Colette Shaw convened the first meeting of Just Desserts & Dissertations, a book club for student conduct professionals, on Thursday, July 21, 2026. Fifteen student conduct professionals attended the initial gathering via Zoom to discuss academic research relevant to their field.

Just Desserts & Dissertations is designed to meet once per semester. Shaw, a podcast host who co-hosts the student conduct podcast Ms. Behavior, created the group to bridge the gap between academic research and professional practice.

"There’s so much research that’s being done in higher education and in student conduct, and then it just disappears after people defend their [dissertations]," she said. "I feel like we need to get this stuff into our practice."

The first meeting focused on the dissertation How the Student Conduct Process Impacts Student Sense of Belonging. Erin Kaplan, the director of student conduct and an associate dean at Swarthmore College, authored the work. Kaplan attended the meeting to discuss her findings.

Kaplan defended her thesis in April 2026 after earning an Ed.D. from Manhattanville University. Her dissertation was a qualitative study that involved interviews with 17 students. The research examined how disciplinary experiences influenced students' subsequent campus involvement and sense of community.

The study revealed varied outcomes for the students involved. Four of the 17 students reported a negative experience with the student conduct process. However, others found pathways to engagement following their cases.

One student became a residence hall adviser after their experience in the disciplinary system. Another student became a peer tutor after facing discipline for cheating. Three of the 17 students got involved in their student conduct office after their cases were closed.

"[Kaplan] makes the case that our work is relational," she said. The discussion showed how students often navigate the disciplinary system due to external social factors rather than isolated decisions.

An attendee at the meeting stated that students often end up in student conduct offices due to peer pressure. "The things that led them to talk with me in my office … are things that people said or their friends ‘said that they should be doing,’ that they thought was cool or that made them fit in," the attendee said.

The attendee added context to the severity of these cases. "It’s a great thing to get out of the way, given that like 99.9 percent of things cannot get you expelled," the attendee said.

Student conduct professionals are typically responsible for enforcing community standards and codes of conduct. They inform students of their rights on campus and shepherd students through the disciplinary process when they are accused of violating college rules.

Attendees of the first meeting represented a range of institutions. Participants work at the University of Missouri, Moravian University, Seton Hill University, Central Community College in Nebraska, and Western Kentucky University.

She reflected on the professional isolation that can accompany student conduct work. "I remember in a job interview once being asked, ‘Why would anyone want to do student discipline?’ and I wondered, ‘Why would anyone want to do anything else?’" she said.

"The book club showed me that I’m not alone," she said. She noted that the group included individuals with long histories in the field. "A few folks at the book club and follow-up happy hour are former conduct administrators who still care deeply about students and each other," she said.

She emphasized the positive aspects of the profession. "We do work that’s often misunderstood, but … it’s meaningful and even joyful," she said.

Shaw plans to host another Just Desserts & Dissertations meeting in the fall semester. The group will continue its mission of integrating academic research into the daily practices of student conduct professionals.

Just Desserts & Dissertations addresses the disconnect between academic research in higher education and the practical application of student conduct work. By meeting once per semester, the group provides a structured forum for professionals to engage with new dissertations and qualitative studies. The inclusion of authors like Erin Kaplan allows practitioners to discuss methodology and findings directly with researchers.

The participation of professionals from institutions such as the University of Missouri and Swarthmore College illustrates the broad interest in this approach. The group aims to ensure that research does not disappear after defense but instead informs the enforcement of community standards and the support of students through disciplinary processes. Shaw's initiative creates a network for current and former administrators to share insights on the relational nature of their work.