The field of student affairs administration could benefit from research on how student affairs administrators perceive their duties, responsibilities, and obligations, as well as how such an understanding could contribute to organizational theory, practice, and policy. The purpose of this study was to examine how administrators in student affairs perceive their role in public higher education institutions in the United States. This study examined SAAs’ duties, obligations, and responsibilities (role) using Q methodology. Although there are perception studies using Q methodology in higher education, there are fewer empirical studies on how SAAs’ perceive their roles. Consequently, this study recruited forty professionals in student affairs from 12 public institutions of higher education. On a continuum from “least important” (-4) to “most important” (+4), they sorted 37 statements that represented their views on SAAs’ duties and responsibilities. The 40 sorts were then factor analyzed with PQMethod 2.33 a, freeware program. Four factors emerged that represent distinct viewpoints on the role of student affairs administrators in public tertiary institutions—Connective Leadership, Instructive Leadership, Supportive Leadership, and Constructive Leadership. These four factors—details of which are presented in the study—indicate that student affairs administrators view their roles through four different leadership lenses, but that each lens is modulated or modified by four major theories—self-perception theory, organizational role theory, and, more importantly, student development theory.

Organizational culture substantially impacts employee motivation, employee behavior, and employee participation in professional development activities. In the field of Student Affairs, it is critical for employees to regularly participate in professional development activities to stay up-to-date with understanding today’s students’ needs and meeting federal and state demands. This study examined what individual and organizational culture factors predict participation in professional development activities among student affairs professionals at higher education institutions. For this study, 354 participants from various public and private institutions were emailed an anonymous web-based survey. Field theory served as the theoretical foundation giving perspective as to how external and internal factors contribute to behavioral changes. Human capital theory and empirical research provided the framework for the organizational culture factors investigated. The results of this study informs practice and policy concerning supervision models; performance evaluation methods; the allocation of resources dedicated to developing and training staff members; professional development plans; higher education curriculum; policies and regulations associated with training and development (T&D); accreditation implications; and the logistics associated with T&D opportunities offered by professional organizations.

Supervision is a critical component of any employee’s professional life, but it can be especially impactful to a student affairs professional. The foundation of the student affairs field is to help a student grow and develop as a whole person. This concept carries on to student affairs professionals as well, as supervisors should strive to develop the whole professional creating a positive work environment. This study analyzed the use of synergistic supervision techniques on student affairs employees’ job satisfaction. An anonymous, electronic survey was emailed to student affairs professionals at public, private and community colleges across the nation. One hundred fifty-one participants in various positions within the field took the survey. Synergistic supervision, created by Winston & Creamer (1997), and the human resource theory served as the conceptual and theoretical framework for this study. The findings from this study indicate that the use of synergistic supervision techniques predicts job satisfaction. These results inform practice involving training in supervision for student affairs divisions from the top down, and revision of staffing models and the professional development opportunities offered by guiding professional organizations.

This qualitative study explored the experiences of self-identified White students currently enrolled at a predominantly White institution who were cross- racially involved for at least ten weeks in a multicultural association, club, or organization that had students of color as the racial majority. This study also examined students' consciousness of Whiteness and the development of students' White identities based on their cross-racial experiences. Utilizing a sample of 4 students in concert with a review of relevant literature, the principal findings of this research are that cross-racially involved students have heightened awareness of difference based on race, including their own White racial identity. Although racial tension exists between individuals' White identities and the collective organization’s multicultural identity, White students who were more deeply involved in multicultural organizations indicated that they (a) had a higher sense of belonging with their peers of color, (b) became more conscious of their Whiteness both inside and outside of their multicultural organizations to a certain degree, and (c) desired to more completely understand their ethnic heritage. Findings from this study can contribute towards literature on the development of racial justice allies in college. In order to influence racial justice ally development at a predominantly White institution, findings from this research suggest that student affairs administrators should encourage White students to engage in multicultural organizations so they can understand how their Whiteness "shows up" for others including the impact of privilege and oppression in a multicultural society. / Graduation date: 2012

The Student Support and Development Services (SSDS) at Further Education and Training (FET) colleges represent a holistic and systemic approach to addressing barriers to learning and development. College SSDS are based on the acknowledgement that all FET students need support and development and that, when addressing needs of the college student, it is done in a holistic, integrated, intersectional and inclusive manner.<br /> <br /> The SSDS therefore strive to develop competencies, knowledge, skills and attitudes in a systemic and holistic manner. The aim of the study was to design, implement and evaluate SSDS at the FET colleges in the Western Cape Education Department and to establish a Lecturer Support and Development Team (LSDT) at each FET college, which would include the following services.<br /> <br /> <ul> <li>student counselling services</li> <li>academic development and learning support</li> <li>occupationald evelopmenat nd careerg uidance</li> <li>life skills education and health education, and</li> <li>college institutional development</li> </ul> Student counselling services at FET colleges aim to render comprehensive student services with a holistic developmental aspect of the student in relation to his/her social, emotional, physical and cognitive dimensions. The staff of the LSDT are the first line of contact for the troubled student. Academic development is aimed at the students who enter the FET sector with inadequate schooling, education and training. Orientation programmes include bridging the gap between schooling and FET education and training. Bridging programmes and remedial programmes are offered to students to compensate for their academic backlog and to accelerate their education and training up to a level suitable for FET.

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The purposes of this study were to determine whether directors and the senior student affairs officers who supervise them perceive the formal performance evaluation process to be accurate, fair, and meaningful, and whether they perceive the process to be influenced by the politics involved in the position.

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This study examined the way in which the top 100 "most wired" colleges and universities provide online student services. Named by a national publication in May 1998, these colleges and universities were chosen because of their technological infrastructure, courses offered online, public computers on campus, and online student services, among other aspects.