This research highlights inadequate training for higher education supervisors, which has been exacerbated by the "Great Resignation." This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of higher education supervisees to uncover ways supervisors can best support their employees and work culture. Themes, implications for practice, and…

Burnout is a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves depersonalization and a sense of reduced accomplishment, stemming from chronic workplace stress (Maslach 2003). Some higher education professionals experience stressful workplace conditions such as extended business hours and increased responsibilities despite declining…

Stories are one of the primary ways in which humans communicate and interact with one another--even in an office. Like any organization, the registrar's office relies on stories. Stories from inside the office are vehicles for culture, knowledge, context, data, information, and the emotion implicit in the work being done. Stories from outside the…

Years ago, we learned of a higher education institution with a wonderful reputation for excellence that had incredible silos and disparate processes that were not student friendly. These processes included requiring students to reapply and have their transfer credit reevaluated if they wanted to change majors that were in different colleges at the…

In today's financially strained higher education landscape, the student services infrastructure is often supported by fewer staff, less money, less experience, and less knowledge. Gone are the days when higher education staff professionals acquired the necessary education pieces, apprenticed in positions, and waited patiently for promotions. Most…

Transitioning to a new role can be challenging whether at one's current institution or at a new one. Often, the resources that are meant to help with the transition are written by those who have been in the field for many years and who are far removed from the excitement, trepidation, and, at times, uncertainty that may attend a new role. As a…

Over the last several decades, changes in the workplace within higher education has led to the notion of teleworking: the opportunity for employees to complete work in a remote location. This article will review the various concepts of teleworking, as well as the pros, cons, and implications for the work environment within higher education.

After finishing her undergraduate degree in English, the author's first employment was in an academic department at her alma mater. At a large public state institution, the salary scale for non-academic appointees was--and remains--woefully low. Knowing that monetary compensation wasn't the source of staff satisfaction, her chairman made a…

The stone age of college and university admissions was characterized by paper, snail mail, large file rooms, and cumbersome admission processes. Even more frightening to recall is that only fourteen short years ago, approximately 36,000 applications for admission to Michigan State University arrived hand printed on paper in sealed envelopes. Mere…

The purpose of this article is to reflect on how to break bad news. The style in which one breaks bad news at the collegiate level has implications both for the individual and for the institution. If not managed well by enrollment professionals, negative news can taint prospects, applicants, parents, and current students, blemishing the…

In these troubled times rife with examples of corporate, institutional, and personal misbehavior, it is sometimes difficult to determine just what is an ethical response. With headlines disclosing college and university recruiting violations in athletics, researchers intentionally publishing erroneous or misleading results, presidents and other…

This article presents the keynote address of Joseph DiMaria, who retired in June 2004 as vice president for student affairs at the Community College of Rhode Island, at the NEACRAO Fall 2004 annual meeting. DiMaria relates a story that made an impact on his life, reflects on the lessons he learned, and shares some observations on leadership and…