Volume 48, Issue 4

This study explored the impact of students’ interactions with student affairs professionals and growth on cognitive outcomes in the first year of college. Interactions with student affairs professionals were associated positively with growth on measures of need for cognition, attitude toward literacy, and academic motivation. A small, negative relationship was found between interactions with student affairs professionals and students’ critical thinking. Implications for student affairs research and practice are discussed.

Is being first generation significant for undergraduates only? The narratives of 25 first-generation master’s students in this phenomenological study suggest not. Participants experienced challenges pursuing their master’s degrees, yet these were counterbalanced by other factors. The authors identified five areas that educators may address to enhance first-generation master’s students’ academic experiences: providing supports for (a) understanding the new “rules of the game,” (b) managing feelings of inadequacy, (c) straddling incongruent social fields, (d) developing strong relationships with faculty, and (e) building positive peer-to-peer interactions.

This study explores feelings associated with the impostor phenomenon (IP) as experienced by six doctoral students in a higher education program. Using data gathered from semi-structured interviews and a focus group, our analysis revealed that participants had feelings related to perceptions of inadequacy and academic preparedness. The authors found that first semester coursework, participants’ racial identity, and family expectations shape IP feelings. Results provide insights for faculty on how doctoral students may experience the classroom.

This study examined career paths to becoming the Senior Student Affairs Officer for men (n = 151) and women (n = 99) at 4-year institutions. Descriptive statistics and network analysis of resume data revealed that an average of 20 years and six job changes led to the position. Most started careers in residential life or student activities, obtained a directorship midcareer in student affairs or administration, and then advanced to the dean of students office.

This survey research project compared and contrasted faculty and SSAO expectations for discrete new professional competencies. Findings revealed few significant differences. This study further examined differences between expected and perceived levels of new professional competency. Significant gaps emerged for fiscal management, planning, assessment, the application of theory to practice, critical thinking, collaboration, conflict management, and written communication. Implications for faculty, practitioners, and professional organizations are discussed.

Diverse entities, such as disciplinary-based accreditors, academic affairs associations, and student affairs professional organizations, promote student learning outcomes. This study identified eight themes among outcomes required by 25 disciplinary accreditors who are members of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The authors compared findings to outcomes promoted by the Council for the Advancement of Standards and the Association of American Colleges & Universities with implications for a collaborative agenda in outcomes development and assessment.

The Social Network film can serve as a helpful tool for student affairs educators to facilitate learning about issues related to student development theory and practice. In this media feature, the following is provided: (a) a brief synopsis and review of the film; (b) an outline of student development theories and how these can be integrated into the main themes of the film; and (c) a description of how student affairs practitioners might apply key concepts and issues to several campus contexts.

Violent video games featuring school violence themes, especially when depicting actual tragedies, can reopen wounds for everyone who experienced the event. Should higher education view video games as a different case or only a different medium? Given that question, how should campuses respond if they are victim to both a shooting and a video game depiction? Two video games with school violence themes are reviewed in the context of higher education.