Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Christy Craft / In this study, I sought to determine how the multicultural competence scores of entry-level housing professionals were impacted by the demographic characteristics of race, gender, sexual orientation, years of experience, and graduate school diversity curricular content and experiences. Additionally, it was important to establish a baseline of knowledge related to multicultural competence for this particular population of entry-level housing professionals. I selected participants for this study from the 2016 membership directory of the Upper Midwest Region of the Association of College and University Housing Officers (UMR-ACUHO). I used quantitative data analysis methods to answer four research questions. I analyzed the first research question using ANOVA and post hoc tests for each of the demographic variables of race, gender, and sexual orientation. I found statistically significant differences in multicultural competence scores based on race and sexual orientation, while I found no differences by gender. The post hoc examinations revealed that for the various racial categories, there were no statistically significant differences by group. With regard to sexual orientation, I found that gay male participants had multicultural competence scores that were statistically significantly higher than their heterosexual/straight colleagues. I analyzed the third research question using linear regression in an attempt to determine if there was a relationship between years of experience and multicultural competence scores. There was no statistically significant relationship. The final two research questions used ANOVA and post hoc analyses to determine if there were differences in the multicultural competence scores of participants based on the diversity content in their graduate programs and their most impactful multicultural graduate school experiences. I found no statistical differences for either of those research questions.

Thesis advisor: Karen Arnold / Student affairs models exist on every United States college and university campus and serve as an integral part of the undergraduate student experience. However, very little research has been conducted on students in Higher Education Administration doctoral programs and the preparation of Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs) for leadership in student affairs. This study investigated the perceptions of mentoring relationships between faculty mentors and doctoral student protégés and the socialization of these students into becoming senior leaders in student affairs. Kram's (1985) theory, which identifies the psychosocial and career aspects of mentoring in organizational development, serves as the lens to examine these relationships. The participants in this study consisted of five faculty mentors and eight of their former students who are now current Senior Student Affairs Officers. Results included four major themes, identified by both the mentors and the SSAOs, comprising the major aspects of the mentoring relationships. In addition, the faculty mentors felt that they did not particularly prepare students for these senior level positions, as there were no specific or intentional discussions about the role itself. However, the former students believed their doctoral mentoring was good preparation for the SSAO role, as they learned about university structures, governance, political climates and other aspects of senior leadership. Given these findings, it is recommended that there be a stronger emphasis be placed upon the SSAO socialization component of the doctoral program. Recommendations such as the addition of "mentors of practice," a student apprenticeship component similar to Arts & Sciences doctoral programs, and an increased faculty awareness of their impact upon students as mentors are suggested to enhance the doctoral student experience. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

Thesis advisor: Karen Arnold / Social media and digital technologies are ever present in the surround of current traditionally-aged college students. Although research into understanding these experiences is increasing, there is a need for further research into what may be developmentally different for this generation. Postmodern theorists have posited that as a result of digitization, traditional conceptualizations of selfhood and identity may be changing. The contexts and affordances of these technologies are having an impact on human development and contemporary college students are uniquely situated to experience their effects. This qualitative study aimed to understand how these college students conceptualize their sense of self and identity as a result of digital and social media immersion. In particular, this study explored aspects of digital identity and digitized selfhood to surface important behaviors and developmental processes that are being impacted. Sixteen traditionally-aged college students, primarily in their fourth year of college, participated in a series of interviews and observations to probe this question and were selected as exceptional cases for their heavy usage of social technology. During this process, students were asked about how they conceived of their identity and identities online and how it impacted their overall sense of self. Findings for this study did not reveal fully realized postmodern conceptions of selfhood, such as Kenneth Gergen’s (2009) relational self, but participants did demonstrate understandings of selfhood and identity that hinted at this possibility, including what Robert Kegan (1994) would characterize as fifth order consciousness. Identities were found to be subject to contextual and relational processes that required constant maintenance and reconstruction. Additional findings uncovered college student developmental patterns that reach from being externally defined, and beholden to the views of others, towards internal definition, whereby students made conscious choices about social media use. Implications for practice include the need to educate students on digital reputation and identities, the importance of reflection and goal setting in relation to social media, and the necessity to partner with students as our collective understanding of technology evolves. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2016. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

abstract: Colleges and universities have continued to refine their understanding of engagement, affinity, and retention. At Arizona State University (ASU), the goal has been to continually retain first-year students at a 90%+ retention rate. At ASU, two key aspects of the first-year experience have been employed to foster retention. First, ASU has grouped on-campus students so they lived in residential colleges, housing students with others in the same college, to aid retention of first-year students. Second, ASU has required first-year students to take a 101 class, an orientation to ASU resources (library, advising, etc.) and its community (student organizations, clubs, etc.). The residential college living experience has afforded students opportunities to intentionally engage in campus events, connect with other students, and develop a vision for success. The 101 class has provided students with opportunities to learn about resources and community that have enriched their first-year experiences. Together, these two key approaches have offered students pathways to building initial engagement at the institution. The current research study was conducted to examine the ways in which students became engaged during their initial semester at ASU. Student participants in this study all lived in the W. P. Carey (WPC) Residential College Community in Hassayampa Academic Village (HAV) and were enrolled in WPC 101—Student Success in Business. WPC 101 was focused on helping students navigate college and learn about campus resources. In the study, the researcher infused three Engagement Workshops into the WPC 101 curriculum alongside pre-existing assignments to afford students learning opportunities for a richer, deeper exploration and reflection on their first-semester experience. Students participated in a pre- and post-intervention survey, contributed written narratives and reflections, and six students completed individual interviews. Results of the study, particularly the qualitative results, indicated (a) quality of relationships, (b) ASU community, and (c) campus environment emerged as variables that served as the ‘roots of engagement’ for these first-semester students Thus, the current work extended previous research on engagement by identifying the initial developmental aspects of engagement among first-semester, university students. The discussion included detailed explanations of the results, limitations, implications for research and practice, lessons learned, and conclusions. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 2019

Following the mass shooting at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007, institutions of higher education appeared to restructure themselves and change the way that they worked with students who may pose a risk to self or others. They formed committees, sometimes known as Communities of Concern, to help review these concerns and respond appropriately. The purpose of this study was to examine how the Community of Concern Committee at the University of Kentucky was developed following the incident at Virginia Tech. Particular attention was focused on the change and learning that took place. Using the frames of single-loop and double-loop learning, this study examined six oral history accounts of the development of the Community of Concern Committee at the University of Kentucky. The oral histories coupled with historical documents provided a timeline of events related to the development of the committee. In addition, the oral histories revealed a complex learning process which blended single and double-loop learning to guide this institutional change. The comparison between this incident and other legal issues within higher education was explored as well as the opportunity to expand this exploration outside of the current case study.

Long has been the charge by society for college and universities to produce more engaged citizenship. Institutional initiatives on civic engagement have focused on community service and service-learning initiatives to meet this demand. The existing literature, therefore, is reflective of these civic engagement involvements and outcomes. Little research is conducted on another form of civic engagement, activism. The existing literature on student activism focuses on the student activists of the 1960s. This study intends to address the gaps in the literature related to activism. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to identify the learning outcomes associated with student participation in activism Data from the Higher Education Research Institute's surveys, the 1999 Student Information Form (SIF) and the 2003 College Student Survey (CSS), were used in this study. Multiple regression, along with logistic regression, were used. The results of this study provide some noteworthy findings that improve our understanding of activism and its effect on the learning outcomes of undergraduate students. In addition, this study provides a number of implications for student affairs practice and future research. Student activism has a long and rich history in our colleges and universities and will continue to have a place in our institutions of higher learning. This study reveals that activism is an active part of students' learning experiences while in college. This study supports the notion that (a) learning outcomes are associated with involvement in college student activism, (b) involvements do make a difference, (c) faculty and peer relationships matter, (d) curricular and co-curricular experiences, and (d) gender and ethnicity in activism is worth exploring The examination of specific learning outcomes associated with activism provides student affairs professionals and higher education research and policy-makers a better understanding of what students gain from their activism. In addition, the results of this study contribute to the body of knowledge on the role of college involvements in developing an action-oriented citizen.

This study was designed to determine the extent to which new student affairs professionals feel competent for the work and to identify the experiences that foster such competence in them. The study also revealed discrepancies in the perceived levels and sources of competence between professionals who have completed either one or three years of full-time employment in student affairs. While some quantitative studies have addressed competence in student affairs professionals, the literature lacks in-depth information regarding the acquisition of competence of new professionals. This basic qualitative study offers rich information about competence development from the professionals themselves. Participants graduated from five master's-level student affairs preparation programs housed at large public institutions in Florida. They generally felt competent at the mid-range (intermediate) in the ten areas published by the American College Personnel Administrators - College Student Educators International (ACPA) and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA). Primary sources of competence were full-time experience in student affairs, graduate preparation programs, and professional development. Those who obtained their degrees more recently reported higher levels of competence than those who have been in the field longer. Other interesting themes relating to competence development emerged, as well.

This study examined the utilization of selected student services by domestic and foreign students in their sophomore, junior, or senior year at Oregon State University during Winter 1994 to find out if differences in awareness, usage, and satisfaction existed between them. It also examined if differences in awareness, usage, and satisfaction existed between groups within the variables of gender, age, and academic status; marital status was included in the questionnaire for demographic profile purposes only. Thirty-one services provided by the six departments under the Vice Provost for Student Affairs were selected for the study. A comparison of quality ratings was made between Student Affairs Departments that used a formal process of evaluation and those that did not. The Student Services Awareness and Usage Questionnaire was developed and used. A sample of 150 domestic students and 150 foreign students were randomly selected, with equal representation by gender and academic status. A total of 193 questionnaires (64%) were returned, 116 from domestic students and 77 from foreign students. The five null hypotheses were tested using either the chi-square test, t-test, or Fisher's exact test. The study found that a majority of domestic respondents (97%) were aware of more services than a majority of foreign respondents (77%). A majority of each group used only about one-third of the services, with the domestic respondents using one service more than the foreign respondents. Seventeen percent of the domestic respondents and 20% of the foreign respondents were satisfied, while 83% of the domestic respondents and 80% of the foreign respondents were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. Neither group indicated being very dissatisfied, dissatisfied, or very satisfied with any of the services. The findings from the other variables yielded varying results. The use of a formal process of evaluation by some service departments did not result in their obtaining higher quality ratings than the rest. Recommendations for administration and further research were included to address the issues involving student services and how they can be delivered more efficiently and effectively to benefit the university's diverse student population. / Graduation date: 1998

This study examined the multicultural counseling competence among new residence life professionals by using the Multicultural Counseling Knowledge and Awareness Scale (MCKAS: Ponterotto, Gretchen, Utsey, Riger, & Austin, 2002) and a demographic questionnaire created by the researcher. Results included statistically significant positive relationships between participants’ completion of multicultural counseling graduate coursework and multicultural knowledge, quantity of field experiences and multicultural knowledge, and race and multicultural awareness. A negative relationship was discovered between the frequency of travel experiences outside country of birth and multicultural knowledge. Implications of these findings for field of Student Affairs and suggestions for future research are discussed.

The culminating recommendations of the United States Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings’ 2006 Commission on the Future of Higher Education report demand greater access, affordability, quality and accountability in higher education. Student affairs, as well as their academic counterparts, must show that they function effectively and contribute to student learning and development. A promising program review process for student affairs to fulfill this expectation is found in the Education Criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and its state-level equivalent, the Texas Award for Performance Excellence in Education Criteria. The purpose of this study was to determine the usefulness of the Texas Award for Performance Excellence Education Criteria, Progress Level, as the basis for a comprehensive program review in two diverse student affairs departments. Additionally, the study was to determine the potential usefulness of the Criteria as a management strategy for senior leadership in each department to focus on assessment, planning, improvement and change. The descriptive case study was conducted using naturalistic inquiry methodology with two student affairs departments. The researcher spent nine months in the field as a participant observer. Methodology included observations of training and team leader meetings; interviews with participants, department directors, and the Office of the Vice President; document review of both self-study reports; and the researcher’s reflexive journal. Student affairs departments are particularly well-suited for the quality concept of serving customers and, in this case, students as their primary customer. The researcher concluded that the Texas Award for Performance Excellence in Education Criteria serve as a useful basis for a comprehensive program review and as a management strategy for senior leadership under the following conditions: The department must be a mature and functional unit. Student affairs staff need a foundation in quality principles, in general, and the core values, Criteria and language of the Texas Award for Performance Excellence in Education before embarking on the self-study process. The Measurement, Analysis and Knowledge Category and the Planning Category provided the most introspection and action planning for both departments. The Process Category was the most challenging for both departments.