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Although involvement in recreational sports has been found to be beneficial for college students, sparse research has explored how recreational sports student employment has benefitted college graduates who are now active in the professional workforce. Filling this critical gap, this study explored how former recreational sports student employees (n = 10) developed marketable skills and increased their career readiness and professional capabilities. Findings suggest graduates did develop marketable skills that they regularly use as professionals, including interpersonal communication, teamwork and leadership, organization, and cross-cultural competency. Implications for research and recreational sports administration are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The permanence of students in doctoral programs is a multi-causal phenomenon, which makes it difficult to address and leads to an isolated investigation of its causes, being necessary a joint understanding. The aim is to investigate, through a scoping review of quantitative studies published between 2015 and 2021, the influence of individual, academic, socioeconomic and institutional factors on retention, attrition and dropout. The 32 included studies evidenced a predominance of research focused on individual factors versus few that combined all possibly relevant factors. The present study provides evidence for the emergence of several subfactors: female students, self-efficacy and motivation (individual); the relationship with the supervisor (academic); support for psychological needs (institutional); and migratory status (socioeconomic). This article highlights the need for research that understands this problem with a multifactor approach and an impact on permanence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Striving antiracist frontline student affairs educators work from commitments to racial equity and racial justice. Yet, when responding to racist harms, they must navigate institutional investigative practices. In this institutional ethnographic study of a Predominantly and Historically White Institution (PHWI), despite frontline educators' aims, responses resulted in limited change or adequate support for students harmed by racist incidents. Rather, investigative practices drew on white interpretations, emphasized individual responsibility, and excluded frontline educators from meaningful involvement. The findings of this study suggest that the social organization of who gets to be involved in institutional bias response processes may be racialized in ways that further harm both racially minoritized students and staff. However, the ways the educators in this study recognized the tensions and challenges in their work and actively worked to center students' needs provide important insights for policies and practices that re-center the knowledge and aims of those at the frontline educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focusses on the professional development needs of Student Affairs and Services practitioners in South African Higher Education Institutions. A survey (N=362) exploring the training and development needs of Student Affairs and Services staff across 26 public universities in South Africa was conducted and the results are described and clustered into five themes. The training needs focus on 1) leadership and management competencies, 2) communication, including digital, 3) acceleration of transformation, gender equality and social justice, 4) contextual and institutional understanding, and 5) theoretical frameworks and functional areas of Student Affairs and services. The sector's needs for development and training are discussed in reference to the internationally accepted competencies for this domain. This paper contributes towards the knowledge gap on the professional development and training needs of Student Affairs practitioners in South Africa and highlights the importance of the capacitation of this domain in relations to student and institutional success. The findings of this study assist the South African higher education sector to shape a staff training and professional development programme that capacitates this domain, so that it is emboldened to contribute to and shape contextual living and learning spaces that are conducive to student success. The paper concludes with recommendations to explore the kinds of competencies, attitudes and understandings that are required for the SAS domain to impact boldly on the complex and challenging context not only within institutions but beyond the higher education sector into which the students and staff are embedded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Queer- and trans-spectrum students continue to struggle with hostile campus climates. As a result, queer- and trans-spectrum students may engage in on-campus activism to push their institutions to address cisheterosexism on campus. Bisexual students experience invisibility, marginalization, and exclusion in both heterosexual and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) spaces. Though not surprising that bisexual students experience hostility within predominantly heterosexual spaces, their challenges within LGBTQ campus spaces are especially concerning considering these spaces should be inclusive and supportive of their bisexual identity. The purpose of this study is to examine bisexual college students' experiences engaging in identity-based activism within LGBTQ campus spaces. Based on interviews with bisexual college students who participated in LGBTQ activism on campus, I considered two questions. First, what were the costs of engaging in LGBTQ activism as bisexual students within LGBTQ campus spaces? Second, considering these costs, what sustained them in continuing their activist work within LGBTQ campus spaces? The findings of this study revealed that most participants experienced at least one of the three components symptomatic of activist burnout as a result of their engagement in LGBTQ campus spaces. Participants shared their challenges engaging in these spaces stemmed from two main causes: (a) identifying as bisexual and experiencing biphobia within LGBTQ campus spaces and (b) being overcommitted to their activist work within LGBTQ campus spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do the actions of higher education leadership impact the trust employees feel in their organization? Using a theoretical framework that suggests that trust is shared, learned, and conditional, we investigate the way the actions of senior leaders and direct supervisors both helped and harmed employees’ trust in their organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on interviews with 25 working parents in student affairs, we found that many felt abandoned by their senior leaders as institutions focused their actions on supporting students, often at the expense of employee health and well-being. Although some individual supervisors were noted for being supportive, their actions often were counter to the dominant culture, leading to overall feelings of disillusionment and distrust. This study’s findings extend far beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrating how institutional behavior can influence employee morale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn this critical quantitative study, we used regression with moderation analysis to investigate the factors that exacerbated or mitigated plurisexual (bisexual and queer) student affairs educators’ workplace trauma responses during COVID-19. Using the concept of monosexism and critical trauma theory, we assessed distinctions amongst 914 monosexual and plurisexual student affairs educators’ experiences with workplace trauma, finding a significant moderation effect of plurisexuality when it came to institutional leadership support’s prediction of workplace trauma response. Implications for student affairs research and practice are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the current state of student affairs management at public universities in the North Central region, an area with distinct economic and social characteristics. The study reveals that despite considerable efforts for improvement, these universities still face significant challenges related to infrastructure, support policies, and extracurricular activities, which are not yet fully synchronized. These limitations impact the quality and effectiveness of student affairs management. The research employed a survey using a Likert scale to collect data from 153 management staff and 543 final-year students at five universities. The results provide a basis for educational administrators and public universities in the North Central region to refer to and apply in practice, contributing to the improvement of education quality and the development of high-quality human resources for the region and the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionIn South Africa, access to higher education is viewed as a pathway to improved life chances. However, the transition from school to university is a stressful experience for students, marked by significant challenges. Although literature acknowledges these challenges, limited research has focused specifically on the role of hope during this period. Additionally, previous studies on hope have often utilized individualistic approaches, which may not fully capture the experience of students in collectivist cultures. This study addresses this gap by exploring hope from a culturally sensitive perspective within a collectivist context, aiming to understand how first-year South African university students experience hope during the transition to university.MethodsThis study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the lived experiences of hope among first-year South African university students during their transition to higher education. Twenty-two students participated in semi-structured interviews, allowing for an in-depth examination of their personal and cultural perspectives on hope and the challenges they faced. The data were analyzed iteratively, with strategies implemented to enhance trustworthiness and credibility, ensuring a thorough interpretation of students’ experiences.ResultsThe analysis yielded three main themes: (1) Affective and Social Duality: Students described mixed emotions and social challenges as they entered university, highlighting the dual nature of their experiences in adapting to a new environment. (2) Hope as a Multifaceted Concept: Hope was portrayed as a guiding force that helped students navigate periods of uncertainty. Participants described hope not just as a single idea but as a complex, evolving concept crucial to their resilience. (3) Beyond Academic Aspirations: Hope extended beyond academic success and was closely tied to personal fulfilment and the desire to contribute positively to society. This broader perspective on hope suggests that students’ aspirations were not confined to individual achievement but also included a sense of collective and societal impact.DiscussionThe study reveals that hope is a multidimensional construct that significantly influences students’ transitional experiences, extending beyond academic goals to include personal growth and societal contributions. This finding challenges the traditional, individualistic approaches to studying hope by highlighting the cultural relevance of collectivist values in shaping students’ experiences. The study underscores the need for culturally sensitive research and suggests that student support services should consider cultural contexts to address students’ unique challenges and aspirations better. Future research is recommended to explore hope across various cultural backgrounds to gain a more comprehensive understanding of its role in student development.

The permanence of students in doctoral programs is a multi-causal phenomenon, which makes it difficult to address and leads to an isolated investigation of its causes, being necessary a joint understanding. The aim is to investigate, through a scoping review of quantitative studies published between 2015 and 2021, the influence of individual, academic, socioeconomic and institutional factors on retention, attrition and dropout. The 32 included studies evidenced a predominance of research focused on individual factors versus few that combined all possibly relevant factors. The present study provides evidence for the emergence of several subfactors: female students, self-efficacy and motivation (individual); the relationship with the supervisor (academic); support for psychological needs (institutional); and migratory status (socioeconomic). This article highlights the need for research that understands this problem with a multifactor approach and an impact on permanence.

In this article, the author argues that Black women have experienced heightened levels of tokenism and hypervisibility since the 2016 election. By engaging with Black Feminist Theory and Kanter's tokenism framework, the author outlines how tokenism impacts the esteem and well-being of Black women student affairs professionals. More specifically, this study examines how tokenism is used to contain stereotypes, using Black energy, identities, and painful experiences for institutional gain and social justice mirage. The author contends that Black women have been tokenized in the following themes: a single expert on Blackness, an ideal worker or placeholder for diversity initiatives, and an agenda keeper to sustain the white agenda. This article concludes with a reflection on what white academic spaces should consider implementing to welcome Black women's voices and presence while dismantling embedded racism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on interviews with 70 college peer socialization agents (PSAs) across 42 U.S.-based institutions of higher education, this study explores how PSAs create "underlives" (Goffman, 1961) in response to their roles and expectations for communicating institutional messages about diversity. Findings from this study illuminate the ways in which institutional scripts produce tension for the PSAs who enact them and the symbolic, behavioral, and discursive ways in which PSAs use distancing strategies to resist. Most of these public-facing students employed contained strategies to preserve an underlife away from the surveillance and pressures of the institution. However, some students--especially Students of Color and those from other marginalized groups--also sometimes utilized more disruptive forms of underlife, using resistance to attempt systemic change. We illustrate these strategies by presenting two narrative vignettes of participants' experiences that explore and develop the roles of identity, relationships, environment, and expectations in influencing PSAs strategic decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there has been increased investigation of the enrollment patterns and access to college for first-generation college students (FGCS), less is understood about how FGCS learn and utilize vital information to persist with limited familial knowledge about college success. In this paper we utilize focus group data of 62 diverse FGCS to create a typology of how students utilize information to succeed in college. Using theory from sociology and information sciences we categorize the sources FGCS learn from and how information is utilized. Our findings indicate that FGCS develop complex ways of finding information even with minimal support and those information sources that are most helpful are often connected to pre-existing and informal relationships. We conclude by offering implications for future research on FGCS student success and opportunities for administrators to incorporate information-finding and relationship-building concepts into student success practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using content analysis methodology, we explore sex work policies at 255 U.S. colleges and universities as articulated in codes of student conduct to understand the potential impact of those policies on college student sex workers. The findings indicate U.S. colleges and universities largely do not articulate clear policies for students involved in sex work. However, many policies include language and framing that potentially governs some sex work. These articulations often rely on flattening differences in sex work, trafficking, and carceral logics, which result in misalignment between research, rhetoric, and policy at some institutions. Such ambiguities in institutional policy may result from the conflation of sex work with sex trafficking at the federal or state policy level. In addition to the marginalization imparted to student sex workers, unjustified exposure to stigma and shame on their respective college campuses negatively impacts students’ well-being. We recommend the current laissez-faire approach by institutional policymakers be replaced with a more intentional approach whereby the well-being of all students is maintained at its core and unclear policy language clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a worldwide commitment to a set of ambitious goals that advance sustainable social justice across the globe. Higher education (HE), while featuring in SDG 4: Quality Education, needs to occupy a bolder and more explicit position in the formulation of the SDGs and in their attainment, not only as an instrument toward the achievement of the SDGs but also in the sociocultural consciousness of countries towards a more sustainable and socially just world. Engaging with students in HE around these issues plays a vital role. Given Student Affairs and Services' (SAS) role and position in terms of support and development of students worldwide, it is a key player in supporting HE to become a more effective instrument in advancing the SDGs and in advancing students' attitudes and commitment to SDGs. To explore how SAS can play a more impactful role in advancing the SDGs and SAS' role in and contribution to SDGs around the world, we researched SAS practitioners' awareness of and engagement with SDGs. To collect data, we used a survey with open and closed questions via snowball sampling with self-selected participants from fifty-three countries (N=318). The results of our study suggest that SAS practitioners engage with and utilize the SDGs in a variety of ways across the globe, thus contributing to the role HE plays in advancing SDGs. In exploring the patterns, it emerges that SAS in the Global South (GS) and Global North (GN) engage differently with the SDGs. According to the results of our study, SAS in the GS appears to have more awareness of, engage more deliberately with, and use the SDGs more broadly in their work with students. While there are different trends on the role SDGs play across the global HE sector, the consensus seems to be around the need to discuss and engage with the SDGs more deeply, at curricular and co-curricular levels in higher education. Our research suggests that HE and SAS can do much more to generate awareness of SDGs, particularly in the GN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N/A --- Technology Review

Copyright of International Journal on Humanities & Social Sciences is the property of International Journal on Humanities & Social Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of International Journal on Humanities & Social Sciences is the property of International Journal on Humanities & Social Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study maps the types of international involvement opportunities available to HESA: Higher Education and Student Affairs graduate students in the U.S.A., as seen through the eyes of the students, and analyzes the impact of these students’ diverse international involvements on their orientation towards social responsibility. The study follows a survey research design. The study’s results indicate low levels of international exposure amongst HESA graduate students across diverse programs, and moderate rates of orientation towards civic responsibility. HESA students’ orientation towards social responsibility can successfully be predicted by a combination of five variables, three of which represent curricular and cocurricular environmental engagements: listening to an international speaker, discussing the ways the U.S. higher education links to the rest of the world, and attending presentations of study abroad students. The findings aim to inform program directors and faculty on existing opportunities for international exposure, on the rate of student involvements in them, as well on the importance of international exposures for their students’ future professional preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Student Affairs in Africa is the property of Journal of Student Affairs in Africa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Student Affairs in Africa is the property of Journal of Student Affairs in Africa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Institutional politics and emerging changes to the professoriate have potentially positioned tenure-track faculty within an academic labor system that assumes academic training and expertise guides their progression. This qualitative narrative study of 12 higher education and student affairs (HESA) pre-tenure faculty explored their navigation of tenure experiences at their institutions. Participants shared personal and professional challenges related to tenure in which they were challenged to negotiate academic and student affairs professional identities. Personal challenges included strained personal lives and relationships with feelings of isolation or loneliness. These findings offer insight into HESA pre-tenure faculty experiences as an avenue to better support this unique population. Study implications center equitable practices and community building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On-campus employment is a high-impact practice for student retention, postgraduate success, and employability. This study engaged with twelve years (2007-2019) of student employment data from a large R-1 university to determine who has access to this high-impact practice and explore which types of students become on-campus employees. Aggregate totals suggest juniors and seniors, White students, and women access on-campus employment at far greater levels than men or students of Color. However, intersectional analyses by race and gender suggest students from certain racial and gender groups are consistently over or underrepresented in on-campus student employment. Implications for gender and racial equity in on-campus hiring practices and postgraduate support for students of Color are addressed.

There is a paucity of research on institutional e-accessibility and transfer-credit-software adoption. This paucity poses a challenge in understanding how these technologies impact college students and professionals. Drawing on connectivism theory and Karp and Fletcher's (2014) and Kezar's (2013) three-way approaches (changing-in-advice, institutions, and students' willingness to use technology tools) investigate how technology product adoption affects students' and transfer admission counselors' experiences during the transfer process. This study, conducted at a public institution in the mid-east Atlantic region, utilized a convergent-parallel mixed-methods design to assess students' and professionals' perceptions of transfer credit evaluation products. Results indicate that an e-transfer system is vital to provide seamless, long-term service to students and transfer advisors. Furthermore, statewide support and a joint system are crucial to maintaining this e-transfer system and increasing information transparency for potential college students.

International students often face challenges while pursuing higher education in a foreign country. These challenges can negatively impact their sense of belonging and community, resulting in social disconnection. Examining the role of culturally competent peer mentoring programs for international students can foster a sense of belonging among international students. Peer mentorship may provide international students with a supportive environment and community, helping them navigate university life. In contrast, student development theory can inform the design of programs and services that support international students in their transition to American higher education. These strategies can create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for international students, promoting their belonging, community, and success.

As higher education tuition continues to rise in the United States and globally, other costs impacting students, such as fees, parking, and housing, are rising at a similar pace. Concurrently, more higher education institutions are focusing on creating boutique experiences for students, including the option for single-unit housing. This paper analyzed the costs associated with single-unit housing at the ten largest college campuses in the United States compared to the costs associated with multi-unit housing and off-campus living. The changes in preferences for students associated with their college experiences, when partnered with higher costs of living and off-campus housing, create an unsolvable, wicked problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs), whose primary responsibility is the health, safety, and well-being of students, were at the forefront of leading their campuses through the COVID-19 crisis. In Fall 2020 a diverse group of 23 SSAOs was interviewed to understand the contexts and issues that influenced decision-making during the pandemic. A focus on students, alignment with institutional contexts, and financial realities were consistently identified as key influencers of decision-making. Effective decision-making often entails a balancing act of several factors. The implications of this study can be used to inform student affairs practice and the professional development of graduate students and future and current SSAOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student support practitioners (SSPs) play a key role in supporting at-promise (low-income, first-generation college, and/or racially minoritized) students in higher education. However, delivering such support can lead to stress and burnout when practitioners do not receive commensurate support and flexibility to do their jobs. In this study, we examined how SSPs supported students while fulfilling their needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data collected during 2020 to 2021 as part of a longitudinal study of a comprehensive college transition program at three midwestern universities, we examine how SSPs engaged in job crafting during the pandemic. Our findings reveal that job crafting largely perpetuated and expanded ideal worker norms during the pandemic. Implications from this research suggest the need to consider how to institutionally support job crafting in ways that center the needs of SSPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While higher education has continued to adjust to COVID-19, which has included moving to virtual platforms and supporting students' mental health, what is absent from these conversations is the campus staff enacting the rapidly changing university context. These professionals in academic and student affairs, residential life staff, and advising staff have had to readjust roles, responsibilities, and programs, all while facing ambiguous threats of budget cuts and struggling with their own wellness. Through a qualitative study at a midwestern university using Critical Race Theory, this study focuses on both the pandemic as well as the endemic concerns of racism Staff of Color experience at their higher education institutions. Findings reveal disconnects between university values and communication with the (lack of) financial prioritization and care. While many seek a return to the pre-COVID-19 campus, the strategies, execution, and prioritization of staff hold much longer ramifications regarding campus retention, inclusion, and equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Student support services/student affairs are central to the student academic experience and success at US and Canadian dental schools. This manuscript evaluates student and administrator perceptions of support services and offers recommendations for best practices in student services in predoctoral dental education to help institutions improve the student experience. Methods: A survey of administrators and dental students found perceptions of student support services vary between these groups. Results: Seventeen student services administrators and 263 students started the survey, and 12 administrators and 156 students completed the full survey. Survey comments indicated access to student support services is a concern. Results of the student survey, in conjunction with current literature, were utilized to develop recommendations for dental student support services. Conclusion: Recommendations for student support services in dental schools include accessibility of student services, and ensuring students have access to support in the domains of wellness, academic support, and peer support as well as implementation of humanistic practices. Wellness supports should include behavioral health services, physical health services, and access to mindfulness interventions. Academic support services should include study skills, time management training, and academic supports such as tutoring. Structured peer support programs should also be implemented. Dental schools should also be mindful of the changing support needs of incoming dental students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As higher education tuition continues to rise in the United States and globally, other costs impacting students, such as fees, parking, and housing, are rising at a similar pace. Concurrently, more higher education institutions are focusing on creating boutique experiences for students, including the option for single-unit housing. This paper analyzed the costs associated with single-unit housing at the ten largest college campuses in the United States compared to the costs associated with multi-unit housing and off-campus living. The changes in preferences for students associated with their college experiences, when partnered with higher costs of living and off-campus housing, create an unsolvable, wicked problem.

Student Affairs Professionals of Color (SAPC) serve a critical role in the field of higher education. Using a phenomenological approach, this study gathered data from semi-structured interviews with eight SAPC from various backgrounds and institutions. Findings from this study illuminated how the participating SAPC experienced code-switching, student affairs fatigue, and professional crossroads. This study revealed a trend in which SAPC felt a lack of fulfillment and encountered unmet expectations in the profession. This research offers key recommendations for future exploration and practice to improve the field of student affairs and higher education for SAPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory embedded case study examined the personal and professional social media use of entry-level student affairs professionals at four campuses from a state university system. Bounded by the profession of student affairs, this study focused on how entry-level student affairs professionals used social media platforms. Findings suggest that most entry-level professionals do not enter student affairs ready or willing to engage university communities on social media platforms and their respective campuses and graduate programs are not preparing them to do so. Study participants largely lacked a professional digital identity and were somewhat reticent about developing a robust professional digital identity. Contributing to their hesitancy, participants described their digital baggage - a collection of social media or social media-connected experiences that consciously or unconsciously influence personal or professional social media use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White people, Black men, and non-Black People of Color often expect Black women to care for others, often to the detriment of Black women being able to prioritize their own needs. This feeling is even more pronounced in helping professions, such as student affairs, and is consistent with a history of expectations that Black women care for others' needs. In this manuscript, we use Black Feminist Thought to explore racial battle fatigue and how Black women student affairs educators worked to center themselves and focus on their healing from gendered racism. We employed a narrative inquiry methodology to center participants' stories. Findings illustrate differences between self-care and healing, the importance of community, and efforts to support future generations of Black women. Our work builds on Black Feminist Thought as a theoretical framework and contributes to the literature on the particular ways racial battle fatigue manifests and strategies for healing in the midst of navigating gendered racism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]