation decisions of college students, thereby informing the refinement of talent policies.