Examines the creation and operation of the Office of Student Affairs Research, Information, and Systems (SARIS) at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Describes how SARIS came into being, how to identify and prioritize research, how to collect data, how to disseminate findings, and how administrators use the data in making policy…

Reports results of a national survey of NASPA professional members on the Internet and its varied applications. Results show that while the use of e-mail has been totally embraced by student affairs administrators, the Web is used less frequently. Discusses these two media and listservs in regard to who uses the resources and how they are used in…

Provides a background on the importance of research in student affairs. Presents information about Project Pulse, a weekly telephone survey operation at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Describes studies on fire safety, awareness of the threat of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome on campus, and cigarette smoking. Discusses…

Examines student affairs research offices in the United States and provides information on how the offices are structured and what types of research activities they conduct. Results show most offices prepare formal written reports and do oral presentations on campus. (GCP)

Discusses print and World Wide Web resources for student affairs researchers. (GCP)

Examines the meaning of scholarship in student affairs from teaching and research perspectives. Several concerns related to what is taught, how it is taught, and to whom it is taught are addressed. Argues that various notions of research should be considered as scholarship as long as rigorous, traditional, methodological standards are practiced.…

Discussion of the use of local and wide area networks on college campuses highlights the design and implementation of a wide area network within the division of student affairs at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Practical applications are described, and cost and benefit factors are discussed. (17 references) (LRW)

This study examined how pre-transfer experiences and preparation, along with post-transfer experiences, influenced the adjustment of community college transfer students to life at a four-year university campus. A survey of 372 community college transfer students attending a large, public four-year university measured the students' academic…

This study examined the structure and function of student affairs research offices (SAROs) at American colleges and universities. A total of 35 SAROs completed questionnaires during 1995 in regard to their organization and its activities. Overall, the study found only a small number of SAROs in American colleges and universities, mainly at public…

Investigates Asian American students' perceptions of racial climate in comparison with those of White counterparts at a large public university and students' reporting behaviors upon encountering incidents of racial harassment. Results indicated that Asian American students were more likely to report negative perceptions and were found to be less…

Analyzes the results of a survey which queried student affairs staff members about their opinions on the importance of and their satisfaction with 37 aspects of their work environments. Discusses results of the survey and addresses efforts to improve the work climate. (Contains 18 references.) (Author/GCP)

This study examined racial and ethnic differences in student satisfaction with campus services at a state university. In March and April 1997, a total of 841 students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst completed a 19-item survey on their campus experiences and satisfaction with various services. The sample included 521 white, 105 Asian, 96…