The study of student development has long been considered a cornerstone of the higher education and student affairs (HESA) profession. However, perspectives on what constitutes student development have evolved as scholars continuously embrace more critical frameworks to implicate systems of power and oppression--what scholars have termed the third…

The purpose of this paper is to explore tertiary student development in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), with an emphasis on the intersections of two dimensions likely to be particularly relevant in a collectivist context like that of T&T: interpersonal and intrapersonal development. A multiple case study approach was used to emphasize the…

Given the rapid increase in tertiary enrollments in Trinidad and Tobago over the past 2 decades, there is a critical need for locally based research to guide practice in student support services. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the work of student support services--in particular, students' interactions with…

Higher education and student affairs (HESA) faculty members who teach student development theory (SDT) courses are integral to socializing future professionals to SDT and to the organizational culture, or the norms, behaviors, and values, of HESA. Although faculty members are important socializing agents, how they teach SDT courses and the ways…

Scholars identify interpersonal interactions as playing significant roles in many developmental processes that occur during the college years (e.g., Baxter Magolda, 2004, 2009a; E. H. Erikson, 1997; Torres, Jones, & Renn, 2009); however, the intersection of interpersonal dimensions of college student development and trauma is scantly discussed…

This study explored whether latent phenomena could be identified to classify students based on their patterns of involvement in cocurricular group experiences. The sample was comprised of 11,209 seniors from 50 institutions. A total of 4 latent factors were identified and students were classified into one of 8 latent classes. Findings offer new…

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…

Consistent with predictions derived from the self-expansion model, this 3-year longitudinal study found that participation in more college groups during sophomore year predicted increases in inclusion of the college community in the self at the end of junior year, which further predicted increases in satisfaction with the college experience at the…

In this study, we build on two recent works (Gaston-Gayles, Wolf-Wendel; Tuttle, Twombley, and Ward, 2004; Slocum & Rhoads, 2008) that examine faculty and staff work with student activists, but expand the scope to include new questions such as why and how they partner with students, the impact of institutional context, and what role it might play…

This article focuses on understanding how identity development is conceptualized in student affairs. The need to understand the person, context, and interactions between the two advances identity theories as relevant to student affairs practice. The more practitioners understand how students make meaning of their identities, the better they are…

In this paper, the author summarizes the role and contributions of the scholarship and institutional research about student engagement and its relevance for student development professionals and others committed to enhancing the quality of the undergraduate experience. The presentation is organized into four major sections. First, the author…

Presents "Statement of Ethical Principles and Standards" of American College Personnel Association (ACPA) to assist student affairs professionals in regulating behavior regarding ethical problems and daily practice standards. Suggests courses of action available to professionals observing unethical conduct by fellow professionals.…

Examines the coming out process experienced by 20 gay, lesbian and bisexual students in the residence halls of a major research institution. Students report how they disclosed their sexual orientation, factors influencing the process, and reactions to their disclosures. Provides recommendations for residence hall professionals. (Contains 40…

Examines the relationship between psychosocial development and racial identity of 250 black traditional-aged undergraduate college students. Results suggest that practitioners should be mindful of possible group differences when applying student development theories to black students. (Author/MKA)

This ACPA presidential address from 1961 comments upon the current and complex situation of student personnel work in the American college and university. Explores characteristics of student personnel workers that should be identified and nurtured so that they will thrive well into the future. (GCP)