Despite the widely documented benefits associated with racial diversity in higher education, less is known about why and how race matters. A potential answer may be found in how students conceptualize race. This qualitative study explores students' underlying racial conceptions, which have been shown to influence various attitudes and…

This study examines career planning programs and career services offices at colleges and universities in the United States as viewed by senior student affairs officers (SSAOs). Findings from a 1979 study of career services offices (CSOs) were compared to the current findings. Additionally, new areas of research were examined in order to provide…

This study examined student affairs and services staff members' perceptions of their work relative to items developed from the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services' (CACUSS's) mission statement (CACUSS, 1989). Using data collected from student affairs and services staff members at English-speaking…

Although international attention to understanding college student development, learning, and experiences has increased, leading higher education journals do not seem to have kept pace. We examined 8 higher education and student affairs journals (5 from the US, 3 from Europe) from 1998 to 2011. We found overall that 5% of articles addressed…

Domestic violence (DV), formerly considered as a private matter, is now recognized as a global social, health, and human rights issue. The acknowledgment of DV as such varies by geography and marital status (e.g., dating and same-sex relationships are not immune). Surveys around the globe suggest that DV is common among college students. A recent,…

The purpose of this study was to increase awareness of the perceptions of student affairs professionals regarding the most frequent and challenging concerns facing college students today. Using the Delphi method, 159 entry-level and mid-level student affairs administrators from institutions across the country were surveyed about their perceptions…

Transitioning away from the comforts of home to the independent nature of the college environment can be stressful for students and thus is and has been a major focus of student affairs personnel. Perceived loneliness in college student populations has been found to be related to myriad mental health constructs. Thus, much attention has been given…

Women are an increasingly large presence in undergraduate education, and many female students are mothers in addition to their role as college students. To compare and contrast 2 groups of student mothers (adult and traditional college-age), we administered a 39-item survey to 95 student mothers. We assessed demographic variables, reasons for…

Student affairs personnel are often charged with the task of creating a sense of community on campuses. Sports is among the many activities that historically have been used to meet this need for community among students. Yet, how and when a sense of community is created within a sports context has not been appropriately addressed in literature.…

Career paths in student affairs generally follow a conventional course: graduate degree to entry-level position, progressive responsibility until middle management, and then a decision to remain, work to advance, or change fields. Studies on factors influencing career advancement have enlightened qualitative considerations individuals face when…

"The Student Personnel Point of View" (American Council on Education, 1937) has been a catalyst for dialogue on the purposes of student personnel and student affairs work for 75 years. Through analysis of the writings of Esther Lloyd-Jones and E. G. Williamson, two of the most prolific scholars of the early years of student personnel work, the…

Student affairs professionals seek innovative methods to enhance academic achievement for students. A recent study highlighted the need to bridge student development work with course curricula (Kilpatrick, Stant, Downes, & Gaither, 2008). This study also linked the importance of nonacademic cognitive variables, such as locus of control, to…

Applying theory to practice in student affairs is dominated by the assumption that formal theory is directly applied to practice. Among the problems with this assumption is that many practitioners believe they must choose between their lived experiences and formal theory, and that graduate students are taught that their experience "does not…

This rejoinder to Patrick Love's article, "Informal Theory: The Ignored Link in Theory-to-Practice," which appears earlier in this issue of the "Journal of College Student Development", was written at the invitation of the Editor. In the critique, we point out the weaknesses of many of Love's arguments and propositions. We provide an alternative…

We studied 7 women of color student activists on a large, predominantly White college campus and employed intersectionality theory and multiple identity development theory to examine how they make meaning of their multiple identities. Findings from this narrative study highlight ways students' identities led them to activism, experiences of…