Using the institution as the unit of analysis, this chapter examines persistence rates for hundreds of institutions that have administered National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). A model predicting persistence with institutional and aggregated student characteristics was used to determine two groups of institutions: those that are doing…

Student learning and student development are part of a unified framework rather than separate interests to be pursued independently.

Making self-authorship a goal of an interdisciplinary multisemester general education program shows great promise for meeting desired undergraduate learning outcomes for citizen-learners. (Contains 1 table.)

College students' developmental stages affect their capacities to comprehend and absorb difficult texts and moral problems embedded in them, and faculty should teach accordingly. Interpersonal subjective transactions between teacher and student, the latter of whose identity is in flux, can result in transformations for both. (Author/MSE)

Teaching assistant supervisors accept responsibility or overseeing the work and professional development of one or more teaching assistants. The complexity of such responsibility, the teaching assistant supervisor role, understanding teaching assistants from a developmental perspective, etc. are discussed. (MLW)

The nature of mentoring and the role of faculty in mentoring college students are discussed, and some guiding principles in the mentoring relationship are outlined. These address the quality of communication between mentor and student, the mentor's role as sounding board and knowledgeable reference, understanding one's own limitations, helping…

Faculty need more general institutional information and training if they are to perform effectively as academic advisors. Three key elements in their preparation for this function are: a conceptual understanding of student development and of the advising process; institutional and curricular information; and relational skills and knowledge to…

Self-evaluation is a learning strategy that can help college students, particularly nontraditional students, build coherence through their educational experiences. Faculty need to approach students' reflective, self-evaluative writing as learners, listening to what students say and using it as a guide to aid student development. (MSE)

Eight principles defining the professional responsibility of the college teacher are posited and discussed briefly: content competence; pedagogical competence; appropriate dealing with sensitive topics; contribution to student development; avoidance of dual-role relationships with students; maintenance of confidentiality; respect for colleagues;…