• Standards of Contextual Statement
• Mission and Objectives
• Recruitment and Admissions
• Curriculum Policies
• Pedagogy
• The Curriculum
• Equity and Access
• Academic and Student Support
• Professional Ethics and Legal Responsibilities
• Program Evaluation

CAS Standards Contextual Statement

Standards for the professional education of student affairs practitioners are of relatively recent vintage, having largely been developed during the past two decades. Although the philosophical foundations of formal student affairs practice have been and continue to be of interest (NASPA, 1987; Whitt et al., 1990), documents that identify and postulate basic principles of student affairs practice are not adequate to the task of guiding the academic preparation of student affairs practitioners. In 1964 the Council of Student Personnel Associations in Higher Education (COSPA) drafted “A Proposal for Professional Preparation in College Student Personnel Work,” which subsequently evolved into a statement drafted by COSPA in collaboration with the Inter-divisional Committee of the American Personnel and Guidance Association, entitled “Guidelines for Graduate Programs in the Preparation of Student Personnel Workers in Higher Education,” dated March 5, 1967. The change in title from “proposal for” in the 1964 version to “guidelines for” in this fourth draft revision exemplifies the movement from a rather tentative statement of what professional preparation should entail to one asserting specific guidelines that should be followed in graduate education programs. A final statement, popularly recognized as the COSPA Report, was actually published some time after the dissolution of the Council (1975).

During this period, others concerned with the graduate education of counselors and other helping professionals  were busy developing counselor education standards and exploring the possibilities for accrediting graduate academic programs. A moving force in this effort was the Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors (ACES), a division of the American Personnel and Guidance Association (APGA), now the American Counseling Association (ACA). In 1978, ACES published a set of professional standards to be used to accredit counseling and personnel services education programs. APGA had recognized ACES as its official counselor education accrediting body and moved to establish an inter-association committee to guide counselor education program accreditation activity and the review and revision of the ACES/APGA preparation standards. In response to this initiative, the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) established an ad hoc Preparation Standards Drafting Committee to develop a set of standards designed to focus on the special concerns of student affairs graduate education.  At its March 1979 meetings, the ACPA Executive Council adopted the committee’s statement entitled “Standards for the Preparation of Counselors and College Student Affairs Specialists at the Master’s Degree Level” as the official ACPA preparation standards.  ACPA then initiated a two-pronged effort in the area of professional standards. One was a collaborative effort with NASPA to establish a profession-wide program of standards development and the other was a concerted effort to work under the then-APGA organizational umbrella to establish an agency for the accreditation of counseling and student affairs preparation programs. The former initiative resulted in the creation of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) and the latter in the establishment of the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Other Related Educational Programs (CACREP), an academic program accrediting agency. Both the CAS and CACREP preparation standards reflected the influence of the ACPA standards for student affairs preparation. 

The forgoing process was prelude to the CAS Masters Level Student Affairs Graduate Program Standards and Guidelines, which follow. A major value of graduate standards is that they provide criteria by which an academic program of professional preparation can judge its educational effectiveness. Whether used for accreditation or program development purposes, standards provide faculty, staff, administrators, and students alike a tool to measure a program’s characteristics against a set of well-conceived criteria designed to ensure educational quality and effectiveness.

The CAS standards for student affairs graduate programs were revised in 2001 and offer standards and guidelines based on profession-wide inter-association collaboration. Topics addressed in the standards include the program’s mission; recruitment and admission policies and procedures; curriculum policies; pedagogy; the curriculum; equal opportunity access and affirmative action; academic and student support; professional ethics and legal responsibilities; and program evaluation.

Curriculum standards are organized around Foundation Studies, Professional Studies, and Supervised Practice. Foundation Studies pertain to the historical and philosophical foundations of higher education and student affairs. This includes historical documents of the profession such as the Student Personnel Point of View (ACE, 1937), Return to the Academy (Brown, 1972), the Student Learning Imperative (ACPA, 1996), Principles of Good Practice (Blimling & Whitt, 1999), Powerful Partnerships (Joint Task Force, 1998), and Reasonable Expectations (Kuh et al, 1994) among others. Professional Studies pertains to student development theory, student characteristics, the effects of college on students, individual and group interventions, the organization and administration of student affairs, and assessment, evaluation and research. Supervised Practice includes practica, internships, and externships under professionally supervised work conditions.

The single best way to assure that an academic program is accomplishing its educational objectives is to document with reasonable evidence that the instruction provided and the learning obtained merit recognition as being of academic worth and social value. That is the primary value of the CAS preparation standards.

American College Personnel Association (1996). The student learning imperative: Implications for student affairs. Journal of College Student Development, 37, 118-122.

American Council on Education (ACE) (1937). The student personnel point of view (Ser. 1, Vol. 1, No. 3,). Washington, DC: Author. [revised in 1949 and 1989].

Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors (ACES). (1978). Standards for the preparation of counselors and other personnel services specialists at the master’s degree level. Washington, DC: Author.

Blimling, G. S. & Whitt, E. J. (1999). Good Practice in student affairs. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Brown, R. D. (1972). Student development in tomorrow's higher education - A return to the academy. Student Personnel Series, 16. Washington, D.C.: American College Personnel Association.

Bryant, W. A., Winston, R. B. Jr., & Miller, T. K. (Eds.) (1991). Using professional standards in student affairs, No. 53. New Directions for Student Affairs. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Council of Student Personnel Associations (COSPA). (1964). A proposal for professional preparation in college student personnel work. Unpublished manuscript, Indianapolis: Author.

Council of Student Personnel Associations (COSPA). (March, 1967). Guidelines for graduate programs in the preparation of student personnel workers in higher education. Unpublished manuscript, Washington, DC: Author.

Council of Student Personnel Associations (COSPA). (1975). Student development services in post-secondary education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 16 (6), 524-528.

Joint Task Force of Student Learning. (1998). Powerful partnerships: A shared responsibility for learning. Washington, D. C. American Association for Higher Education, American College Personnel Association, and National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.

Kuh, G. D. (1994). Reasonable expectations: Renewing the educational compact between institutions and students. Washington, D.C.: National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.

National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). (1987). A perspective on student affairs: A statement issued on the 50th anniversary of the student personnel point of view. Washington, DC: Author.  Also at www.naspa.org/resources/stulearn.cfm or www.acpa.nche.edu/pubs.powpart.html

Whitt, E. J., Carnaghi, J. E., Matkin, J., Scalese-Love, P., & Nestor, D. (1990). Believing is seeing: Alternative perspectives on a statement of professional philosophy for student affairs. NASPA Journal, 27 (3), 178-184.

Winston, R. B. Jr., Creamer, D. G., Miller, T. K., & Associates (2001). The professional student affairs administrator: Educator, leader, and manager. Philadelphia: Taylor and Francis.

American College Personnel Association [ACPA]. Commission on Professional Preparation.  ACPA National Office, One Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite 300. Washington, DC 20036-1110. (202) 835-2272; Fax (202) 296-3286.  http//www.acpa.nche.edu

Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education
Masters-Level Graduate Program for Student Affairs Professionals
Standards and Guidelines

Part 1:  Mission and Objectives

The mission of professional preparation programs shall be to prepare persons through graduate education for professional positions in student affairs in schools, colleges, and universities. Each program mission must be consistent with the mission of the institution offering the program.

• Program missions should reflect a particular emphasis, such as administration, counseling, student learning and development, student cultures, or other appropriate emphases as long as the standards herein are met.

• The program’s mission may include providing in-service education, professional development, research, and consultation for student affairs professional staff members at the institution.

Each professional preparation program must publish a clear statement of mission and objectives prepared by the program faculty in consultation with collaborating student affairs professionals and relevant advisory committees.  The statement must be readily available to current and prospective students and to appropriate faculty and staff members and agencies.  It must be written to allow accurate assessment of student learning and program effectiveness. The statement must be reviewed periodically.

• This review may be conducted with the assistance of current students and faculty, graduates of the program, student affairs professionals, and personnel in cooperating agencies.

• The program faculty should consider recommendations of local, state/provincial, regional, and national legislative bodies and professional groups concerned with student affairs when developing, revising, and publishing the program’s mission and objectives. The mission and objectives should reflect consideration of the current issues and needs of society, of higher education, and of the student populations served. Personnel in cooperating agencies and faculty members with primary assignments in other disciplines should be aware of and encouraged to support and work toward the achievement of the program's mission and stated objectives.

• The mission and objectives should specify both mandatory and optional areas of study and should include a plan for assessing student progress throughout the program of study. The mission and objectives may address recruitment, selection, retention, employment recommendations, curriculum, instructional methods, research activities, administrative policies, governance, and program evaluation.

Part 2: Recruitment and Admission

Accurate descriptions of the graduate program including the qualifications of its faculty and records of its students' persistence, degree completion, and subsequent study and employment must be made readily available for review by both current and prospective students.

Students selected for admission to the program must meet the institution's criteria for admission to graduate study.  Program faculty members must make admission decisions using written criteria that are disseminated to all faculty members and to prospective students.

Admissions materials must be clear about preferences for particular student status, such as full-time students, currently employed students or students seeking learning opportunities by distance, and the manner in which such preferences may affect admissions decisions.

• Students admitted to the program should have ample intellectual capacities, strong interpersonal skills, serious interest in the program, commitment to pursuing a career in student affairs, the potential to serve a wide range of students of varying developmental levels and backgrounds, and the capacity to be open to self-assessment and growth. Criteria known to predict success in the program for students of various backgrounds and characteristics should be used in their selection. Students from diverse backgrounds should be encouraged to apply.

Students from diverse backgrounds must be given equal opportunity for entry into the program.

Part 3: Curriculum Policies

The preparation program must specify in writing and distribute to prospective students its curriculum and graduation requirements. The program must conform to institutional policy and must be fully approved by the institution's administrative unit responsible for graduate programs. The institution must employ only faculty members with credentials that clearly reflect professional knowledge, ability, and skill to teach, advise, or supervise in the program.

Any revisions to the publicized program of studies must be published and distributed to students in a timely fashion. Course syllabi must be available that reflect purposes, teaching/learning methods, and outcome objectives. 

• All prerequisite studies and experiences should be identified clearly in course  descriptions and syllabi.

The equivalent of two years full-time academic study must be required for the Masters degree.

• Ordinarily, to accomplish the goals of the curriculum as outlined later in this document, a program should include a total 42-48 semester credit hours.

Programs must demonstrate that the full curriculum, as outlined in Part 5 of these standards and guidelines, is covered and that graduates reflect relevant proficiency.

• Because of the benefits of immersion-like educational experiences characterized by full-time study, full-time enrollment should be encouraged. However to serve those students for whom full-time study is not possible, programs may provide opportunities for part-time study. Part-time enrollment will result in a program of more than two academic years of study. 

• Appropriate consideration and provisions for admission and curriculum decisions should be made for students with extensive student affairs experience.

• Distance learning options may be used in the program.

There must be a sequence of basic to advanced studies. Any required associated learning experiences must be included in the required program of studies. 

• Associated learning experiences may include comprehensive examinations, degree candidacy, and research requirements.

Opportunity for students to develop understandings and skills beyond minimum program requirements must be provided through elective course options, supervised individual study, and/or enrichment opportunities.

• Programs should encourage students to take advantage of special enrichment opportunities and education that encourages learning beyond the formal curriculum, such as experiences in student affairs organizations, professional associations and conferences, and outreach projects.

An essential feature of the preparation program must be to foster an appreciation of spirit of inquiry, in faculty members and students, as evidenced by active involvement in producing and using research, evaluation, and assessment information in student affairs.

• Research, program evaluation, and assessment findings should be used frequently in instructional and supervised practical experience offerings. The study of methods of inquiry should be provided in context of elected program emphasis, such as administration, counseling, student learning and development, student cultures, or other program options.

Part 4: Pedagogy

Each program must indicate its pedagogical philosophy in the program literature. In addition, the individual faculty member must identify his or her pedagogical strategies. Faculty members must accommodate multiple student learning styles. Teaching approaches must be employed that lead to the accomplishment of course objectives, achievement of student learning outcomes,  and are subject to evaluation by academic peers for the purpose of program improvement.

• Such teaching approaches include active collaboration, service learning, problem-based learning, experiential, and constructivist learning. Faculty members should elect to use multiple teaching strategies. Recognition of the student’s role in learning should play a significant role in choice of teaching approach.

Part 5: The Curriculum

All programs of study must include 1) foundational studies, 2) professional studies, and 3) supervised practice.  Foundational studies must include the study of the historical and philosophical foundations of higher education and student affairs.  Professional studies must include (a) student development theory, (b) student characteristics and the effects of college on students, (c) individual and group interventions, (d) organization and administration of student affairs, and (e) assessment, evaluation, and research.  Supervised practice must include practica and/or internships consisting of supervised work involving at least two distinct experiences.  Demonstration of minimum knowledge and skill in each area is required of all program graduates.

• The curriculum described above represents areas of study and should not be interpreted as specific course titles. The precise nature of courses should be determined by a variety of factors, including institutional mission, policies and practices, faculty judgment, current issues, and student needs.  It is important that appropriate courses be available within the institution or from another institution, but it is not necessary that all be provided directly within the department or college in which the program is located administratively. Although all areas of study must be incorporated into the academic program, the precise nature of study may vary by institution, program emphasis, and student preference. The requirements for demonstration of competence and minimum knowledge in each area should be established by the faculty and regularly reviewed to assure that students are learning the essentials that underlie successful student affairs practice. A formal comprehensive examination or other culminating assessment project designed to provide students the opportunity to exhibit their knowledge and competence toward the end of their programs of study is encouraged.

• Programs of study may be designed to emphasize one or more distinctive perspectives on student affairs such as educational program design, implementation, and evaluation; individual and group counseling and advising; student learning and human development;  and/or administration of student affairs in higher education.  Such program designs should include the most essential forms of knowledge and groupings of skills and competencies needed by practicing professionals and should be fashioned consistent with basic curriculum requirements.  The wide range of expertise and interest of program faculty members and other involved and qualified contributors to curriculum content should be taken into account when designing distinctive perspectives in programs of study.

Each program must specify the structure of its degree options including which courses are considered core, which are considered thematic, which are required, and which are elective. 

• A “core” course is one that is principal to the student affairs preparation program. Theme courses are those that center around a common content area (such as introduction to student development theory, the application of student development theory, and using student development theory for environmental assessment). 

• Programs may structure their curriculum according to their distinctive perspectives and the nature of their students insuring adequacy of knowledge in foundation, professional, and supervised experience studies.

Part 5a: Foundation Studies

This component of the curriculum must include study in the historical, philosophical, ethical, cultural, and research foundations of higher education that inform student affairs practice.  The study of the history and philosophy of student affairs are essential components of this standard.

Graduates must be able to reference historical and current documents that state the philosophical foundations of the profession and to communicate their relevance to current student affairs practice.

Graduates must also be able to articulate the inherent values of the profession that are stipulated in these documents in a manner that indicates how these values guide practice.

• These values may include educating the whole student, treating each student as a unique individual, offering seamless learning opportunities, and ensuring the basic rights of all students.

• This standard encompasses studies in other disciplines that inform student affairs practice, such as cultural contexts of higher education; governance, public policy, and finance of higher education; the impact of environments on behavior, especially learning; and international education and global understanding. Studies in this area should emphasize the diverse character of higher education environments. The foundational studies curriculum component should be designed to enhance students’ understanding of higher education systems and exhibit how student affairs programs are infused into the larger educational picture.

Graduates must be knowledgeable about and be able to apply a code of ethics or ethical principles sanctioned by a recognized professional organization that provides ethical guidance for their work. 

Part 5b: Professional Studies

This component of the curriculum must include studies of basic knowledge for practice and all programs must encompass at least five related areas of study including (a) student development theory; (b) student characteristics and effects of college on students; (c) individual and group interventions; (d) organization and administration of student affairs; and (e) assessment, evaluation, and research.

• Other areas of study, especially when used as enrichment or cognate experiences, are encouraged. Studies in disciplines such as sociology, psychology, political science, and ethnic studies, for example, may be helpful to students depending upon the particular program emphasis. Communication skills and using technology as a learning tool should be emphasized in all the professional studies areas listed above.

Part 5b.1:  Student Development Theory

This component of the curriculum must include studies of student development theories and research relevant to student learning and personal development.  There must be extensive examination of theoretical perspectives that describe students' growth in the areas of intellectual, moral, ego, psychosocial, career, and spiritual development;  racial, cultural, ethnic, gender, and sexual identity; the intersection of multiple identities; and learning styles throughout the late adolescent and adult lifespan.  Study of collegiate environments and how person-environment interactions affect student development is also required.

Graduates must be able to demonstrate the ability to use appropriate development theory to understand, support, and advocate for student learning and development by assessing learning and developmental needs and creating learning and developmental opportunities.

• This component should include studies of and research about human development from late adolescence through the adult life span and models and processes for translating theory and research into practice. Studies should stress differential strengths and applications of student development theories relative to student age, gender, ethnicity, race, culture, sexual identity, disability, spirituality, national origin, socioeconomic status, and resident/commuter status. Studies should also include specialized theories of development particular to certain populations or groups.

Subpart 5b.2:  Student Characteristics and Effects of College on Students

This component of the curriculum must include studies of student characteristics, how such attributes influence student educational and developmental needs, and effects of the college experience on student learning and development.

Graduates must be able to demonstrate knowledge of how student learning and learning opportunities are influenced by student characteristics and by collegiate environments so that graduates can design and evaluate learning experiences for students.

• This area should include studies of the effects of college on students, satisfaction with the college experience, student involvement in college, and factors that correlate with student persistence and attrition.  This curriculum component should include, but is not limited to, student characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual identity, academic ability and preparation, learning styles, socioeconomic status, national origin, immigrant status, disability, developmental status, cultural background and orientation, transfer status, and family situation.  Also included should be the study of specific student populations such as resident, commuter, and distance learners, part-time and full-time students, student athletes, members of fraternities and sororities, adult learners, first generation students and international students. 

Subpart 5b.3: Individual and Group Interventions

This component of the curriculum must include studies of techniques and methods of interviewing; helping skills; and assessing, designing, and implementing developmentally appropriate interventions with individuals and organizations.

Graduates must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to design and evaluate effective educational interventions for individuals and groups. Graduates must be able to identify and appropriately refer persons who need additional resources. 

• This curriculum component should include opportunities for study, skill building, and strategies for the implementation of advising, counseling, disciplining, instructing, mediating, and facilitating to assist individuals and groups. The program of study should include substantial instruction in counseling and group dynamics.  Students should be exposed to a variety of theoretical perspectives, provided opportunities to practice individual and group interventions, and receive extensive supervision and feedback.  Intervention skills are complex and require periods of time to practice under supervised conditions.

• In addition to exposure to intervention theory, programs of study should include instruction in individual and group techniques and practices for addressing personal crises as well as problem solving, self-examination, and growth needs.  Further, studies should include problem analyses, intervention design, and subsequent evaluation. Studies should emphasize theory plus individual and group interventions that are appropriate for and applicable to diverse populations. 

Subpart 5b.4: Organization and Administration of Student Affairs

This component of the curriculum must include studies of organizational, management, and leadership theory and practice; student affairs functions; legal issues in higher education; and professional issues, ethics, and standards of practice.

Graduates must be able to identify and apply leadership, organizational, and management practices that assist institutions in accomplishing their mission.

• This curriculum component should include opportunities for the study of student affairs programs and services including but not limited those for which CAS has developed standards and guidelines such as admissions, financial aid, orientation, counseling, academic advising, residence life, judicial services, campus activities, commuter student programs, recreational sports, career services, fraternity and sorority advising, religious programs, service learning, disability services, academic support services, education opportunity programs, multicultural student affairs international student affairs, and health services among others.  Studies of organizational culture, budgeting and finance, planning, technology as applied to organizations, and the selection, supervision, development, and evaluation of personnel should be included as well.

Subpart 5b.5: Assessment, Evaluation, and Research

This component of the curriculum must include the study of assessment, evaluation, and research. Studies must include both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, measuring learning processes and outcomes, assessing environments and organizations, measuring program and environment effectiveness, and critiques of published studies.

Graduates must be able to critique a sound study or evaluation, and be able to design, conduct, and report on a sound research study, assessment study, or program evaluation, grounded in the appropriate literature.

Graduates must be aware of research ethics and legal implications of research including the necessity of adhering to a human subjects review.

• This curriculum component should include studies of the assessment of student needs and developmental attributes, the assessment of educational environments that influence student learning, and the assessment of student outcomes of the educational experience particular to student affairs work. This curriculum component also should include studies of program evaluation models and processes suitable for use in making judgments about the value of a wide range of programs and services. Students should be introduced to methodologies and techniques of quantitative and qualitative research, plus the philosophical foundations, assumptions, methodologies, methods, and criteria of worthiness of both. Students should be familiar with prominent research in student affairs that has greatly influenced the profession.

Part 5c: Supervised Practice

A minimum of 300 hours of supervised practice, consisting of at least two distinct experiences, must be required. Students must gain exposure to both the breadth and depth of student affairs work. Students must gain experience in developmental work with individual students and groups of students in: program planning, implementation, or evaluation; staff training, advising, or supervision; and administration functions or processes.

Supervision must be provided on-site by competent professionals working in cooperation with qualified program faculty members.  On-site supervisors must provide direct regular supervision and evaluation of students' experiences and comply with all ethical principles and standards of the American College Personnel Association, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, and other recognized professional associations.

• Qualified student affairs professionals possessing appropriate student affairs education and experience should be invited to sponsor and supervise students for practicum and internship experiences. Typical qualifications include at least a master’s degree in student affairs or a related area of professional study, several years of successful professional experience, and experience at that institution. Student affairs professionals serving as on-site supervisors and evaluators of students in training should be approved by the responsible faculty member as competent to accomplish this task.

Site supervisors must be approved in advance by program faculty. Program faculty must offer clear expectations of learning goals and supervision practices to site supervisors.

• Supervised practice includes practica and internships consisting of supervised work completed for academic credit in student programs and services in higher education. The exposure of students to diverse settings and work with diverse clientele or populations should be encouraged.

Because individual supervision of students in practica and internships is labor intensive for faculty with this instructional responsibility, supervision must be limited to a small group to enable close regular supervision.  Students must be supervised closely by faculty individually, in groups, or both.

• When determining practicum and internship course loads, faculty members who provide direct practicum or internship supervision during any academic term should receive instructional credit for the equivalent of one academic course for each small group. Likewise, students enrolled in such internships should receive academic credit.

• A graduate assistantship in programs and services in higher education, which provides both substantive experience and professional supervision, may be used in lieu of a practicum or internship. For this to be effective, faculty members responsible for assuring quality learning outcomes should work closely with graduate assistantship supervisors in students’ assignment and evaluation processes. Appropriate consideration and provisions should be made for students with extensive experience in student affairs.

Preparation of students for practica and internships is required. Practica and internship experiences must be reserved for students who have successfully completed a sequence of courses pertaining to basic foundational knowledge of professional practice. This must include basic knowledge and skills in interpersonal communication, consultation, and referral skills.  Students must comply with all ethical principles and standards of appropriate professional associations.

• Preparation of students for supervised practice may be accomplished through special prepractica seminars, laboratory experiences, and faculty tutorials as well as coursework.

• Student membership in professional associations should be expected. Attendance at professional conferences, meetings, or other professional development opportunities should also be encouraged.

Part 6: Equity and Access

A graduate program must adhere to the spirit and intent of equal opportunity in all activities. The program must encourage establishment of an ethical community in which diversity is viewed as an ethical obligation. The program must ensure that its services and facilities are programmatically and physically accessible. Programs that indicate in their admissions materials convenience and encouragement for working students must provide services, classes, and resources that respond to the needs of evening, part-time, and commuter students.

Institutional personnel policies must not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, veteran status, religion, age, sexual identity, national origin, and/or disability.  In hiring and promotion policies, faculty and administrators must take affirmative action that strives to remedy significant staffing imbalance, particularly when resulting from past discriminatory practices;  and must seek to identify, prevent, and remedy existing discriminatory practices.

• The program should recognize the important educational opportunities that diversity among its students and faculty brings to student affairs preparation. Therefore, programs should encourage the recognition of and adherence to the spirit of multiculturalism by all who are allied with the program’s educational enterprise.

Part 7: Academic and Student Support

Institutions must provide sufficient faculty and staff members, resource materials, advising, career services, student financial support, facilities, and funding resources for the program.

• Outcome indicators to determine whether a program has adequate resources could include student retention.

Part 7a: Faculty and Staff Members

The institution must provide adequate faculty and support staff members for the various aspects of the student affairs graduate program.

The institution must provide an academic program coordinator who is qualified by preparation and experience to manage the program.

• The program coordinator or administrative director should have responsibility for managing the program’s day to day operations, convening the program faculty as required, developing curriculum, and generally administering the preparation program within the context of the academic unit to which it is assigned. This individual should be the person responsible for guiding faculty teaching assignments, establishing and maintaining connections with student affairs staff members who serve as practicum/internship site supervisors, guiding general program activities, and representing the program to external constituencies.

Faculty assignments must demonstrate a serious commitment to the preparation of student affairs professionals. Sufficient full-time core faculty members must be devoted to teaching and administering the program to graduate not only employable students but also students capable of designing, creating, and implementing learning opportunities.  At least one faculty member must be designated full-time to the program.

• Faculty members should be available according to a reasonable faculty-student ratio that permits quality teaching, advising, supervision, research, and professional service. A core faculty member is one who identifies principally with the preparation program.  Primary teaching responsibility in the program is recognized when core faculty member's instructional responsibilities are dedicated halftime or greater to teaching the program’s curriculum.  Devoted full-time to the program is defined as a faculty member whose institutional responsibilities are fully dedicated to the program. Teaching loads should be established on the basis of institutional policy and faculty assignments for service, research, and supervision.  A system within the program and the institution should exist for involving professional practitioners who are qualified to assist with faculty responsibilities.  Collaboration between full-time faculty members and student affairs practitioners is recommended for the instruction, advisement, and practicum and internship supervision of students in the preparation program.  Student affairs practitioners should be consulted in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the preparation program, particularly regarding practicum and internship requirements.

Faculty members must be skilled as teachers and knowledgeable about student affairs in general plus current theory, research, and practice in areas appropriate to their teaching or supervision assignments. Faculty members must also have current knowledge and skills appropriate for designing, conducting, and evaluating learning experiences using multiple pedagogies.

Faculty must maintain regular office hours that are clearly listed on course syllabi and in other prominent locations.

Faculty must act in accordance with ethical principals and standards of good practice disseminated by recognized professional organizations.

The institution must provide opportunity and resources for the continuing professional development of program faculty members.  To ensure that faculty members can devote adequate time to professional duties, the academic program must have sufficient clerical and technical support staff. 

Technical support must be of sufficient quality and quantity to accomplish word processing, data management, scheduling, electronic instructional material development, and distance learning. Equipment sufficient for electronic communications and Internet use is essential.

• For more information on distance education standards refer to the CAS Standards and Guidelines for Educational Services for Distant Learners.

• Technical support should include regular training in software upgrades and new hardware developments, hardware and software repairs, virus protection, access to the web, on-line journals, courseware, and presentation software.

• Classroom facilities should have the capacity to offer classes using electronic technologies. 

Adjunct and part-time faculty must be fully qualified and adequately trained to serve as teachers, advisors, and internship supervisors.

Adjuncts and part-time faculty should be provided with information about institutional policies and procedures, access to program resources and faculty, and feedback about their performance.

Part 7b:  Resource Materials

Adequate resource materials must be provided to support the curriculum.

• Resources may include career information; standardized tests and technical manuals; and materials for simulations, structured group experiences, human relations training, and data-based interventions for human and organization development.  In addition, resources may include instruments and assessment tools that measure development and leadership from various theoretical points of view and materials that facilitate leadership, organizational design, management style, conflict management, and time management development. Resources should include software that allows for the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.

Library resources must be provided for the program including current and historical books, periodicals, on-line journals, search mechanisms, and other media for the teaching and research aspects of the program.  Library resources must be accessible to students and must be selected carefully, reviewed, and updated periodically by the program faculty.

• The library resources should be available days, evenings, and weekends and should include adequate interlibrary loan services, ERIC and similar data sources, computerized search capabilities, and photocopy services.

Research support must be adequate for both program faculty and students.

Computing services, data collection and storage services, research design consultation services, and adequate equipment should be available in support of research activities of both students and faculty members. The program should provide students with individualized research project development and implementation.

Part 7c:  Advising

Faculty members must provide high quality academic and professional advising.

• Academic advising should be viewed as a continuous process of clarification and evaluation. High quality academic advising should include, but is not limited to, development of suitable educational plans; selection of appropriate courses and other educational experiences; clarification of professional and career goals; knowledge of and interpretation of institutional and program policies, procedures, and requirements; knowledge of course contents, sequences, and support resources; evaluation of student progress; referrals to and use of institutional and community support services; support for and evaluation of scholarly endeavors including research and assessment; and knowledge and interpretation of professional ethics and standards.  Advisors should be readily available to students and should possess abilities to facilitate a student's career exploration, self-assessment, decision-making, and responsible behavior in interactions with others. Advisors should be able to interpret the scores of assessment tools used in the advising process. These might include the Graduate Record Examination, Myers Briggs Type Indicator, and Learning Styles Inventory.  The number of faculty advisees should be monitored and adjusted as necessary to ensure that faculty can give adequate attention to all advisees.

Part 7d: Career Services

The institution must provide professional career assistance, either by institutional career services or by the program faculty.

• Students should be assisted in clarifying objectives and establishing goals; exploring the full range of career possibilities; preparing for the job search including presenting oneself effectively as a candidate for employment; and making the transition from graduate student to professional practitioner. Faculty members should collaborate with campus career service providers to develop an active program of assistance including acquiring job listings; the preparation of credentials such as recommending applications, correspondence, and resumes; development of employment interview skills; identification of appropriate job search networks including professional associations; selection of suitable positions; and communication of ethical obligations of those involved in the employment process. Ideally, these services should be available to graduates throughout their professional careers.

Part 7e: Student Financial Support

Information must be provided to students about the availability of graduate assistantships, fellowships, work-study, research funding, travel support, and other financial aid opportunities.

• Graduate assistantships should be made available to students to provide both financial assistance and opportunities for supervised work experience.

Part 7f: Facilities and Funding Resources

The institution must provide facilities accessible to all students and a budget that ensures continuous operation of all aspects of the program.

• A program office should be located in reasonable proximity to faculty offices, classrooms, and laboratory facilities.  Adequate and appropriate space, equipment, and supplies should be provided for faculty, staff members, and graduate assistants. There should be facilities for advising, counseling, and student development activities that are private, adequate in size, and properly equipped.  Special facilities and equipment may include audio and video recording devices, one-way observation rooms, small group rooms, and computer labs. Adequate classroom, seminar, and laboratory facilities to meet program needs also should be available.  Adequate office and technical equipment should be provided including access to e-mail and other relevant technological resources.

Part 8: Professional Ethics and Legal Responsibilities

Faculty members must comply with institutional policies and ethical principles and standards of the American College Personnel Association, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, American Association of University Professors, and the CAS functional area ethical standards. Faculty members must demonstrate the highest standards of ethical behavior and academic integrity in all forms of teaching, research, publications, and professional service and must instruct students in ethical practice and in the principles and standards of conduct of the profession. 

Ethical expectations of graduate students must be disseminated in writing on a regular basis to all students.

• Ethical principles and standards of all relevant professional organizations should be consulted and used as appropriate. An ethical climate should prevail throughout the preparation program wherein faculty members model appropriate ethical behavior at all times for students to experience, observe, and emulate. Faculty members should present various theoretical positions and encourage students to make comparisons and to develop personally meaningful theoretical positions.  Faculty members are expected to ensure that educational experiences focusing on self-understanding and personal growth are voluntary or, if such experiences are program requirements, that reasonable effort is made to inform prospective students of them prior to admission to the program. Students should be held accountable for appropriate ethical behavior at all times with special attention paid to the ethics components of the various CAS functional area standards when students participate in related practicum and internship assignments.

Faculty must strive to ensure the fair and impartial treatment of students and others.

Faculty must maintain ethical relationships with students exemplifying respect and the ideals of pedagogy.

Faculty must not teach, supervise, or advise any student with whom they have an intimate relationship. When a student enters an academic program having a pre-existing intimate relationship with a faculty member, both must notify a third party, such as a department chair, to monitor the pedagogical relationship and assign appropriate teaching, supervisory, and advising responsibilities.

Graduate program faculty members must evaluate annually all students' progress and suitability for entry into the student affairs profession.  Evaluation of students' ethical behaviors must be included. Faculty members must keep students informed about their progress toward successful program completion.

• Through continual evaluation and appraisal of students, faculty members are expected to be aware of ethically problematic student behaviors, inadequate academic progress, and other behaviors or characteristics that may make a student unsuitable for the profession. Appropriate responses leading to remediation of the behaviors related to students' academic progress or professional suitability should be identified, monitored, evaluated, and shared with individual students as needed.  Faculty members are expected in cases of significant problematic behaviors to communicate to the student the problems identified and the remediation required to avoid being terminated from the preparation program. After appropriate remediation has been proposed and evaluated, students who continue to be evaluated as being unsuitable for the profession, making poor academic progress, or having ethically problematic behaviors should be dismissed from the preparation program following appropriate due process procedures. If termination is enforced, faculty members are expected to explain to the student the grounds for the decision.

Faculty must ensure that privacy is maintained with respect to all communication and records considered to be educational records unless written permission is given by the student or when the disclosure is allowable under the law and institution policy.

Faculty must respond to requests for employment-related recommendations by students.  When endorsement cannot be provided for a particular position, the student must be informed of the reason for non-endorsement.

• Faculty members should base endorsements on knowledge of  the student’s competencies, skills, and personal characteristics.

• Each candidate should be informed of procedures for endorsement, certification, registry, and licensure, if applicable.

Faculty must inform all students of the institutional and program policies regarding graduate student liability.

• Program policy should be established to ensure that all students are periodically informed of their liabilities and options for protection. Programs may wish to establish policies requiring students to hold membership in particular professional associations and to purchase liability insurance prior to entering into practica or internships.

Part 9: Program Evaluation

Planned procedures for continuing evaluation of the program must be established and implemented, and the evaluation information must be used for appropriate program enhancements.

• Criteria for program evaluation should include knowledge and competencies learned by students, employment rates of graduates, professional contributions to the field made by graduates, and quality of faculty teaching, advising, and research.  Evaluation of program effectiveness should reflect evidence obtained from former students; course evaluations; supervisors from institutions and agencies employing graduates of the program;  personnel in state/provincial, regional, and national accrediting agencies during formal reviews; and clientele served by graduates.

• Review of policies and procedures relating to recruitment, selection, retention, and career services should be included in program evaluations.  The timing and regularity of evaluations should be determined in accordance with institutional policy.  Generally, the length of time between comprehensive program evaluations by the program faculty should not exceed five years.

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