Tensions around the Use of Research and Theory in Student Affairs ...

are taught early on that we should be practitioner-scholars or scholar-practitioners by grounding
our work in research regarding student characteristics, needs, and experiences.
As a result, most student affairs professionals believe that research-based practice is
appropriate and desired in practice, yet little is asked about what research results should be
applied and which ones should be questioned. This questioning of how research should be
applied must come from both faculty researchers and practitioners. If one looks a little deeper
and more critically, tensions arise that the field of student affairs may not have anticipated.
This essay seeks to explore the tensions that can arise by looking at the process of
applying research in practice and the next steps that should be considered in creating practice
that is informed by what we know about students. As one of the Senior Scholar essays, the goal
of this essay is to promote critical reflection on current practices and the future of the field.
Tensions around Research and Practice
In spite of the clarity of the call for research-based practice, the actual implementation of
this process is less clear. This section attempts to consider the actual implementation of research
into the practice of student affairs. To do this, we begin with trends that occur in practice, then
move into ethical and philosophical considerations around the application of research, and end
with the trends common to researchers.
Trends of Concern in Practice
As mentioned earlier, creating research-based practices and policies is generally seen as a
desirable approach, as evidenced in both the CAS Standards (2009) and the new Professional
Competencies for Student Affairs Practitioners (2011). New terms have emerged within student
affairs nomenclature to designate the scholar-practitioner or practitioner-scholar; the order of the
terms would designate the primary duties first, with the second indicating the importance of how
Page 2 of 12