Proposed Research Domains for Women in Student Affairs

Background

Knowledge Communities (KC) for NASPA are designed to both connect professionals with like interests, but also to generate and share knowledge about particular facets, groups or experiences within the Student Affairs field.  Additionally, the Center for Women is charged with examining “issues relevant to women in higher education and host(ing) a variety of professional development opportunities. While encouraging research from all in student affairs, the Center also encourages, in particular, research by women, for women, and about women in student affairs and female students.”

 In the course of their work and based on feedback from the membership, the Women in Student Affairs (WISA) KC identified a need for the development of a research agenda to guide this work.  This was then shared with the Center for Women Board, and it was agreed that the group would work on identifying formal research domains as part of developing a research agenda.

 Benefits of a Research Agenda

The development and adoption of a research agenda for issues relevant to women in student affairs is important to NASPA for several reasons:

1.     It will help target research and scholarship efforts on issues important to women in the profession, thereby adding valuable knowledge to the growing body of literature in student affairs and higher education;

2.     The resulting research will create relevant content for use by the NASPA peer-reviewed publications including the Journal About Women in Higher Education (JAWHE), Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice (JSARP), and provide content for the Annual NASPA Knowledge Community Conference Publication;

3.     It would be beneficial in assisting both the Center for Women Board and the WISA KC with resources important for regional, national and international professional development (conferences, on-line information, webinars, etc); and

4.     It would allow the Center for Women and WISA KC to more effectively assess existing practices and their alignment with professional competencies and current/future research.

 Process

Over the past 24 months, under the leadership of Dr. Julie Payne-Kirchmeier (Northwestern University), WISA KC co-chair and Center for Women Liaison, Dr. Amber Garrison-Duncan (Lumina Foundation), Dr. Niki Rudolph (Michigan State University), incoming WISA KC co-chair, and Ciji Heiser (UNC-Chapel Hill), the Women in Student Affairs Knowledge Community has worked to develop research domains that will guide the creation of a formal research agenda.

 These domains were developed via the following methods:

1.     Review of literature on women in student affairs from 1995-2015.

2.     Open content analysis on social media platforms for WISA.

3.     Review of articles and stories of interest posted on various social media platforms.

4.     Review of programs offered at NASPA and ACPA from 2010-2015

5.     Directed content analysis on blog posts from the Women in Student Affairs Knowledge Community.

6.     Open feedback from the membership of WISA. 

Recommended Research Domains

Based on this information the following domains are recommended for adoption:

1.     Use of social media and impact on networking and community for women in student affairs.

2.     Skills crucial for women in student affairs for career advancement, to include preparation, negotiation, political skills, executive presence, etc.)

3.     Negotiation and intersection of personal and professional roles for women in student affairs (single women, women with children, childless and partnered)

4.     Proven practices for retention and advancement of women in student affairs, to include the impact of sponsorship and mentorship.

5.     Intersection of identity for women in student affairs (this research is recommended to be performed in conjunction with other identity-based KCs).

 Next Steps

These research domains are being shared broadly via social media, with the Center for Women Board at the conference meeting, with the WISA KC members at the WISA KC meeting, and at various locations at the 2015 NASPA Annual Conference in New Orleans.

 The Center for Women and WISA KC would like to collect feedback on these domains from the broader membership by April 15, 2015.  Once received and incorporated, these groups will work together to develop a full research agenda and identify researchers to begin work.  This work is scheduled for completion by August 15, 2015.

Feedback
Please send any feedback, suggestions or comments by April 15, 2015 directly to Dr. Julie Payne-Kirchmeier at jp-kirchmeier@northwestern.edu.