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

sophistication of this study may inform policy leaders, yet consideration should be given to how
research would influence the practitioners who work with students on a daily basis. This
requires that the trends among researchers also be considered in this critical examination.
Trends of Concern in Research
In spite of several attempts to guide the type of research conducted within student affairs
(e.g. Future Trends in Student Affairs, NASPA Faculty Fellows Research Agenda for the
Profession), most researchers investigate topics that interest them rather than what might be
needed within the field. The trends of concern for researchers highlighted below are tensions
that perhaps may not be resolved. What an institution values as “research” plays a role in how
these concerns get highlighted.
• The pressure for faculty to obtain external funding is also influencing the type of research
that is conducted within the field. Funding agencies are setting the research agenda for
higher education and making it difficult to secure funds to carry out projects that may be
more focused on practice.
• Research topics generated by practitioners are often issues with no clear answers and are
thus not necessarily issues that need more research. For example, there is a tremendous
amount of research on student alcohol abuse, yet practitioners frequently say more
research is required. The tension with this trend is that practitioners want a direct
practical answer to problems, and researchers know those seldom exist. This tension
requires more explicit explanation of the application of research.
• The values of the academic arena are not always consistent with the desires of
practitioners. While practice-oriented scholarship may be highly desired by student
affairs practitioners, the faculty promotion and tenure portfolios are evaluated by the
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