Elizabeth J. Whitt

Cognitive Effects of Greek Affiliation in College: Additional Evidence

Previous research published in this journal found broad-based negative effects of Greek affiliation on standardized measures of cognitive development after 1 year of college.

Cognitive Effects of Greek Affiliation during the First Year of College.

The article describes a longitudinal and multi-institutional investigation of a national sample of first-year students that studies the cognitive effects of Greek affiliation during the first year of college.

College Student Binge Drinking and Academic Achievement: A Longitudinal Replication and Extension

excessive alcohol consumption by college students is a ubiquitous problem with potentially negative consequences, both academic and otherwise, for many students. National samples of college students demonstrate that two thirds of all students report consuming alcohol within the past month (o’Malley & Johnston, 2002). of these students, more than half report heavy or binge drinking within the prior 2 weeks (o’Malley & Johnston). binge drinking is often defined as consuming five or more drinks in one setting for males and four or more drinks for females (Wechsler & isaac, 1992), although this may be somewhat arbitrary. According to harvard’s College Alcohol study (CAs), half of the students who binge drink, do so more than once a week (Wechsler, Nelson, & Weitzman, 2000). the evidence concerning the amount of binge drinking behavior that occurs based on year in college is inconclusive. in one study, 13.9% of first-year students reported having only one binge drinking episode in a 2-week period, whereas 14.8% of seniors reported the same behavior (presley, Meilman, Cashin, & lyerla, 1996). on the other end of the continuum, 3.8% of both first-year students and seniors reported having between six and nine binge drinking episodes in a 2-week period (presley et al.). engs, hanson, and diebold (1996) found, however, fewer binge drinkers among seniors than among first-year students. Although the studies with regard to the amount of binge drinking occurring during college are not conclusive, research is consistent on the negative results of this behavior. educational difficulties, psychosocial problems, physical harm including overdoses, sexual high-risk behaviors, and alcohol-impaired driving are some of the negative consequences of student drinking (Columbia University, the National Center on Addiction and substance Abuse [NCAsA], 1994; perkins, 2002; Wechsler et al., 2002). these consequences impact between 10% and one third of the college population (perkins), affecting both men and women and students across all class years (e.g., engs et al., 1996; presley et al., 1996).

Principles of Good Practice for Academic and Student Affairs Partnership Programs

While academic and student affairs partnership programs have been championed as a means to enhance undergraduate education, research documenting the characteristics of effective partnership programs is sparse. The Boyer Partnership Assessment Project is a qualitative examination of academic and student affairs partnership programs at 18, diverse institutions. This article identifies seven principles of good practice for creating and sustaining effective partnerships, and discusses the implications of these principles for higher education research and practice.

Differences Between Women and Men in Objectively Measured Outcomes, and the Factors That Influence Those Outcomes, in the First Three Years of College

We examined the correlation between sex and cognitive outcomes of a national sample of students at four-year institutions. Outcomes data included objective tests and self-reported gains. In the presence of controls for a wide variety of potentially confounding variables, significant differences were found between women and men in outcomes and in factors influencing those outcomes.

Principles of Good Practice for Student Affairs.

• Engages students in active learning. • Helps students develop coherent values and ethical standards. • Sets and communicates high expectations for student learning. • Uses systematic inquiry to improve student and institutional performance. • Uses resources effectively to achieve institutional missions and goals. • Forges educational partnerships that advance student learning. • Builds supportive and inclusive communities.

Outcomes for Students of Student Affairs-Academic Affairs Partnership Programs.

Although academic and student affairs partnership programs have been cited as potential means to create seamless learning environments for undergraduate students, little research exists on the outcomes of such programs for students. The Boyer Partnership Assessment Project examined the outcomes for students participating in academic and student affairs partnership programs at 18 institutions. Four categories of student outcomes were identified: acclimation to the institution, engagement, student learning, and academic and career decisions. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Fostering Student Success in Hard Times

The challenges facing colleges and universities today may be unprecedented in number and complexity. The recent deep recession continues to take its toll and college costs continue to rise, even wh...

Qualitative Methods in a Team Approach to Multiple-Institution Studies.

Although qualitative research methods are receiving increasing attention for their usefulness in exploring and understanding some of the traditionally hard-to-measure characteristics of institutions of higher education, qualitative methods have been used only occasionally to study student life in colleges and universities. Examples of qualitative investigations involving multiple investigators are especially rare, despite their potential for providing in-depth understanding and broad comparisons of institutional contexts. This paper describes a team approach to qualitative multi-site research.

Encouraging Adult Learner Involvement.

The author describes the experiences of adult learners who participated in a study of student out-of-class involvement and identifies institutional programs and practices that support and enhance adult learner involvement.