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As greater emphasis is placed on addressing critical school issues such as school-based mental health, violence prevention, and the effects of trauma, the utilization of school counselors should be examined to ensure that these uniquely-trained professionals are mobilized by school administrators to engage these issues. Q methodology was employed to explore how a convenience sampling of 32 current principals across varying demographics and grade levels conceptualize the role of the school counselor. The results of this study provide a rich understanding of how principals view school counselors in relation to the needs of their respective school communities. Evident is a clear and consistent emphasis of principals on the need for school counselors to have a strong rapport with their students. Discussed are additional steps that may be considered in further advancing the relationships between these two types of professionals, as well as insights to inform school principal preparation programs in how school leaders can appropriately utilize student services personnel.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether the study of diversity topics embedded in a Principal Preparation Program (PPP) internship changed candidates' self-awareness of their biases in educational environments and the biases they observed in their school community. In this study PPP candidates' perceptions of their biases and those of their schools were assessed at the beginning and end of the internship. The Anti-Defamation League's (ADL), Assessing Yourself and Your School Checklist, were utilized to obtain candidates self-perceptions. Throughout the internship monthly learning activities, PPP candidates studied various diversity topics that impact schools. Descriptive statistics were utilized to complete a pretest-posttest comparison to determine any changes toward their biases. The findings of this study demonstrated that diversity topics embedded in an PPP internship increased candidates' self-awareness of their personal biases in educational environments and the biases they observe in their school community. The study of diversity topics broadened PPP candidates' awareness of the challenges faced by groups and individuals in their school communities.

Isothermal Community College (ICC) is located in Spindale, North Carolina. The college serves approximately 2,000 curriculum students every fall and spring semester and about 1,000 curriculum students in summer semesters. The Student Affairs department at ICC is divided into 10 functional areas. Over the last several years, student affairs staff thought carefully about how their areas support learning, and each area articulated student learning outcomes. Learning outcomes provide the guidance needed for staff to address what their areas are seeking to accomplish, why these accomplishments are important, and whether or not their efforts are working. Satisfaction outcomes continue to be important to student affairs staff, and satisfaction outcome statements are articulated. The functional areas employ a variety of techniques to assess learning and satisfaction outcome achievement. Every year, staff set aside time to reflect on what has been learned through assessment, compile related documents into a portfolio, and summarize major areas of learning into "reflective narratives." The process is systematic and ongoing, with portfolios and narratives submitted for review by various administrators in June of that year. This chapter provides a glimpse of student affairs assessment at Isothermal Community College including a specific example of assessment, tips to implementing assessment at an institution, and barriers encountered when implementing the process at Isothermal Community College.