Though religion played a central role in the founding of U.S. higher education, over the centuries, its influence was diluted by competing secular emphases. In recent decades, religion has seen a resurgence in academic and co-curricular attention on campuses. In addition, a spirituality not based on religion has gained increasing attention. The…

The demand to cultivate global citizenship is frequently invoked as central to colleges' and universities' internationalization efforts. However, the term "global citizenship" remains undertheorized in the context of U.S. higher education. This article maps and engages three common global citizenship positions--entrepreneurial, liberal…

Many scholars argue that America is becoming a dangerously divided nation because of increasing inequality, especially in income distribution. This article examines the problem of widening income inequality with particular focus on the role that colleges and universities and their student affairs organizations play in serving low income students…

With Western higher education practices being adopted and adapted in emerging higher education centers around the world, expatriate workers from the West are frequently used as consultants, employees, and trainers to help build capacity in new institutions where higher education opportunity has previously been scarce. For those who choose to take…

In this retrospective account of their scholarly work over the past 45 years, Alexander and Helen Astin show how the struggle to achieve greater equity in American higher education is intimately connected to issues of character development, leadership, civic responsibility, and spirituality. While shedding some light on a variety of questions…

Student affairs, as an integral part of universities, has taken on a key position in contributing to social justice as one of the central imperatives of higher education in South Africa. This article sketches the development of this role and outlines some important tasks for contemporary student affairs. Three conceptual models within the social…

At the heart of commitments to student success is a progressive concept of the relationship between students and institutions of higher education that embraces shared responsibility for the quality and outcomes of learning--and, therefore, for students' ability, capacity, and readiness to learn. Since learning is a complex activity of the…

This article examines the field of international higher education (IHE) and its application to the practice of student affairs. The author proposes that IHE is a crossroads between international comparative education and higher education, exploring their shared historical roots. She gives an overview of the current state of the IHE field, looking…

What does student coaching involve and what considerations make sense in deciding to engage an outside contractor to provide personal coaching? The author explores coaching in light of his own professional experience and uses this reflection as a platform from which to consider the pros and cons of student coaching when deciding whether to choose…

Student affairs is a relatively new profession in higher education, and only recently has its history begun to be systematically examined. This article describes one of the earliest venues in which student affairs leaders gathered to discuss current issues and to reflect with colleagues about the emerging student affairs profession. This article…

Faculty, student affairs professionals, and most importantly, students, are paying the price as institutions of higher education increasingly operate in a top-down manner with an over-emphasis on the bottom line. The corporatization of higher education creates lopsided reward (and punishment) systems for faculty, unreasonably stressful…

This essay examines how Stanford University, secular in its origins, yet with a church at its center, addresses the religious and spiritual concerns of current students, whether from traditional or innovative religious backgrounds. Identified religious and spiritual needs prompt questions about the balance between the spiritual health and…

Recent research and practice reveal that there are two skills in the moral realm that higher education is not adequately addressing with students. The skills involve the ability to identify moral dilemmas and the ability to understand and delineate conflicts between competing moral practices, traditions, and identities while exploring life's…

Many U.S. campuses are pursuing globalization and internationalization. Colleges and universities are faced with the responsibility to consider what it truly means to be a global campus.

How have sociohistorical developments influenced the nature of the college experience over time? In what ways have these changes impacted the responsibilities of higher education relative to the moral and ethical development of students? This article reflects the thinking of a seasoned senior executive regarding these questions.