Congratulations to Erin Kaplan who on Thursday, April 16, 2026, successfully defended her dissertation.
The title of Erin's dissertation is, "HOW THE STUDENT CONDUCT PROCESS IMPACTS STUDENT SENSE OF BELONGING."
Overview of Problem: The problem this study explored was the connection between student conduct practice and sense of belonging. This unexplored connection presents a vital gap in the research and in student conduct practice.
Research Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the ways serving as a respondent in the student conduct process impacts student sense of belonging, as perceived by the participants. This study explored participants’ firsthand experiences of the student conduct process informed by Strayhorn’s sense of belonging theory (2012). Through this study, I sought to narrow the gap in research exploring the connection between the student conduct experience and sense of belonging.
Research Design: This qualitive study utilized an interpretive inquiry approach situated in the sense of belonging theory (Strayhorn, 2012).
Sample: The sample included 17 students who have previously served as a respondent within the student conduct process at the four-year institution of higher education within the United States in which they were currently enrolled. Participants went through the student conduct process prior to earning 60 credits or the equivalent and had earned at least 60 credits or the equivalent by the time of their interview.
Data Collection and Analysis: Data was collected through, semi structured, open-ended, and in-depth interviews (Sullivan & Sargeant, 2011; Squire et al., 2024). Coding was organized and synthesized using NVivo. This study utilized emergent codes that arise throughout data collection, rather than predetermined codes (Stuckey, 2015).
Findings/Results: Through my study, three themes emerged: (a) Establishing a Sense of Belonging Prior to the Student Conduct Process; (b) Facilitating a Sense of Belonging through the Student Conduct Process; (c) Maintaining a Sense of Belonging After the Student Conduct Process
Conclusions/Implications: Findings suggest that students make meaning of the student conduct process through building relationships with their hearing officers and other individuals/communities across campus, becoming connected to resources on campus, developing self-efficacy skills, and leaning into help-seeking behaviors. The study highlighted the importance of holistic and developmental approaches, counseling-based approaches, and student mattering.
Dissertation Committee Chair(s):
Dr. Peter F. Troiano
Dissertation Committee Member(s):
Dr. Emily Creamer
Dr. Valerie Glassman
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