Open Access | Official GRAD 5104 Blog

"Clearly I am a student affairs practitioner. Very much like when I first heard the term MOOCs, I had no earthly idea what Dr. DePauw was talking about when she referenced “open access journals”. That of course prompted me to do a bit of research about what they actually were, why they are important and in what way does that affect me as a graduate student. What I found was the fact that I absolutely was affected by the issue of open access without actually realizing it every single time I had a paper to write. I have felt the feelings of triumph when the article that I needed for a paper was one that my institution had access to but also the 'agony of defeat' when the article that I needed to 'set my paper off' cost me $25.00 or more to purchase. It also never dawned on me that the “free articles” that I enjoyed were at the expense of the institution and the cost that they zapped up in order for me to reap the benefits. When I looked up the list of open access journals; those that afforded me the opportunity to research as I need to, I was pleased to find SEVERAL journals specific to my field. One journal in particular, the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, stood out to me because I consider it to be the clearinghouse for the scholarship that exists within our professional organization.  Many faculty members in academic disciplines do not respect or regard student affairs practitioners as scholars or are unaware of the breadth and depth of research that is done by those in our profession. This journal has been instrumental in highlighting cutting edge research in higher education ..."