The purpose of this paper is to explore the causes and potential solutions to, student attrition. With student attrition rates reaching between 30 and 50 per cent in the United States, and over 20 per cent in Australia, the inability of higher education institutions to retain their students is a significant issue. This paper cites key risk factors…

The focus of the study was to examine the impact of the recession on (1) community college funding, (2) community college student support services, and (3) on student enrollment. This study relied on data from document analysis and interview of community college personnel and students. The current crisis has resulted in a steep budget reduction to…

Traditionally, student issues regarding disability and sexuality have been viewed and addressed in isolation on college campuses. However, students with multiple minority identities are in need of services and personnel that are responsive to their unique needs as members of two historically oppressed minority groups. This qualitative exploration…

Students regularly encounter faculty in classrooms. Student affairs personnel interact with students in the main when students are beyond the classroom. Both groups are pledged to encourage student development, but they rarely collaborate. What are the reasons for this divided effort? How can the separate spheres of faculty and student affairs…

The purpose of this study was to examine dissertations over the past five years that focused on student affairs organizational issues. A bounded qualitative meta-study was used and the methods, theories, and findings of the dissertations were examined. A variety of research methods were used including quantitative, qualitative and mixed designs.…

The focus and purpose of master's degree student affairs preparation programs is to prepare students to become competent student affairs practitioners. Program assessments, especially those focused on outcomes are important metrics for understanding the role and impact of student affairs professional preparation programs. A well designed…

A review of student affairs journals clearly points out that most, if not all, research strategies within the field fall within traditional approaches based on quantitative methods and, more recently, qualitative methods. The purpose of this article is not to discourage use of these time honored research strategies, but to suggest the inclusion of…

The purpose of this article is to discuss findings that investigate the experiences of Filipina/o American college students at a large, research I institution in southern California. Qualitative data were collected through one-on-one interviews to elicit responses related to the campus environment, sense of campus community/sense of belonging, and…

This article describes the college choice process of graduate students in College Student Personnel programs at a public university and a private religiously affiliated university. Despite differences in size, mission, and location of the two institutions studied, the research findings show that respondent populations were similar demographically…

This article examines the psychological theoretical foundations of college student development theory and the theoretical assumptions of this framework. A complimentary, sociological perspective and the theoretical assumptions of this approach are offered. The potential limitations of the overuse of each perspective are considered. The conclusion…

This research investigated the extent to which potential barriers to educational attainment and campus adjustment prompted 138 nontraditional students (25-63 years of age) to use more academic and social services. In four models tested, the younger, the unemployed, and those stressed by increased tuition used more services. Most of the barriers…

Nearly every college and university has an array of student service entities. These services deal with such matters as admissions, residence life, tutoring, career planning, personal counseling, first year student issues, and other student matters. Unfortunately, disconnect often exists between the classroom and student service programs. This…

Institutional data were used to examine the grades and retention of first-year students in 2 types of living learning communities--Academic Theme Floors (ATFs) and Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs)--and a First-Year Experience (FYE) course. Multiple regression revealed students in FIGs earned nominally higher GPAs (standardized [beta] = 0.02, p less…

Staffing practices in student affairs administration are important functions that impact the success of the organization and students served. This study used the Integrated Model of Staffing Practices (IMSP) as a framework to examine the type and frequency of conference programs related to the IMSP offered by 2 national student affairs…

New staff orientation is a strategy that can positively affect job satisfaction and productivity, especially for those beginning careers in student affairs. In this study, new student affairs professionals were surveyed to determine their perceptions about the content and efficacy of their orientation experiences. Despite literature encouraging…