MSL Acronyms

CSS: Center for Student Studies
A leader in survey research with special expertise in surveying students and web–based surveys. CSS provides the survey–research knowledge for MSL and implements all phases of the study. It invites students to participate, manages the data, monitors response rate, provides comprehensive respondent support, and prepares a report at the end of the study. CSS also provides a dedicated School Coordinator to walk you through the requirements for participation.

IEO Model: Input–Environment–Outcome Model
The conceptual frame for MSL. This model holds that pre–college inputs and elements of the college environment interact to produce a range of outcomes (students’ characteristics after exposure to college).

IRB: Institutional Review Board
IRBs monitor research performed on human subjects. They govern whether—and under what protocol or conditions—a study may be executed. Researchers seek IRB approval to validate both the scientific merit of their study plan and the ethical treatment of participants.MSL has secured national IRB approval and will require to you be approved by your school’s IRB.

MSL: Multi–institutional Study of Leadership
A national, multi–campus study of leadership development among college students. MSL is theoretically grounded and helps to distinguish the relative contribution of the college environment in generating positive outcomes.

NCLP: National Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs
MSL is conducted in partnership with NCLP, which supports leadership development in college students by serving as a central source of professional development for leadership educators. NCLP also works to connect leadership educators to one another and support those developing leadership programs in their communities.

PI: Principal Investigator
The PIs are scholars with a research question and an interest in obtaining national data. They draw upon their extensive knowledge of college–student leadership development to develop a theoretically–grounded questionnaire. They also collaborate with the methodological experts on many details of the study design and implementation.

SCM: Social Change Model
The theoretical frame for MSL and one of the most well known student leadership models (Kezar, Carducci, & Contreras–McGavin, 2006). SCM’s central principles of social responsibility and change for the common good are assessed through the development of eight core values: Consciousness of self, Congruence, Commitment, Common purpose, Collaboration, Controversy with civility, Citizenship, and Change for the common good.

SRLS–R2: Socially Responsible Leadership Scale–Revised Version 2
A statistically reliable and valid tool for measuring leadership development using the social change model (SCM). It consists of 8 scales that correspond to SCM’s 8 core values and informed the MSL questionnaire. SRLS–R2 is distributed by the National Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs.

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Latest News

Enrollment Still Open Through October!

October 2011 Enrollment for MSL 2012 is still open! Schools may enroll through the month of October. To learn more about the benefits of participating, please go HERE. To enroll now, please fill out our Enrollment Survey.

STEM School Coalition Started for MSL 2012

Summer 2011 The STEM Coalition will allow for powerful benchmarking of learning outcomes and critical college experiences. Participating campuses will be provided direct comparisons between an individual school, the set of coalition schools, and national normative data..

Catholic Schools Coalition Expands Significantly for 2012 MSL

Summer 2011 Registration for the 2012 MSL is currently underway and 16 Catholic schools have already registered with another 14 institutions actively considering participation. The MSL Catholic Schools coalition formed in 2009 and collects data together every three years. This provides a rich, shared dataset that allows for benchmarking with other Catholic institutions as well as the ability to differentiate results based on affiliation (e.g., Jesuit, Dominican).

MSL Announces New Three Year Research Cycle

6.8.2011 MSL research advisory board has committed to a new strategic plan for the future of this study - a three year research cycle - 2012/2015/2018.

Recent Publication

March/April 2011 Article based on MSL data now available examining leadership across US and Mexican cultures published in the Journal of College Student Development.

Recent Publication

March/April 2011 Article based on MSL data now available! Published in the Journal of College Student Development.

Recent Publication

Spring 2011 The 2nd edition of The Handbook For Student Leadership Development, is published.

Measuring Quality Inventory

4.28.2010 MSL has been included in the Measuring Quality Inventory, an online inventory of resources designed to assist higher education faculty and staff in the challenging task of assessing academic and support programs as well as institutional effectiveness, more broadly.

MSL Co-PI Honored by NASPA

3.11.2010 NASPA announced an award named in honor of MSL's Co-PI. The Susan R. Komives Student Leadership Researcher Award will be awarded annually by the Student Leadership Programs Knowledge Community.

MSL Receives NASPA Award

3.11.2010 MSL received the 2010 Spotlight of the Year Award from the NASPA Student Leadership Programs Knowledge Community at the 2010 annual conference in Chicago.

National MSL Benchmark Dataset

3.1.2010 Starting in the 2011 data collection, the MSL will provide a National MSL Benchmark Dataset to all participating schools as part of the MSL Standard service. The purpose of this dataset will be for use by Institutional Research and other data driven researchers at MSL participating schools to conduct their own school specific analyses, including a representative subset of the MSL National Benchmark Data.

Student Leadership Research Award

1.28.2010 John P. Dugan is the first recipient of the "Student Leadership Research Award" presented by the NASPA Student Leadership Programs Knowledge Community.

ILA Board Appointment

10.13.2009 Susan R. Komives has recently been appointed to the Board of the International Leadership Association (ILA).

Example Custom Report

8.10.2009 An example of the complete MSL custom report is now available for download.

Recent Publication

7.1.2009 NCLP partner Jossey-Bass has recently published a book on leadership by MSL PI Susan Komives and research team member Wendy Wagner. Leadership for a Better World: Understanding the Social Change Model of Leadership Development is available to NCLP members at a 20% discount.

NASPA Certificate

4.6.2009 MSL PIs recognized by NASPA. Read more »

MSL 2012 Timeline

May 31 and June 30, 2011

Early enrollment and payment deadlines

October, 2011

Final enrollment deadline

July - December, 2011

Schools prepare for data collection

January - April, 2012

Data collection

Summer, 2012

School reports distributed

View the full MSL Timeline »