BUILDING BRIDGES FOR THE FUTURE THROUGH THE NEW PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES FOR PRACTICE

November 5, 2012| SACSA & NASPA Region III Conference: Memphis, TN

Pamela A. Havice Tony W. CawthonClemson University Clemson University

ACPA/NASPA Professional Competencies for Student Affairs Practitioners July 2010, NASPA Board of Directors and ACPA Governing

Board approved a set of definitions for broad professional knowledge, skills, attitudes expected of student affairs professionals, regardless of area of specialization in the field or positional role.

NASPA uses these competencies in all educational programs, from Regional Events, Content Specific Conferences and the NASPA Annual Conference each year.

NASPA and ACPA encourage campus leaders to use the competencies in professional in-service on campus too!

ACPA/NASPA Professional Competencies for Student Affairs Practitioners

Advising and Helping Assessment, Evaluation, & Research Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Ethical Professional Practice History, Philosophy, & Values Human & Organizational Resources Law, Policy, & Governance Leadership Personal Foundations Student Learning and Development

NASPA Professional Competencies Icons

Advising & Helping Human & Organizational Resources

Assessment, Evaluation & Research Law, Policy, and Governance

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Leadership

Ethical Professional Practice Personal Foundations

History, Philosophy, and Values Student Learning & Development

Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced

The Professional Competencies have three levels for each competency:

Beginner Intermediate Advanced

Competency Area Threads

Technology – the appropriate identification & use of technology in one’s work.

Sustainability – a balanced focus on the interrelated priorities of economic strength, social justice & environmental health.

Globalism – the recognition of the interconnected nature of nations and regions of the world while understanding and respecting the uniqueness of each cultural context.

What is a Competency Model?

A set of competencies, typically 10-30, that describe the capabilities of successful performers.

Derived by focusing on behaviors of successful performers instead of only knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) related to a list of tasks.

Establish profiles of “ideal performers” at varying levels.

Terminology

Competency Competency Assessment Competency Development Competency Acquisition Competency-Based Learning and Training Behavioral Indicators Behavioral Anchors

Participant Question

What competency models are you familiar with in student affairs or other professions?

Student Affairs Competencies

Delworth & Hanson (1989)

Barr (1993) CAS (Since 1979-present) NHTI (1991) Komives & Woodard

(1996, 2003) Pope & Reynolds (1997) Herdelin (2004)

Creamer, Winston & Miller (2001)

Catellanos, Gloria & Mayorga, Salas (2007)

Kuh, Cobb, Forrest (2007)

Waple (2006) ACPA/NASPA

Competencies (2010)

Council for Advancement of Standards (CAS)

Promotes standards to enhance student learning and development from higher education programs/services. Outcomes placed into six broad domains (categories): Knowledge acquisition, construction, integration and

application Cognitive complexity Intrapersonal development Interpersonal competence Humanitarianism and civic engagement Practical competence

40 functional area standards

Participant Question

How have you incorporated competency models in your work

or in your professional development on campus?

Use of Competency Development Models

Graduate education Individualized professional development training Department/Division professional development

planning Staff training Goal setting Performance evaluation Job descriptions

Professional Competencies for Student Affairs Practitioners

Competency based learning: Focuses more on difference between exemplary and

fully successful performers; Will be facilitated by technology more readily; and Requires learners to take more responsibility for their

learning process.

Future of Competency Based Learning

Competency based learning will: Be supplemented by growing attention to

ethics/values; Require more creative learning about all

components of HR management, supervision & learning & performance;

Align with the organization’s balanced scorecard; Necessitate new ways of thinking about evaluation;

and Focus as much on functional/technical competencies

as on general ones.

Ethics in Student Affairs

CAS Statement of Shared Ethical Principles http://www.cas.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/CA

Sethicsstatement.pdf

Principles of Good Practice for Student Affairs http://www.naspa.org/career/goodprac.cfm

Standards of Professional Practice http://www.naspa.org/about/standards.cfm

Resources

Professional Competencies on the NASPA Website http://www.naspa.org/programs/profdev/default.cfm

PDF of document http://www.naspa.org/programs/prodev/Professional_Competencies.pdf

NASPA Members-Only http://www.naspa.org/membership/mem/prodev/def

ault.cfm NASPA Member Campus-based program models &

templates

Questions? Need Assistance?

NASPA Professional Standards Division Tisa Mason, Vice President for Student Affairs, Fort

Hays State University & Director, Professional Standards Division – tamason@fhsu.edu

Pamela A. Havice, Faculty Member, Region III havice@clemson.edu – havice@clemson.edu

Stephanie Gordon, Senior Director of Educational Programs, NASPA – sgordon@naspa.org