This dissertation investigated the expectations both professional academic advisors and undergraduate students, respectively, possessed of academic advising and of the advisor role. As students come to their postsecondary endeavors with increased needs, expectations, and consumer-mentalities, it is important to understand their expectations -- and…

This research explores the emerging position of teaching professionals in research universities through the framework of 'third space professionals'. The third space is described as an overlapping space between the professional and academic domains in university and usually staff who are neither traditional academics nor traditional professionals…

Supervisors of on-campus student employees are perhaps the most consistent touchpoint of a working undergraduate's college experience and the criticality of this role within higher education has gone relatively unrecognized. The current study explored how student affairs professionals learn to supervise student employees who work part-time on…

This article will explore how the influence of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) culture, benefits of inclusionary leadership practices, and organizational structure impact the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) implementation and adherence. The purpose of this article will be to educate and influence…

This dissertation investigates student experiences on a four-year public U.S. college campus, focusing on the impact of humanized support services in non-academic administrative offices. Chapter 1 introduces the study's purpose, while Chapter 2 reviews literature on customer service practices through the lenses of Experience Management, Service…

As the English Higher Education (HE) system becomes characterised by centralised regulation, many professional services staff increasingly occupy significant positions sitting between traditional administrative roles, academia and management with responsibility for interpreting and implementing key policies. This study presents findings from a…

In environments characterised by complex structures and processes, universities rely on co-operation and goodwill between staff to function effectively, underpinned by good service quality. However, there is a lack of research on relationship quality in internal service settings and on the role support staff play in the development and enhancement…

This thesis overview summarizes a study (Brandt, 2021) examining the institutional and professional practices that enable community engagement professionals (CEPs) to play vital roles in fulfilling higher education's civic mission. Drawing on field-building research by community-engaged practitioners and scholars, such as Welch and Saltmarsh…

This phenomenological study aimed to understand the onboarding and training experiences of entry-level student affairs practitioners working in housing and residence life departments on college campuses. These practitioners were responsible for identifying, responding, and reporting student of concern incidents. With an increase of student mental…

Early career professionals' attrition in student affairs have been reported at rates as high as 60% before year five in the last few decades of literature. Retaining these professionals is vital to the sustainability of the field (Winston Jr. & Creamer, 1997). This study explores experiences and retention in the field of student affairs,…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the stories shared by interventionists which focused on the work they do to create student connectedness in rural middle schools. Illinois schools are designated by performance indicators, where successful schools are rated "Exemplary" or "Commendable" based primarily on…

This executive dissertation assumes a sensemaking lens to investigate how Assistant and Associate Vice President (AVP)-level administrators in student affairs approach their supervisory roles within the current climate of higher education and employment. The study's primary goal is to identify how leaders can prepare for changing employment trends…

This study investigated the use of othermothering as a relationship building approach in student affairs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and its association with job burnout outcomes in HBCU student affairs professionals. Job burnout outcomes affect job turnover intention decisions (Michaels & Spector, 1982); therefore,…

This qualitative study investigated staff retention in higher education by focusing on the retention of academic advisors. Academic advisors play an integral role in student success and advising is notably one of the fields in higher education with the greatest turnover. This turnover comes at great costs, financial and otherwise, for the…

Student affairs professionals often grapple with how to attain proper work/family balance (WFB), as being a part of a helping profession can make it extremely difficult for these professionals to set limits and boundaries. In addition, successfully balancing one's work and family domains appears to be more challenging for parents that have…