Volume 51, Issue 4

The study of competencies in student affairs began more than 4 decades ago, but no instrument currently exists to measure competencies broadly. This study builds upon previous research by developing an instrument to measure student affairs competencies. Results not only validate the competencies espoused by NASPA and ACPA, but also suggest adding a new competency and dividing some existing competencies into separate ones. Competency strengths, competency weaknesses, and implications for current practice and future research are discussed.

A restorative justice program (RJP) was developed at a large university in the housing student conduct office. Students accused of misconduct who participated in a restorative justice (RJ) conference completed surveys regarding their motivations and perceived outcomes. Results showed that students who were motivated to make reparations to others had the best outcomes, yet these students were often additionally focused on personal motivators. Students who felt pressured to participate had fewer benefits. Implications and limitations are discussed

This article examines success factors for American Indian tribal college students who transfer to 4-year predominantly White institutions. The study examined the experiences of 8 tribal college transfer students to Midwest universities. Using an indigenous methodology, 3 themes were found to help American Indian tribal college transfer students succeed, which were personal goals and dreams, family matters, and being a member of an American Indian community.

Persistence of transfer students is greatly influenced by academic and social integration at receiving institutions. The purpose of this study was to examine how transfer students and student affairs professionals used Facebook during the initial transition to campus. Findings from 15 different institutional Facebook groups revealed that transfer students integrated more socially, compared with academically, via social media

This paper highlights deficit-oriented descriptions of underrepresented undergraduate students in STEM intervention programs at large public 4-year universities. Drawing from interview data and using critical discourse analysis, the author identifies how deficit discourses are mobilized among program staff and argues that such descriptions reproduce discriminatory perceptions of underrepresented students. Recommendations for practice are provided as they relate to campus-wide recruitment and retention efforts.

This investigation used the Health Belief Model (HBM) to examine perceived barriers and benefits college students hold concerning medical amnesty. Researchers employed a cross-sectional research design with 369 students completing the survey (97% response rate). A path analysis revealed that college students are more likely to seek help during an alcohol overdose when they perceive the situation as life-threatening with few barriers. Results reveal that the HBM is useful in explaining intentions to utilize medical amnesty.

This study explored students’ experiences of transition from centralized, professional advising to decentralized, faculty-based advising within a shared advising model at a public research university. Data were collected via focus groups and interviews from 17 participants and examined using phenomenological analysis. Four fundamental themes were evident among participants: evaluation of advisor trustworthiness based on perceived professional responsibilities, preference for a personalized advising relationship, apprehension about the unknown, and reliance on previously developed advising expectations.

Case management is a functional area in higher education and student affairs that emerged after the mass shootings at Virginia Tech in 2007. Although new to higher education, case management emerged from established social work practice. This article compares social work theory and case management standards with a new case management model for student affairs practitioners. Finally, the article presents benefits and challenges of case management in student affairs.

This study focuses on 15 foreign-born students majoring in physics who are also racial/ethnic minorities. We address the research question: What are the acculturation experiences of foreign-born Students of Color majoring in physics? Berry’s (2003) theory of acculturation and Bandura’s (1994) theory of self-efficacy were substantive frameworks for analyzing the data. The findings illustrate participants’ cultural, educational, and social adjustments. Emphasis is placed on how participants navigate and achieve success in this process.