Volume 11, Issue 2

In the past two decades, colleges and institutions have devoted energies and resources to a wide range of educational programs and initiatives. Although often not labeled as “character” development programs, these initiatives are designed to guide the personal moral values and behaviors of college students relating to pressing contemporary ethical issues and problems. The authors examine some of these ethical development efforts, reasons for their importance to colleges and universities, and ways they have helped to shape the moral atmosphere of college life and the character of their students today.

In this article, I assert that religious differences and interfaith conflict are important topics for discussion on college campuses and should be considered within the context of social justice education. Starting with a hypothetical scenario centering on a conflictual situation resulting from religious differences that takes place within a student affairs classroom, I propose that principles of social justice education can be used in such situations to develop the interfaith leaders for whom Patel and Meyer (2009) argued.

The Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) is a Chicago-based international non-profit seeking to build a global movement of interfaith cooperation, with a particular focus on American colleges and universities. The concept of religious pluralism, as defined in IFYC’s methodology, consists of three integral components: respect for religious or non-religious identity, mutually inspiring relationships and common action for the common good. This article offers a brief exposition of IFYC’s theory of religious pluralism, with an example from campus life. It is written in response to Robert McKim's article "Responding to Religious Pluralims" in the Journal of College and Character.

Effective interfaith interaction on college and university campuses requires leadership from the top of the institution and concrete resources, as follows: an office funded by the institution which is dedicated to religious, spiritual and ethical life; widespread campus partnerships; creation and sustenance of one or more student interfaith bodies; rigorous promotion of free religious exercise and association; hospitality for under-represented traditions. Examples are provided, drawing especially on the experience of Stanford University.

This investigation examined perceptions of undergraduate students and faculty of incidents of classroom incivility; of the perceived effectiveness of faculty in circumventing classroom incivility; and of the effectiveness of polices addressing incivility. Findings revealed there is a statistically significant difference between faculty and student perceptions of the type and frequency of incidents of classroom incivility. Findings also revealed a difference between faculty and students as to whether a teacher’s interpersonal/pedagogical skill could affect classroom incivility. Implications include a dialogue between faculty and students regarding classroom incivility, a refinement of pedagogy/ interpersonal skills for the professorate, and development of policies.

This article examines the rise of programs in higher education that award certificates, minors, and/or majors in service-learning. Using Vaughn and Seifer (2008) as a foundation, this study documented and analyzed a total of thirty-one academic programs that had service-learning at its academic core. Findings from this study suggest that there is indeed a coherent (though far from stable) “field” of service-learning. Moreover, the findings suggest that the strength and structure of a program is strongly dependent on its status; i.e., there is a deep dividing line between certificate programs and minors and majors. This has implications for how service-learning scholars and practitioners talk about and thus organize themselves, their field, and their body of core knowledge. The article concludes by highlighting key programmatic and curricular features, examining the status of service-learning as a distinct discipline and drawing forth implications for institutions considering developing service-learning certificates, minors, and majors.

Each new generation of college-goers presents a new set of challenges for faculty and student affairs educators, and the Millennial Generation has certainly done so since they began arriving on college campuses in 2000. One particular challenge unique to Millennials is that they are highly motivated and high-achieving, and rely on their parents and other authority figures for direction and approval, shifting their loci of control to external players. In this article, the authors summarize research that demonstrates an increase in personally-interested thinking and externality among Millennials, and the implications of these findings for moral judgment development and moral functioning.

This article discusses a personal journey of character and identity development over the course of an undergraduate career in the United States and graduate studies at the University of Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship. Through this personal narrative and the ongoing research that it has inspired on the Gap Year, the article explores the importance of character development for youth today and the role that universities can play in assisting students to achieve it.

This article highlights changes in college students, higher education and society over the past twenty years, reminding faculty members that our students are our “clients,” and we must keep abreast of changes in order to be effective and quality instructors and advisors.

Coming into the 21st century, college students were not politically engaged. This paper proposes that higher education institutions rely on William Perry’s ethical and intellectual development scheme to help students become politically engaged. Because most college students will reach Perry’s position of commitment in relativism, institutions should utilize students’ growth by applying five lessons: (1) College is the right time to focus on political engagement, (2) Institutions must defend political engagement as a legitimate mission, (3) Programs must address the students’ disillusionment, (4) Programs must specifically target political engagement, and (5) Institutions must teach the habit of political engagement.

The aims espoused by institutions of higher education often entail the development of students’ character. Rarely, however, are these character development aims connected to the unique design and delivery of distance education programs, and the research literature that explores the moral and character development aspects of distance education is sparse. This case study examines instructor and student perceptions of approaches, instructional methods, and other factors that contributed to perceived character development in a fantasy literature distance education course. Findings indicate the instructor and students perceived myriad kinds of character development and corresponding approaches and methods for bringing about such development in the context of the course. This paper considers possible implications for character development in the context of distance education and directions for future research.

In 2005, the Competitive Sports Office in the Department of Physical Education at the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, instituted a formal character education program with a goal of developing character in student-athletes through their participation in a mandatory competitive sports experience. “Baseline” data was collected in the Fall 2005, then three years later in the Fall 2008. The results from this three year assessment were mixed, with some teams/athletes improving while others stayed the same or got worse. These results were not surprising due to the relative infancy of the character in sports program. A follow-up assessment is planned for the Fall 2010 where “better” results are expected because the program will have been in effect for five years.

Should college require health insurance for all students? This issue involves financial and ethical issues. This article raises questions for leaders to consider.

The author questions whether dialoging about Christian privilege is enough, or if there is a process that can effect behavioral change. She then outlines steps that can be taken to change attitudes and behavior.

Responding to media attention on a study of Teach for America (TFA) alumni, this essay summarizes key findings of alumni studies of TFA and AmeriCorps regarding evidence of sustained civic behavior in relationship to young adults’ search for meaning and purpose. Consideration is given to different definitions of civic engagement and what is “enough” civic engagement. It closes with questions regarding the role of reflection and spiritual development in discerning vocational calling and sustaining civic engagement.

Numerous scholars have offered labels and characterizations of contemporary young adults and compared these characterizations to those of previous generations. In this article, the author draws on findings from a study of a student-run homeless shelter that has been in operation for the past 27 years. Through interviews with current students volunteering at the homeless shelter as well as former volunteers from the 1980’s and 1990’s, the author points to differences in the way contemporary and previous generations of the shelter’s college-aged volunteers conceptualize public service.

The challenge to educate students holistically is world wide, and attempts to do so are underway. One is the Bologna Process, involving European Universities in a collaborative process to better define student learning goals and achievement. While some progress in better preparing students for career success has occurred, more work is needed everywhere to better create environments that foster global citizenship, including social and personal responsibility.

In this issue of the Journal of College and Character we have an opportunity to explore two perspectives on the issues and challenges with which young people grapple as they seek to understand and develop their personal values, spiritual and religious orientation, and their “inner core” or moral compass. The two recent publications reviewed provide some important insights into the moral and spiritual lives of the young adults with whom we work on college campuses, their “big questions and worthy dreams,” as suggested by Sharon Daloz Parks (2000).

Through reflections and analyses of his own experiences over many years in supporting young peoples’ adult development, Daniel R. Heischman provides insights into the dynamics of adult interactions and roles with young people and offers guidance to the significant adults in young peoples’ lives for assisting them to effectively influence young peoples’ search for meaning and purpose. He poses several fundamental questions: 1) What are the typical attitudes and expectations of adults and adulthood that young people are experiencing; and 2) What is the impact of today’s concepts of adulthood on young peoples’ own adult development?

Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults is a brilliant examination of the spiritual and religious lives of 18 – 23 year olds. Through vigorous quantitative and qualitative research, Christian Smith and Patricia Snell find that emerging adults, while no less religious than twentysomethings of previous generations, tend to have incongruous sets of beliefs and sets of behaviors. In addition, Smith and Snell, reveal that despite initially tepidity, emerging adults desire to have meaningful relationship with adults and that these relationships fortify religious beliefs and galvanize moral maturation. Souls in Transition is an important resource to higher education professionals who seek to understand the moral, religious and spiritual climate of today’s college student.

This article asks college administrators to help quell the tendency for students to view "I'm too busy" as a catch-all excuse for ignoring social and business obligations. By exploring how perceptions of time exist among students, and the detrimental effects thereof, the author seeks productive change of communication pathways regarding excuses which she feels is ultimately in the interest of honest accountability for all.