Front Page - Student Affairs NOW

Current Campus Context: Whose Values Drive Institutional Decisions? (Campus Safety, Visa Investigations, & Budget Cuts)

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In this October edition of Current Campus Context, expert correspondents Dr. Kaleb Briscoe and Dr. Ethan Ris examine three pressing higher education issues: campus sexual violence and institutional accountability, federal investigations into the J-1 visa program, and widespread budget cuts and layoffs. Together, they explore what these developments reveal about institutional priorities, the tension between stated values and actual decisions, and the implications for student safety, belonging, and success. Read More

Nuances of AI in Higher Education

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This conversation explores the nuances and complexity of AI beyond the binaries of "it's terrible" or "it's great." Three thinkers really explore the complexity of AI, data centers, teaching and learning, practice, and more. They explore the ethics and the environmental considerations, as well as a helpful metaphor about elevators. This conversation is thoughtful, critical, and hopeful. Read More

Here’s the Story – “Structured Serendipity”

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Structured Serendipity explores how what feels like luck is often the result of intentional people, meaningful opportunities, and environments designed to help students succeed. In this episode, a current housing director reflects on the student job that unexpectedly became the foundation of a lifelong career in higher education. Through stories of mentorship, challenge, privilege, and perseverance, they consider how those early experiences shaped not only their own journey, but their enduring commitment to creating the same opportunities for the next generation of students Read More

White Noise: Challenging Beliefs About Race On Campus

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Many conversations about race in higher education begin with the assumption that students simply need more exposure to diversity or education about racism. But what if white students arrive on campus having already spent years learning powerful lessons about race through their families, schools, neighborhoods, and everyday experiences? Drawing on years of qualitative research, Drs. Zak Foste and Lauren Irwin challenge this “Empty Vessel Hypothesis,” examining how colleges and universities can reproduce, rather than disrupt, the racial understandings students bring with them. Their work invites us to rethink how students learn about race—and the role institutions play in reinforcing or challenging those lessons. Read More

Mental Health in College: What Research Tells Us About Supporting Students

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College student mental health continues to be one of the most pressing issues facing higher education. In this episode of Student Affairs NOW, host Heather Shea is joined by Dr. Alexis Redding, editor of Mental Health in College: What Research Tells Us About Supporting Students, along with contributors Bryan Ashton, Adrian Gonzales, and Dr. Adam Pierson Milano. Together, they explore the latest research on student well-being, discuss how financial stress, institutional culture, and support for veteran students shape mental health outcomes, and share practical, research-informed strategies that every campus can use to create environments where students can thrive. Read More