The college newspaper: student editor and adviser relationships

Although not typically coming from student affairs backgrounds, college media advisers are employing student development theory in their practice of advising college newspaper editors. Utilizing a phenomenological approach interviews with 24 advisers and student editors from a variety of college newspapers this study finds that advisers are employing facets of student development theory in their advising, specifically helping students through the first four vectors of Chickering and Reissers (1993) Seven Vectors of Student Development. Furthermore, advisers of Pacemaker Award newspapers are nearly unanimous in their application of facets of student development theory, specifically offering consistent publication critiques, abstaining from prior review, helping students through conflict, and encouraging students to manage their own biases.