Student affairs educators are asked fundamental questions about programming and its effectiveness. Stakeholders (e.g., students, parents, accreditors) ask what programming (e.g., activities, strategies, curriculum) is offered, "why" it is offered, and "who" benefits in terms of learning and development (e.g., Carpenter, 2001;…

This article discusses various ways for student affairs professionals, faculty, educators, and policymakers to contribute to the personal, academic, and professional development of international graduate students in the U.S. higher education within their functional areas and their expertise. By highlighting the culturally sensitive support and…

This article traces the professionalization of student affairs assessment through the development of the assessment position and the progression of operations, functions and responsibilities. Evidence includes a review of various publications followed by an empirical examination of data from a professional Listserv. Findings identify how…

Successful implementation of a Residential Curriculum Model is dependent on the preparedness and investment of professional staff to design the learning experiences taking place in residence halls. Recent literature urges student affairs educators to embrace approaches which contribute to student learning beyond the classroom. This concept has…

This book is about student success and how to support and improve it. It takes as its point of departure that we--as faculty, assessment directors, student affairs professionals, and staff--reflect together in a purposeful and informed way about how our teaching, curricula, the co-curriculum, and assessment work in concert to support and improve…

Higher education institutions in the United States have collected and analyzed data for decades. From mandatory reporting for state and federal compliance to ad hoc reporting for internal and external stakeholders, there are myriad business purposes for which administrators, staff, and faculty routinely gather data. As more colleges and…

Student success, accountability, and educational outcomes have been strongly emphasized in U.S. community colleges in recent years. For those individuals serving in community college student affairs, intentional commitment to standards and competencies in professional practice is essential in order to achieve institutional expectations and to meet…

Recruitment, socialization, and development of new professionals are critical to the ongoing success, continuous improvement, and advancement of community colleges. The varied experiences and preparation of student services professionals create a complexity of needs that provide challenges to effectively and efficiently help them transition and…

The chapter discusses learning that has resulted from selected international professional development experiences.

The mission of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) is to promote the improvement of programs and services to enhance the quality of student learning and development. CAS is a consortium of professional associations who work collaboratively to develop and promulgate standards and guidelines and to encourage…

The author has been working with colleagues Trudy Banta and Karen Black on a new Jossey-Bass book, "Designing Effective Assessment: Principles and Profiles of Good Practice," which focuses on assessment profiles from a variety of colleges and universities. These profiles also represent the spectrum of institutions from research…

Student affairs professionals can play a more prominent role in campus internationalization efforts. Unfortunately, they do not often view themselves as having the necessary knowledge, understanding, and tools to engage with international education matters, much less facilitate internationalization experiences on behalf of students. By rethinking…

This set of "Professional Competency Areas" is intended to define the broad professional knowledge, skills, and for some competencies, attitudes expected of student affairs professionals working in the U.S., regardless of their area of specialization or positional role within the field. All student affairs professionals should be able to…

In 2009, leaders representing two professional associations in student affairs, the American College Personnel Association (ACPA-College Student Educators International) and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education), came together in a joint task force to establish…

Directing the Women's Center for the last ten years at an institution with 22,000 students, 3,000 faculty and staff members, and 9 colleges, the author has collaborated with many individuals and programs with a shared interest in women and leadership. In this article, the author relates how she collaborated with her colleague in the Student…