In their seminal works cataloging three decades of research on the effects of college on students, Terenzini (1991, 2005) illustrate that experiences both inside and outside of the classroom influence how students learn, develop, and grow during the college years. Their synthesis of research overwhelmingly suggests that what happens outside of the classroom during college, traditionally the purview of student affairs programs and services, can have a beneficial or detrimental effect on students. Further, scholars have identified the tremendous influence that faculty and peers can have on students' growth during the college years (e.g., Astin, 1993).Although scholars have identified how out-of-class experiences can affect students and how faculty or peers affect students, little research has explored the direct relationship between student affairs professionals and student learning and development. The purpose of this chapter is to present a new line of inquiry that seeks to address this gap in our understanding of the role of student affairs professionals in student development during the college years. Using findings from the Wabash National Study (WNS), this chapter will explore the direct impact of students' interactions with student affairs professionals on a variety of college outcomes including critical thinking, academic motivation, academic curiosity, attitude toward literacy, and social responsibility with a primary focus on applying these findings to student affairs practice. Guiding Values in Student AffairsAttending to the "whole student" has been a cornerstone of student affairs work since the beginning of the student personnel movement in the

No abstract

No abstract

Mississippi's performance on educational outcomes has consistently ranked among the lowest in the nation. As such, reform efforts have been continuous. However, the condition of Mississippi's public educational system cannot be fully understood without first considering historical factors, such as desegregation and integration, which have shaped contemporary reform efforts. The push for racial equality in Mississippi education faced strict opposition by Whites following the Brown (1954) court ruling. Over time, this resistance led to resegregated school systems in which whites fled to private schools and public schools became majority Black. Contemporary reform efforts favor white students while resisting progression towards equity. It is through the neo-conservative movement that neoliberal reforms, such as accountability in schools and performance based funding, emerge and extend their influence to public higher education. A discussion of these neoconservative and neoliberal influences is provided as well as a call for educational reforms grounded in social justice.