The growing concern about the mental health and psychological distress of first-year students warrants a greater understanding of their well-being. This study explored the insights of 16 staff and service providers who engage with first-year students at a South African peri-urban campus and built on quantitative studies using the Job…

Guided by Astin's I-E-O model and critical quantitative inquiry, we examined institutional environments that contributed to belongingness, especially for students from different racial groups, college generation statuses, and the intersection of both. Using multiple linear regression analyses, we analyzed data from 7,888 students and found that…

Using a culturally relevant conceptual framework, we examined student outcomes from engagement in student activism for students (N = 1,238) at a South African university. Findings show participation in student activism differed by students of different genders, population groups, and academic disciplines. Students involved in activism reported…

Intercession into collegiate alcohol misuse by the Department of Resident Life (DRL) in freshmen dormitories at one large Mid-Atlantic, diverse, public university was examined. Freshmen dormitory resident drinkers (n = 357), 71% of whom reported alcohol misuse, were surveyed. Student self-report and DRL documentation, respectively, revealed that…

Research has long suggested that an optimal level of involvement in academic and social activities positively affects student development and outcomes. However, many second-year students experience the "sophomore slump." For this study, guided by both prior literature and theoretical perspectives, a survey instrument was developed to…

This longitudinal study investigated to what extent noncognitive variables (e.g., expectations for college) and the college environment (i.e., academically based living-learning communities) influence students' college experience. This research goes beyond grouping all living-learning students into one category, which has dominated much of the…

Examined differences in alcohol use between one university's commuting students (n=99) who lived at home with their parents and residential students (n=212). Found that resident students exhibited greater frequencies of alcohol use and abuse than did commuters as a function of both precollege factors and involvement in traditional college life.…

Describes how students were actively involved in constructing a survey that was used to determine the types of programs female residential students would be most interested in attending. Presents both methodologies used to understand the level of student interest in the program as well as how the data collected were used to recruit potential peer…

Building on the foundation of research on how critical thinking develops during college and on the extensive research on differences in the resident and commuter student experiences, this article explores aspects of the college experience that might be associated with cognitive development. Analyzes data from six institutions representing 326…

Examined whether African American college students living in university resident halls perceived the racial climate of residence halls differently than did Euroamerican residents of the halls. Findings from 5,897 residence hall students revealed difference in perceptions of racial climates in residence halls between African American and…

Many students are unaware that academic difficulties may be related to their sleep habits. This article introduces key elements of a student sleep education program that can be easily incorporated into many universities first-year orientation classes or as part of residential housing programs. (Author)

Tested hypothesis that living on campus fostered cognitive growth by estimating relative first-year gains in reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning, and critical thinking of resident (n=40) and commuter (n=170) first-year college students. Controlling for precollege cognitive level, academic motivation, age, work responsibility, and extent…

Examined relationship of first-year intervention to institutional integration, academic success, and persistence of resident and commuter first-year students (n=629) at predominantly nonresidential university. Found group differences on social integration and gender differences on academic success. Higher percentage of intervention participants…

Study surveyed 369 universities to determine how widespread resident assistant training courses are and how they are typically structured. Results suggest consistency in some course elements, like required enrollment, course text and lectures, but a lack of consensus in other components, such as topics, grading policies, and goals. (Author/RJM)

Differences between residential and commuter first-year male college students were examined with respect to students' perceptions of the parent-child relationship and its influence on students' use of alcohol and marijuana. Fifty residential and 57 commuter students completed questionnaires to assess their perceptions of parenting and the…