Okay, were those effective drinking deterrents for you? What about for your students?

I have to admit, when I saw the female version, I thought: “Wowee. That was one helluva night out.” Some YouTube commenters apparently agree; one says: “she is cute in a debauched way…. i think this will probably doesn’t work as the advert intends….” and another noted: “If she came home like that she must have had a f****** EPIC night out!!” Others asked why the advertisement was “promoting” binge drinking. (Facetiously, I assume.) Some seem to get the point of the advertisement; many more are debating the origins of the song in it.

It’s alarming when I find my thoughts aligning with YouTube comments, but I’ll worry about my issues later. Society’s issue, it seems, is that ads like these seem to encourage binge drinking, not deter it, as if a morning spent guzzling water, munching aspirin and locating one’s brain cells is a weird, sticky, stinky badge of honor.

A study conducted at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management  found that PSAs like this don’t discourage binge drinking, and may actually lead to more of it. Ad Age reports on the study, and more results will be published in the Journal of Marketing Research later this year. The ads rely on guilt and shame to move viewers, but if the target audience is already feeling guilt (about anything), they’re likely to shy away from things that play on those emotions, and resist the messages in the ads.

The grieving process lasts long after the funeral, and Facebook was a way for Feldman’s friends to recognize that, and share their sadness together.

Facebook being used as a place to mourn and remember a life is hardly unheard of, but it’s still relatively new. What are your campus’ experiences with Facebook and grief?

It is obvious from the questions on the quiz that this is a glorified Internet meme. The results, truly, are meaningless. Many of the traits being assigned to Millennial or Generation X are as much a function of personality as they are generational. Or, more flawed, they are things out of the control of the participant [e.g. the quiz asks about parents’ marital status].

While the site doesn’t portend to be an accurate evaluation, the ensuing conversation was fascinating about how student affairs professional perceive Millennial students. In fact, some seemed insulted to be considered a Millennial, flaunting their Generation X result.

Has it become a status symbol to be identified as a member of one generation rather than another? When did Millennial become a four-letter word, even for those who work in student affairs and higher ed? And, more importantly, have we lost sight that generational identities are indicators of trends in thought patterns, behaviors, and motivation?

Check out the quiz yourself and share your thoughts below.

This Daily Show clip, brought to us via Gawker TV (their motto is “Your work can wait,” so be forewarned) can also be a way you can educate your students on how credit cards work, and how credit card issuers likely do not have their best interests at heart. And it will make them (and you) laugh as well. That’s always a good way to learn things.

What are your techniques for teaching students about unpleasant, “boring,” or otherwise un-enticing topics? Let us, and your colleagues, know!

The Credit CARD Act of 2009 restricts banks from offering credit to people under 21 unless an adult co-signs or the signer can show they are able to make the payment. Credit issuers cannot offer free gifts at campus events (team t-shirts at football games) as inducements to sign up.

For their part, institutions cannot collaborate with credit card issuers to offer institutional merch for credit card signees and the law puts restrictions on cards offered through alumni associations and similar.

The law encourages, but does not mandate, that the institution educate its students on responsible credit and money management. Does your institution do this? Does housing or residence life aid in this program? Let us know.

On a related note, the Talking Stick had a story on aiding students with money management; see that article here: Money Management TS

There are traditions for this day in my world. They involve rallying the Community Council, oversize signs on staff member’s doors, a Dairy Queen ice cream cake at staff meeting just when the staff has reached their threshold with my full agenda. They are small things, to be certain, but they are things that highlight my appreciation of these undergraduate students who step up and demonstrate leadership in their community. We know from our own experiences that it can be a thankless job, and while we do our best to demonstrate continued appreciation to student staff, it falls off the to do list amidst all of the other responsibilities we have.

I am reminded of celebrating the same day a decade ago when I was a resident assistant. Having the dining hall’s premiere and rarely served dessert at a staff meeting seemed indulgent for a Wednesday night; the decorations on my door reminded all of my residents that even if they were mad at me that week for enforcing policies, I was appreciated by someone on campus for doing my job.

Being candidly honest, I was disappointed in this year’s International Hall Staff Appreciation Day. Remembering my own glowing response to the recognition, I anticipated the same bubbling joy from staff this year. Maybe it was that my enthusiasm level was diminished after being ill, or maybe it was the timing in the semester that left us all ready to finish the staff meeting and move on with our week, but the event felt deflated. I went back to my office with a heavy heart, wishing I could articulate more appropriately to these students how much they have accomplished.

They are, after all, only the second group of resident assistants on this campus. Many of them did not live on campus before being hired and so had no context for what it means to be a resident assistant prior to coming to their interview. They fight an uphill battle daily of defining housing to a campus that still identifies with its largely commuter population. They explain, justify, plan, create, and innovate.

And ultimately, that explains my lackluster response to the day. There is no way an ice cream cake, even with its fudgey center, could ever begin to demonstrate an appropriate level of appreciation to this group for what they have accomplished. I want to give them so much more, show them the progress they have made, but that will take time and benchmarking and reflection in a time and place in the distant future. I want them to know that more than just the campus and the community; they have changed me with their passion, their unanticipated love of their jobs.

I may not be able to show them my appreciation in the way they want or need right now. Someday, though, they will understand the scope of what they accomplished in this place, and I hope that when they do, they will also know how much their effort and time meant to me.

How do your campuses celebrate International Hall Staff Appreciation Day?

Increasing numbers of students have been arriving on college campuses with food allergies they are unable–or perhaps, unwilling–to manage by themselves. Perhaps their parents had done most of the work of coordinating doctors’ appointments, medications and keeping the illicit ingredient out of the way.  Despite the parent’s best intentions, their child arrives at college with limited ability to cope with their own condition. Some students may be reluctant to admit that their allergy limits them in any way. Some have never had a very severe reaction, and regard their allergy as a mere annoyance, rather than something that could be life-threatening.

The situation is difficult for dining halls as well; ensuring that adequate meals are created without allergens and making students aware of the ingredients of each dish, all the while creating delicious meals that appeal to everyone, providing a welcoming environment, and hopefully making a profit, or at least breaking even. Some institutions have opened special allergy-free kitchens and refrigerators to deal with the issue. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network introduced its College Network in 2009, a resource for students on institutions that can accommodate their diets.

Despite an institution’s best efforts, however, there’s no way of preventing an allergic student from eating an off-limits food, unknowingly or otherwise. And these are the sorts of things that keep administrators awake in the wee hours.

How has your institution dealt with this issue? Have food allergies affected the residence halls? Does a student who keeps a jar of peanut butter handy find it hard to live with a roommate who must avoid the stuff? Have allergies affected how the vending machines are stocked? Have you had to confront a student who is eating dangerously? Let us know.

The New York Times ran a story about the gender imbalance on many campuses. At a lot of institutions — but not all — women outnumber men, sometimes by a considerable percentage. This creates an interesting social scene, at least for the men.  Has a skewed male-female ratio on your campus changed how students act, or your operations? How have you adjusted?

Virginia Tech officials say the move is welcomed by parents, as partners in their student’s well-being, but, shockingly, students aren’t happy about it. While the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act restricts how much an institution can tell parents about their adult children, there’s an exception for drug- and alcohol-related incidents for students under 21. In these instances, institutions can set their own policies.

How does your institution manage this tricky situation? Have you made changes to your policies because of parents’ requests or legal issues? Are you considering doing so?

Anyway, once again America’s college freshmen have been surveyed for their opinions on everything from politics, to society, to what they’ll be when they grow up. According to the freshmen:

Most, 66.7%, have major or some concerns about paying for college. Just over 53% plan to cover some expenses with loans. Both of these numbers are up slightly since 2004.

Perhaps because of this, a vast majority of respondents, 78.1%, say “being very well off financially is an essential or very important goal.” According to the U.S. Census 2008 Current population survey, all those under 65 with a bachelor’s degree have mean earnings of $58,613, but y’know, bright eyes, bushy tails, all that. And $58K is hardly shabby.

So what have the future titans of America been doing in the meantime?

Well, 66.5% take notes in class; 53.9% ask questions in class; 57.8% support their opinions with logical arguments (that won’t be necessary for the 20.8% who plan to influence the political structure); and 30.9% research topics independently, when not required for class. While 51.2% “seek solutions to problems and explain them to others,” fewer are interested in  seeking solutions to problems they have: 47.3% look for feedback on academic work, and 46.6% revise their papers to improve their writing.

Many, 44%, identify as politically moderate. About 24% say they’re conservative or far right; 31.8% say they are liberal or far left. Students who identify with either political extreme are in a tiny minority; less than 4%.  On major issues of the day, 64.9% feel same-sex couples should be able to legally married; 62.8% feel only volunteers should serve in the armed services and 37.4% feel students from “disadvantaged social backgrounds” should be given preferential treatment for college admissions.

In addition to piles of money (perhaps to swim laps in, a’la Scrooge McDuck), most of our freshmen hope to have a family (74.7%), help others in difficulty (69.1%), and become authorities in their fields (58.5%). Fewer hope to excel in the creative arts; about 16% want to create artistic works, such as sculptures and paintings; 16% wish to become accomplished in a performing art, and 16% hope to create original works such as poems or novels. Hopefully, these students aren’t the same ones who find it extremely important to be wealthy. My post-college life has been very clear on one thing: creativity is nice, but it doesn’t bring in the big bucks.

As for their parents, 46.5% of respondents have fathers who do not have a college degree; 45.2% of their mothers don’t have one either.

During their first term, most plan on living in the residence halls (79.5%); 14.2% live with family, 2.8% live in a private apartment or house and 2.7% live in some other form of campus housing.

To see these numbers and more, check out The American Freshman: Fall Norms for Fall 2009, published by the University of California – Los Angeles Higher Education Research Institute. The Chronicle of Higher Education and the Higher Education Research Institute have conflicting numbers when it comes to how many students were surveyed and how many institutions were involved. If we can get some clarification, we’ll post it here.

And keep in mind, if they were in Ohio in January when the survey was conducted, their answers might have been a lot different.