ACPA-NASPA Professional Competencies (2015)
ACPA-NASPA Professional Competencies (2015)
ACPA-NASPA Professional Competencies (2015)
Professional Competency
Areas for Student Affairs
Educators
Professional Competencies Task Force
1
Dr. Harper had to withdraw from the task force after participating in preliminary meetings.
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 3
Background Information and Changes
In 2009, ACPA—College Student Educators to distribute the proposed changes to the full
International and NASPA—Student Affairs membership of the two associations for review
Administrators in Higher Education collaborated
to establish a common set of professional
competency areas for student affairs educators. proposed changes, and presented them to the
The Joint Task Force on Professional boards of ACPA and NASPA for formal adoption in
Competencies and Standards, which consisted of
representatives from both associations, analyzed
19 core documents produced by ACPA, NASPA, Summary of Changes
and the Council for the Advancement of Standards
in Higher Education (CAS), and then proposed a
changes, we intentionally preserved most
framework that included 10 competency areas.
of the work of the 2010 Joint Task Force on
The memberships of the two associations were
invited to comment on preliminary drafts of the
Professional Competencies and Standards in
proposed document in spring 2010, and then
the original 10 competency areas, though we
the boards of ACPA and NASPA adopted the
renamed two competency areas, introduced one
competency document in a joint meeting in July
new competency areas, and combined two areas.
2010. Among the recommendations included in
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
“knowledge, skills, and in some cases, attitudes The lists of foundational outcomes for each
expected of student affairs professions” (p. competency area represent reasonable
attitudes
with dispositions because the latter term (a) of student affairs and provide groundwork for
is consistent with the language used in the future development to intermediate and advanced
education discipline and by multiple accrediting
agencies, (b) is more consistent with the language professional level of an individual, the foundational
used in recent empirical studies (e.g. Hickmott competency outcomes allow for a starting point
within a competency area from which to build and
and (c) is a broader and more inclusive term. progress in a particular area of student affairs.
Audience. The intended audience for this
to dispositions as encompassing “attitudes,
values, and beliefs” (p. 80), and Thornton (2006)
of leadership embedded within each of the other primary audience as student affairs professionals
in the United States while inviting international
from the language of threads to intersections colleagues to apply the competencies as
in order to stress the integrative character of all applicable. Though we largely continued with this
10 competency areas as well as connections to
multiple points of emphasis (formerly threads) that privilege held by U.S. institutions within a broader
include globalism, sustainability, and collaboration. global context, and that failure to consider student
The addition of collaboration as a point of affairs work from an international perspective is a
emphasis was informed by recent competency-
to broaden our audience as much as possible,
2014) and the prevalence of collaboration- while acknowledging that all the members of our
related outcomes spanning the majority of the task force are from the United States and work
competency areas.
Lastly, when referring to the three levels within
each competency area, we replaced the term inclusivity that we intended to deconstruct in
basic with foundational. Our primary rationale our revision of the social justice and inclusion
was to emphasize the idea from the original
document that “all student affairs professionals reviews and revisions of the competency areas
should be able to demonstrate their ability to meet be conducted in a manner that does not norm the
the basic [foundational] list of outcomes under work of student affairs in the U.S., but considers
each competency area regardless of how they student affairs work from an international
entered the profession” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, perspective.
p. 3). Additionally, we received feedback that Higher education is a dynamic enterprise
the term “basic” carries connotations of being facing unprecedented change. Among
underdeveloped or lacking in sophistication. the associated opportunities are increased
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 7
systems of oppression, privilege, and power” (a
creativity, and oral and written communication, the foundational-level outcome) in terms of race or
competency areas presented here are intended to gender identity or sexual orientation and attraction.
To further complicate the process of assessing
for the future development of student affairs
educators both individually and as a profession. must recognized that most outcomes are dynamic
For example, student affairs educators must be and expected to evolve over time. Thus, ongoing
able think critically in order to be successful, but professional development is necessary to maintain
the nature of their critical thinking skills are in
effect the same as those required of faculty and advance within it.
other educators. In contrast, whereas both faculty Understanding the nature of the three levels
and counselors (among others) engage in a range of outcomes is vital to their application in practice.
of advising and supporting activities, the nature of Foundational outcomes are intended to be
student affairs advising and supporting is distinct precisely what their name implies—a requisite
foundation upon which intermediate and advanced
for that competency area. For example, a student not be equated with either years of experience
affairs educator may develop the capacity to or positional role or title. It is feasible that some
“assess the effectiveness of the institution in entry-level student affairs educators may approach
removing barriers to addressing issues of social
justice and inclusion” (an advanced-level social areas relatively early in their careers, while some
justice and inclusion outcome) especially as highly experienced senior-level administrators may
related to socioeconomic issues. This same
educator may not yet fully “understand how one competency areas. Advancement in rank is not
is affected by and participates in maintaining
without direct experience. In other words, some master without certain experiences associated with
elements of the progression from foundational to positions of leadership and responsibility.
Intersection of Competencies
For each of the 10 competency areas, there suggests that professional development work in
is a distinct central idea that differentiates it from any one competency area is related to work in
the other nine areas. That said, there is also multiple other areas. Further, as one moves from
foundational to advanced, each subsequent level
outcomes associated with the various competency includes an increased number of outcomes that
areas. Though each outcome is aligned primarily
with just one competency, well over half of the higher order synthesis and complexity. (See
outcomes also intersect with other areas. This Figure 1)
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 9
In addition to intersections with other Environmental sustainability efforts are also
competencies, most outcomes intersect, whether changing student affairs. Many sustainability
directly or indirectly, with three points of emphasis efforts begin as student-initiated activities,
and all have implications for ongoing resource
sustainability, and collaboration. None of these allocations. This is especially pertinent to student
three points of emphasis stands on its own as a affairs given its vulnerability in periods of budget
distinct competency area because development reallocations and cutbacks. Thus, student affairs
in these areas does not necessarily serve to educators must consider the sustainability of
their practices both in terms of the impact on
work. However, each of the points of emphasis institutional resources and the environments
in which students learn. Lastly, student affairs
ways. Essentially, they contribute to a mindset work is largely a collaborative endeavor. In the
or disposition that permeates each of the absence of student affairs educators, classroom
competency areas and informs various knowledge learning suffers in substantial ways. However, in
and skill outcomes. Higher education is becoming the absence of faculty and classroom learning,
an increasingly global enterprise. Not only student affairs ceases to exist. For this reason,
are a growing number of students from many student affairs educators should serve as leaders
countries engaging in study abroad experiences in forging mutual partnerships with faculty to
and completing degrees in international settings, co-create seamless learning experiences for
recent growth in distance education provides students. Further, among best practices of the
access to global experiences for all students. student affairs profession are partnerships that
The implications of this trend extend beyond the engage communities and constituencies that
classroom and present noteworthy challenges extend beyond and blur campus boundaries.
and opportunities for student affairs work.
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 11
Overview of the Competency Areas
Competency Area Description Professional Development
Involves the knowledge, skills,
and dispositions to develop
and maintain integrity in one’s
Foundational outcomes emphasize
awareness and understanding of
thoughtful development, critique,
one’s values and beliefs, especially
and adherence to a holistic and
as related to professional codes
comprehensive standard of ethics
of ethics and principles for
Personal and Ethical and commitment to one’s own
personal wellness. Professional
Foundations wellness and growth. Personal
development to advanced-level
(PEF) and ethical foundations are aligned
because integrity has an internal
critique and self-awareness,
locus informed by a combination
applications to healthy living
of external ethical guidelines, an
and professional practice,
internal voice of care, and our own
and modeling, mentoring, and
lived experiences. Our personal
facilitating the same among others.
and ethical foundations grow
through a process of curiosity,
13
Overview of the Competency Areas
Competency Area Description Professional Development
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 17
COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION OF THE COMPETENCY AREAS
Foundational Outcomes
Describe the foundational philosophies, Explain the role and responsibilities of student
disciplines, and values of the profession. affairs professional associations.
Articulate the historical contexts of institutional Explain the purpose and use of publications
types and functional areas within higher that incorporate the philosophy and values of
education and student affairs. the profession.
Describe the various research, philosophies,
of students affairs in particular and of higher
Demonstrate responsible campus citizenship education in general.
and participation in the campus community . Articulate an understanding of the ongoing
Describe the roles of faculty, academic affairs, nature of the history of higher education and
and student affairs educators in the institution. one’s role in shaping it.
Explain the importance of service to the Be able to model the principles of the
institution and to student affairs professional profession and expect the same from
associations. colleagues and supervisees.
Learn and articulate the principles of Explain how the values of the profession
professional practice. contribute to sustainable practices.
Articulate the history of the inclusion and Articulate the changing nature of the
exclusion of people with a variety of identities global student affairs profession and
in higher education. communicate the need to provide a contextual
understanding of higher education.
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 19
COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION OF THE COMPETENCY AREAS
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 21
COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION OF THE COMPETENCY AREAS
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 23
COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION OF THE COMPETENCY AREAS
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION OF THE COMPETENCY AREAS
or divisional long-range planning and budget complexity where multiple entities are often in
processes. disagreement with each other and lead groups
Teach resource stewardship to others. to effective and fair resolutions.
Champion sustainability efforts within Discern the pace in which technological
unit and across the organization, and advances should appropriately be
facilitate institutional support for broadening incorporated into organizational life (with
sustainability efforts. students, staff and other constituents).
Participate in developing, implementing, and Assess the relationship between agenda
assessing the effectiveness of the campus management and the group dynamics that
crisis management program. occur in meetings and how this relationship
Effectively assess the level of individual and
institutional risk and liability associated with accomplishments of tasks, and any impacts on
participants.
professionals are trained to deliver programs Effectively speak on behalf of the institution
and services at the lowest level of risk with internal and external stakeholders (e.g.,
possible. parents, prospective students, external
Ensure multiple identities are represented organizations).
on every level of staff at the institution, Assess the level of complexity of networks
especially those who are marginalized or established and use this information to
underrepresented. determine the strengths of these networks and
Effectively intervene with employees in regard
from the mission and goals of the institution or
and performance issues. the division.
Leadership (LEAD)
The Leadership competency area addresses Identify basic fundamentals of teamwork
the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required and teambuilding in one’s work setting and
of a leader, with or without positional authority. communities of practice.
Leadership involves both the individual role of a
Describe and apply the basic principles of
leader and the leadership process of individuals
community building.
working together to envision, plan, and affect
change in organizations and respond to broad- Development.
based constituencies and issues. This can Describe how one’s personal values, beliefs,
include working with students, student affairs histories, and perspectives inform one’s view
colleagues, faculty, and community members. of oneself as an effective leader with and
This section is organized by the leadership without roles of authority.
learning concepts of Education, construct Build mutually supportive relationships with
colleagues and students across similarities
and differences
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 27
COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION OF THE COMPETENCY AREAS
Advanced Outcomes
Education.
Seek out and develop new and emerging
constructs of “leader” and “leadership.”
Training.
Establish systems to provide opportunities
for staff to engage in leadership development
such as committees, task forces, internships,
and cross-functional teams.
Create a culture that advocates the
appropriate and effective use of feedback
systems (e.g., 360 feedback processes)
for improving individual leader and team
leadership performance.
Establish and sustain systems of mentoring
to ensure individuals receive the training and
support needed.
Development.
Display congruence between one’s identity as
a leader and one’s professional actions.
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 29
COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION OF THE COMPETENCY AREAS
Foundational Outcomes
inclusion, oppression, privilege, and power into
one’s multiple identities and sociopolitical one’s practice.
perspectives and how they impact one’s lived Connect and build meaningful relationships
experiences. with others while recognizing the multiple,
Understand how one is affected by and intersecting identities, perspectives, and
participates in maintaining systems of developmental differences people hold.
oppression, privilege, and power. Articulate a foundational understanding of
social justice and inclusion within the context
one’s own prejudices and biases. of higher education.
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 31
COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION OF THE COMPETENCY AREAS
Technology (TECH)
The Technology competency area focuses on
the use of digital tools, resources, and technologies
for the advancement of student learning,
development, and success as well as the improved
performance of student affairs professionals.
Included within this area are knowledge, skills, and
dispositions that lead to the generation of digital
literacy and digital citizenship within communities
of students, student affairs professionals, faculty
members, and colleges and universities.
Foundational Outcomes
Demonstrate adaptability in the face of fast- Model and promote equitable and inclusive
paced technological change. practices by ensuring all participants in
Remain current on student and educator educational endeavors can access and utilize
adoption patterns of new technologies and the necessary tools for success.
familiarize oneself with the purpose and Appropriately utilize social media and other
functionality of those technologies. digital communication and collaboration tools
Troubleshoot basic software, hardware, and to market and promote advising, programming,
connectivity problems and refer more complex and other learning-focused interventions and
problems to an appropriate information to engage students in these activities.
technology administrator. Engage in personal and professional digital
Draw upon research, trend data, and learning communities and personal learning
environmental scanning to assess the networks at the local, national, and/or global
technological readiness and needs of level.
students, colleagues, and other educational Design, implement, and assess
stakeholders when infusing technology into technologically-rich learning experiences for
educational programs and interventions. students and other stakeholders that model
Critically assess the accuracy and quality effective use of visual and interactive media.
of information gathered via technology Ensure that one’s educational work with and
and accurately cite electronic sources of service to students is inclusive of students
information respecting copyright law and fair participating in online and hybrid format
use. courses and programs.
Model and promote the legal, ethical, and Incorporate commonly utilized technological
transparent collection, use, and securing of tools and platforms including social medial and
electronic data. other digital communication and collaboration
Ensure compliance with accessible technology tools into one’s work.
laws and policies.
Demonstrate awareness of one’s digital
identity and engage students in learning
activities related to responsible digital
communications and virtual community
engagement as related to their digital
reputation and identity.
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 33
COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION OF THE COMPETENCY AREAS
Advanced Outcomes
Anticipate technological change and allocate Engage in systematic practices aimed at
personal, departmental, and/or institutional ensuring students and professionals across all
resources to foster in others dispositions demographics have access to technological
resources and are educated in their intelligent
technological innovation. use and implementation for solving problems
Provide leadership for the proactive creation, and enhancing learning.
use, and empirical evaluation of technological Provide leadership for the seamless
tools and digital spaces for students including integration of social media and other digital
those drawing on social medial and other digital communications with broader educational,
communication and collaboration tools. customer service, marketing, and community
Develop contingency plans for the continual engagement efforts that communicate and
operation of basic college and university develop dialogue and community around
functions in the event of software, hardware, or shared common institutional values.
connectivity failures as a result of routine issues Contribute to, partner with, and/or provide
or in response to crises and emergencies. leadership for local, state/provincial, national,
Contribute to the generation of research, trend and global digital professional learning
analyses, and needs assessments related communities and personal learning networks in
to digital technologies that inform efforts to promoting the use of technology for educational
meet the technological needs of students, purposes.
colleagues, and educational stakeholders. Provide training and instruction for the use,
Support, promote, and/or lead efforts to create adoption, and evaluation of digital strategies
a culture in which information is both valued for enhancing educational interventions with
and systematically scrutinized prior to its use to multimedia, interactive tools, and creativity-
inform educational practice. enhancing technologies by students,
colleagues, and other educational stakeholders.
Provide leadership that demands digital
information and technologies be used in a Collaborate with and support faculty by
manner that is ethical and in full compliance developing holistic educational and co-
with national and state/province laws as well as curricular opportunities for students in online
with institutional policies. and hybrid programs promoting the relevance
and vision of what student affairs practice in
Lead and demonstrate a commitment to new educational delivery formats.
universal design principles in technological
implementations that ensures the frictionless Provide leadership in the development of new
use and application of technology by all. means of leveraging technology for assessing,
certifying, and credentialing the holistic learning
Provide leadership and ongoing training to and development of students through co-
colleagues and students for the cultivation curricular learning endeavors.
of a genuine digital identity, presence, and
reputation that models appropriate online
behavior and enables open access and
engagement with virtual communities as
appropriate.
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION OF THE COMPETENCY AREAS
Foundational Outcomes
Exhibit culturally inclusive active listening skills and exhibit referral skills in seeking expert
(e.g., appropriately establishing interpersonal assistance.
contact, paraphrasing, perception checking, Identify when and with whom to implement
summarizing, questioning, encouraging, avoid appropriate crisis management and
interrupting, clarifying). intervention responses.
Establish rapport with students, groups, Maintain an appropriate degree of
colleagues, and others that acknowledges
differences in lived experiences. and licensing requirements, facilitates the
Recognize the strengths and limitations of development of trusting relationships, and
one’s own worldview on communication with
others (e.g., how terminology could either broken to protect the student or others.
liberate or constrain others with different Seek opportunities to expand one’s own
gender identities, sexual orientations, abilities, knowledge and skills in helping students
cultural backgrounds, etc.).
issues, navigating systems of oppression,
experiences with students, groups, colleagues, or suicidality) as well as interfacing with
and others.
Conscientiously use appropriate nonverbal environment (e.g., student veterans, low-
communication. income students, etc.).
Facilitate problem-solving. Utilize virtual resources and technology to
meet the advising and supporting needs of
Facilitate individual decision-making and goal- students.
setting.
Know and follow applicable laws, policies,
Appropriately challenge and support students and professional ethical guidelines relevant
and colleagues. to advising and supporting students’
Know and use referral sources (e.g., other development.
Intermediate Outcomes
Perceive and analyze unspoken dynamics in a
Consult with mental health professionals as
group setting.
appropriate.
Facilitate or coach group decision-making, goal-
Provide and arrange for the necessary training
setting, and process.
and development for staff to enhance their
Assess the developmental needs of students advising and helping skills.
and organizational needs of student groups.
Develop virtual programs and initiatives to
Strategically and simultaneously pursue multiple meet the needs of students with limited access
objectives in conversations with students. to campus services (i.e. commuter, graduate,
Identify patterns of behavior that may signal evening, distance, online, among others).
mental health or other wellness concerns.
ACPA—College Student Educators International & NASPA—Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education 37
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