Course – SA 501 Worth: 150 points Current Topic in Student Affairs Administration Paper Assignment (Turnitin Paper Assignment) Introduction____________________________________________________________ Part of the graduate school experience is to become a solid researcher as you prepare for future participation in research, student affairs practice, college teaching and/or higher education administration. An in-depth examination of chosen topic will allow you to become the “expert” on a current topic in college student development. List of Major Current Topics in Student Affairs Administration: Please select from ONE of the broad current topics in the list below. Students must receive prior approval from the instructor to write their paper on a topic that is NOT on the list. Given the scope and length of this assignment, students will need to select a more narrow focus on a current administrative issue/concern. Students may focus on a common, re-emerging theme that presents itself throughout the literature on this topic. Please send the instructor you chosen topic along with a more narrow area of focus by the mid-term, at the latest. · “Zero Tolerance” Policy for Greek Life Students concerning hazing, high-risk behaviors, sexual assault, alcohol/drug abuse · College Student Civility Issues · Campus Safety and Violence Prevention · Student Affairs/Services for Non-Traditional Adult Learners and Students with Children · Career Readiness and Employability of Today’s Student · The Role of Technology and Social Networking in the Student Affairs Profession (e.g., focus on how technology and social networking are being used by student affairs professionals to provide student services) Note: National Professional Associations provide important resources (e.g., articles, issue briefs, reports, etc.) as the feature current issues and topics in student affairs. Please review the following websites: NASPA—Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education, ACPA-College Student Educators—International, American Council on Education (ACE), and Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). For instance, NASPA’s link http://www.naspa.org/focus-areas to their “focus topics” would be a good resource for several of the topics above The Task______________________________________________________________ Review the current literature surrounding your topic. Appropriate sources may include scholarly, peer-reviewed journals in the fields of college student development, student affairs, or higher education (e.g., Journal of Higher Education, Review of Higher Education, Journal of College Student Development, etc.) as well current topical sources like articles from The Chronicle of Higher Education or Inside Higher Ed. Please be sure to review a minimum of 6 different sources on your topic and make sure that your sources are from differing periodicals (i.e., do not select all of your articles from only one journal). Sources should be current and publish.

1. Course – SA 501
Worth: 150 points
Current Topic in Student Affairs Administration Paper
Assignment (Turnitin Paper Assignment)
Introduction__________________________________________
__________________
Part of the graduate school experience is to become a solid
researcher as you prepare for future participation in research,
student affairs practice, college teaching and/or higher
education administration. An in-depth examination of chosen
topic will allow you to become the “expert” on a current topic
in college student development.
List of Major Current Topics in Student Affairs Administration:
Please select from ONE of the broad current topics in the list
below. Students must receive prior approval from the instructor
to write their paper on a topic that is NOT on the list. Given the
scope and length of this assignment, students will need to select
a more narrow focus on a current administrative issue/concern.
Students may focus on a common, re-emerging theme that
presents itself throughout the literature on this topic. Please
send the instructor you chosen topic along with a more narrow
area of focus by the mid-term, at the latest.
· “Zero Tolerance” Policy for Greek Life Students concerning
hazing, high-risk behaviors, sexual assault, alcohol/drug abuse
· College Student Civility Issues
· Campus Safety and Violence Prevention
· Student Affairs/Services for Non-Traditional Adult Learners
and Students with Children
· Career Readiness and Employability of Today’s Student
· The Role of Technology and Social Networking in the Student

2. Affairs Profession (e.g., focus on how technology and social
networking are being used by student affairs professionals to
provide student services)
Note: National Professional Associations provide important
resources (e.g., articles, issue briefs, reports, etc.) as the feature
current issues and topics in student affairs. Please review the
following websites: NASPA—Student Affairs Professionals in
Higher Education, ACPA-College Student Educators—
International, American Council on Education (ACE), and
Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). For
instance, NASPA’s link http://www.naspa.org/focus-areas to
their “focus topics” would be a good resource for several of the
topics above
The
Task_________________________________________________
_____________
Review the current literature surrounding your topic.
Appropriate sources may include scholarly, peer-reviewed
journals in the fields of college student development, student
affairs, or higher education (e.g., Journal of Higher Education,
Review of Higher Education, Journal of College Student
Development, etc.) as well current topical sources like articles
from The Chronicle of Higher Education or Inside Higher Ed.
Please be sure to review a minimum of 6 different sources on
your topic and make sure that your sources are from differing
periodicals (i.e., do not select all of your articles from only one
journal). Sources should be current and published between
2010-2014. Note: On Blackboard, under the “start here” menu
tab, the link titled, “SA 501 Course Resources” contains a list
of library resources on student affairs/higher education topics.
The components of your paper should include a brief
introduction with appropriate definitions (written in narrative
terms, not bullets) so that the reader can quickly comprehend
the topic. The body of your paper should encompass the major
issues affecting the administration of student affairs, in

3. particular, and the overall management of higher education, in
general, as related to your topic.
Be sure to include both positive and negative aspects
concerning the topic. Finally, provide a summative conclusion
wherein you express your thoughts as a current/future student
affairs professional/administrator. (As you are writing this
paper, please keep in mind that in your future career, you may
be called upon to respond to this very issue!) It is also
appropriate to end your conclusion with ideas for future
research by posing questions yet to be answered.
Your paper should be 5-8 pages (not including the title page or
references page), 12 point font, 1 inch margins. You must have
a minimum of 6 scholarly sources, excluding the Student
Services text.
APA, 6th edition formatting should be followed to include an
appropriate title page with running head and header with
pagination, appropriate use of headings and subheadings within
body of paper, and appropriate reference page. Refer to your
APA manual as I will be a stickler about this aspect of your
paper! Also, please make sure that your paper is grammatically
correct and that overall readability is appropriate to graduate-
level writing.
REMEMBER… This is to be a piece of scholarly writing
reflective of a master’s level student. Thus, please proofread!
Engage the use of the UWA writing center on campus, if
necessary.
Submission
Guidelines____________________________________________
_______
Submit your topic paper as a Microsoft WORD document
through Blackboard’s assignment link inside of the Learning
Module for Week 7. Please note that this paper must be
submitted to Turnitin.com upon completion. Thus, be certain to
summarize and paraphrase, because the A match score of over

4. 40% is considered unacceptable and will result in a zero for the
project. If needed, students may submit multiple times to
Turnitin until they revise their paper to achieve an acceptable
percentage match. However, please note that there is a 24 hour
waiting period after the first time you submit your paper to
Turnitin. Therefore, you will need to submit your paper in
advance of the deadline. Failure to submit to Turnitin.com will
also result in a grade of zero.
Late Policy: Late assignments will be penalized by 15% per date
that the paper is late.
Grading
Criteria/Rubric________________________________________
_________
This paper is worth 150 points – a significant portion of your
total point allocation.
Criteria
A Work
B Work
C Work
Total Assignment Points= 150 points
Evidence of a Literature Review that provides an in-depth
examination of the topic.
Paper to include:
I. Introduction
· Appropriate Definitions
II. Body
- Addresses major issues both pro and con
III. Summative Conclusion

5. - Provide your thoughts as a future higher education leader
- Any further research questions
Appropriate and relevant literature covered as evidenced within
paper.
Paper inclusive of each of the three major components which
fully addresses the assignment.
Careful and thoughtful response evidenced in conclusion to
include perspectives as future administrators, legislators,
academicians, etc. Evident that personal reflection is
incorporated. Ideas for further research identified.
Adequate literature covered as evidenced within paper.
Paper inclusive of each of the three major components, however
each was not fully addressed.
Adequate response evidenced in conclusion but not wholly
inclusive of all suggested perspectives: future administrators,
legislators, academicians, etc. Limited personal reflection. Ideas
for further research identified.
Inadequate literature covered as evidenced within paper.
Paper not inclusive of each of the three major components
and/or the component was not fully addressed.
Inadequate response evidenced in conclusion but not wholly
inclusive of all suggested perspectives: future administrators,
legislators, academicians, etc. No personal reflection evident.
Ideas for further research limited or nonexistent.
Overall Writing -
Grammar, Spelling, Readability

6. Good, clean, easy to read. Well developed ideas. Few errors.
Proper grammar and spelling.
Good writing overall but with a few problem areas.
Problematic writing – too many errors or not easy to read; parts
of narrative are confusing or unconnected.
Follows APA –
- running head
- title page
- pagination
- headings and sub-
headings as needed.
- proper citations
within text
- proper references
Follows APA but with several errors.
Does not clearly follow APA.
Meets paper guidelines –
12 pt. font
1 inch margins
Double spaced
5-8 pages
6 sources exclusive of course readings

7. Follows page length (not inclusive of title page and reference
page); formatted properly; appropriate and adequate sources
Page length questionable; problematic formatting; inclusive of 4
of 5 sources.
Page length does not meet minimum standard; improperly
formatted; inclusive of 3 of 5 sources.