Student Services On-Line Institute

This is designed to be a 10-week on-line Student Services Institute based on currently held principles and practices in the field of student affairs [for example Blimling, Whitt and Associates, 1999; Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), 2001; Komives & Woodard, 1996; Winston, J. B., Jr., Creamer, D. G., Miller, T.K., & Associates, 2001.  [It should be noted that the National Council on Student Development is part of the CAS and has approved the standards for use with student services in community and technical colleges].  These principles and practices making up core competencies for student services professionals include:

Week 1—Overview and History of Student Services in Higher Education

Week 2—Context of student services in higher education

Week 3—Organizational Leadership and Human resources

Week 4—Institutional Environments/Campus and Community Relations

Week 5—Transition Issues of Students/At-Risk Students

Week 6—Understanding Student Needs/Diversity Issues

Week 7—Technology Issues in Student Services

Week 8—Enrollment and Fiscal Management

Week 9—Legal and Ethical Issues

Week 10—Assessing Outcomes

For this on-line Institute, participants will be required to participate in on-line discussions (set around lunch time), complete readings for each section, write several reaction papers related to the topics and their personal interest areas, and comment to the Institute Listserv (use the Mailbox tool) about cases, readings, and other assignments.  Content material (readings, cases, discussion questions, etc.) are available on-line via the Internet. 

Outcomes

1.      Increased sense of professional identity and a commonality of purpose for student services personnel around the state.

2.      Creation of an on-going staff development program across functional areas (admissions, career services, financial aid) to address current issues and trends.

References

Blimling, G. S., Whitt, E. J., & Associates.  (1999).  Good practice in student affairs:  Principles to foster student learning.  San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass.

Miller, T.K. (2001).  The CAS book of professional standards for higher education.  Washington, DC:  Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education.

Komives, S. R., & Woodard, D. B., Jr. (1996).  Student services:  A handbook for the profession.  San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass, Inc.

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