The growing diversity and changing demographics within the United States increases the importance of students developing skills to engage across identity difference. The purpose of this chapter is to describe how a pre-employment course for student staff members is used as a multicultural intervention training to provide students with the…

This chapter reviews the impact of using race caucuses with members of a student affairs leadership team to deepen their capacity to both recognize common dynamics of racism, internalized dominance, and internalized oppression, and explore specific strategies to create greater equity in their organization.

The skill development of equanimity and empathy gained through spiritual growth equips students to examine solutions to complex problems in a diverse, global society. This chapter explores intentional multicultural initiatives designed to foster spiritual development and interfaith engagement as means to navigate difference and social good.

This chapter provides an overview of undergraduate STEM initiatives for underrepresented minorities and women, as well as a description and critical analysis of one comprehensive federally funded initiative at a research-intensive university.

Gatekeeper training is one of the most commonly employed methods for identifying and intervening with at-risk students (Davidson and Locke, 2010). Within the context of campus suicide prevention, a gatekeeper is broadly defined as any individual who has the potential to come into contact with at-risk students (Davidson and Locke, 2010). Although…

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college students, and it is estimated that 1,088 college students die by suicide each year (National Mental Health Association and the Jed Foundation, 2002). This chapter presents the context of college student mental health within which the problem of college student suicide is situated. Because…

This chapter explores the critical role of crisis intervention and other support after a suicide has occurred as part of a comprehensive suicide prevention response within college and university campuses. The important components of postsuicide intervention campus crisis response and protocols and the identification of key stakeholders to…

Student peer educators have been used by higher education intuitions to influence the education and retention of college students for many years, and most institutions have some type of peer educator program. Newton and Ender (2010) broadly define the role of peer educators as "students who have been selected, trained, and designated by a campus…

As the college population in the United States rapidly diversifies, leaders of successful campus suicide prevention programs are recognizing the importance of targeting specific groups of students. Recent estimates from the National Center for Education Statistics indicated that in 2008 more than one-third (36.7 percent) of college students…

Extensive media coverage of the suicide deaths of several gay and lesbian youth has highlighted lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth as a population at-risk for suicide. In addition, it has caused colleges and universities to address mental health and suicide behavior among this very diverse college population. One issue that…

The perception that college students are coming to campus with more severe psychological concerns than in the past has been empirically supported on college campuses (Benton and others, 2003). Approximately 20 percent of all adolescents have a diagnosable mental health disorder (Kessler and others, 2005), many of which then continue on to college…

This article describes the emerging role of assessment coordinators in student affairs divisions. It highlights opportunities and challenges in that role along with key findings from assessment projects. Specifically, this article has several purposes. The first is to identify the role of the assessment coordinator and the opportunities the…

Despite the significant amount of research related to student persistence, institutions must develop and implement assessment practices that account for their unique mission and purpose. This chapter describes a framework for engaging in assessment activities to improve student success. Specifically, it examines how assessment efforts can be used…

Dashboard systems are increasingly popular as assessment and performance management tools in higher education. This chapter examines the use of dashboards in student affairs, including examples of key indicators and considerations for developing and implementing these tools. The chapter begins with an overview of the origins of dashboards, from…

This chapter provides an overview of the use of professional standards of practice in assessment and of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS). It outlines a model for conducting program self-studies and discusses the importance of implementing change based on assessment results.