No description available.

No description available.

This study attempted to determine the types, extent, and quality of student personnel services in colleges and universities accredited by the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges (AABC). The Basic Services Questionnaire (BSQ) was adapted for use among Bible colleges and universities and mailed to chief student affairs officers representing 69 Bible colleges in the United States accredited by the AABC. Of the 71 surveys mailed (two institutions employed both a Dean of Men and Dean of Women), 46 were returned for a response rate of 65 percent. Chi-square tests of goodness-of-fit were performed on the data in order to categorize the types, extent, and quality of student services provided by the institutions. The Mueller-Schuessler Index of Qualitative Variation was used to determine the homogeneity, or heterogeneity, of the chief student affairs officers when grouped according to specific variables (gender, ethnic origin, major for highest degree earned, and highest degree earned). Frequency counts and percentage distributions were used on demographic data to present a profile of chief student services administrators at AABC schools. The results of the study point to four conclusions. First, the types of student personnel services provided by American Bible colleges and universities accredited by the AABC closely match those offered by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) as essential to student services divisions within colleges or universities. Second, the extent of the student personnel services provided by American Bible colleges and universities accredited by the AABC was average to broad. Student services such as student development and financial aid were rated as broad to very broad. Third, quality of student personnel services at AABC institutions was fair to good. Financial aid services and student activities were rated as very good. Fourth, the chief student affairs officers at American Bible colleges and universities accredited by the AABC were homogeneous in regard to gender, ethnicity, and education.

Student affairs practitioners develop a variety of skills in order to serve students and the institutions in which they work. This research study used a newly developed instrument to assess the perceived performance of a variety of skills and the methods that student affairs professionals use to develop those skills. The population included professional affiliates of Region III of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. Faculty members and those not practicing in student affairs were excluded from the surveyed population. The professional affiliates were identified as new professionals, mid-managers, and senior student affairs officers. The instrument identified 72 skill statements in ten categories: leadership; student contact; communication; personnel management; fiscal management; professional development; research, evaluation, and assessment; legal issues; technology, and diversity. For each skill category, fifteen learning methods were identified. A usable response rate of 61.6% was obtained. The data supported the stage theory of student affairs professional development for nine of the ten categories: senior student affairs officers rated their mastery of skills greater than did mid-managers, and mid-managers rated themselves higher than did new professionals. All groups rated their communication skills high. In several categories, there were statistically significant differences between the administrative levels. The exception was for the technology category. There was not a statistically significant difference between the groups. Professionals use a wide variety of methods to gain competence in the skill areas. The most common methods involved interaction with other practitioners and included mentoring, discussion with colleagues, and professional conference program sessions. Very few professionals have taken a sabbatical or on-line course to develop the identified skills. Several skill categories revealed differences between administrative levels, although the student contact category did not reveal any statistically significant differences.

The purposes of the study are to (1) compare the opinions of faculty members and students concerning the present operation of student personnel services at Prasarnmitr, Srinakharinwirot University, and (2) to propose organizational principles appropriate for student personnel services. A survey instrument developed with the consultation of five professors who are experts in this particular area (See Appendix A) was used to collect the data. The data consist of responses from questionnaires that were administered at Prasarnmitr, Srinakharinwirot University to two hundred and sixteen undergraduate students and fifty-three faculty members. Responses from both faculty members and students were 77.97 per cent. In order to accomplish the purposes of the study, four research questions were formed. Descriptive statistical analysis and the t test were selected for use as the appropriate statistical techniques. Analysis of the data reveals that (a) both students and faculty members are quite knowledge about student services currently provided by the university, (b) faculty members and students' perceptions are the same as regards the present operation of student personnel services program at Prasarnmitr, Srinakharinwirot University, (c) faculty members and students' perceptions are the same with regard to proposed goals, planning and organizing, budgeting, facilities and equipment, and evaluation, and (d) responding faculty members agreed more strongly than did students on the proposed qualifications and functions of the Vice-President of Student Affairs and the choice of the staff of student personnel services.

No description available.

No description available.

The researcher utilized the 2007 American College Personnel Association (ACPA) Steering Committee on Professional Competencies report, Professional Competencies, to determine the importance of a set of competencies for work in entry-level student affairs positions. The researcher also studied whether there were any differences in importance of these competencies based on functional area (e.g., residence life/housing, student activities) and institutional type (i.e., four-year public and four-year private). Via an online questionnaire, the researcher sent the list of competencies to a sample of 970 members of ACPA who were self-selected as entry-level members and received 224 usable responses. Of the 75 individual competency items studied, 66 were found to be, minimally, 'important' for entry-level positions overall, thus reinforcing the fact that entry-level practitioners need a wide array of competencies to perform the responsibilities within their positions. Competencies related to advising and helping others, including students and colleagues, were rated the highest, while those related to the legal foundations of the field were rated the lowest, yet still at least 'somewhat important.' Several significant differences were found between groups within the studied demographic variables and the degree of importance of the competencies. Specifically, there were very few significant differences in the degree of importance of competencies based on respondent institutional type. Compared to other demographic items, functional area by far indicated the most significant differences between groups.

Professional preparation is important for individuals in any profession, as well as the profession itself. It is one of the hallmarks of any profession. Many sets of standards for the curriculum of student affairs preparation programs have been promoted throughout the years. Most recently the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) published a set of standards that outline areas of competency for student affairs professionals. The purpose of this study was to measure the degree to which recent graduates of student affairs preparation programs reported learning about the important foundational elements of the profession. I examined learning based on standards for student affairs preparation programs defined by CAS and compared amounts of reported learning from alumni based on the programs' adherence to the CAS standards (compliant v. non-compliant). To that end, I administered a 67 item questionnaire to recent graduates from student affairs preparation programs. The findings of the present study reveal that a majority of alumni from student affairs preparation programs report having a clear understanding of 57 of 60 identified foundational learning outcomes. Additionally, there was no statistically significant difference between reported learning of alumni from CAS compliant and non-compliant programs based on these foundational learning outcomes on 58 of the 60 items. Data suggest that alumni from CAS compliant programs are more likely to feel confidence in their preparation in 48 of the 60 outcomes presented in the survey. Additionally, the results indicated that alumni from non-compliant programs were more likely to report higher levels of learning based on involvement theory and understanding the level of data a variable in quantitative analysis. / Master of Arts

Research suggests that residential learning communities (RLCs) provide benefits for members of those communities. Although much research has been done on benefits for students in RLCs, there has been little research done on the benefits for faculty and student affairs staff members involved in RLCs. An unexplored dimension in both these areas is a comparison of the intrinsic and extrinsic benefits for faculty and staff members involved in RLCs. The present study was designed to address this gap in the existing literature on RLCs. The purpose of this study was to identify the benefits faculty members and student affairs staff members gain from being involved in RLCs and explore any differences between the two groups. Data were collected by administering the Residential Learning Community Faculty and Staff Benefits Survey to faculty and staff members involved in RLCs at institutions listed in the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International Institutional Database as offering learning communities. Results revealed that faculty and staff members report gaining intrinsic benefits more often that extrinsic benefits from their involvement in residential learning communities. The results also indicated statistically significant difference between faculty members and student affairs staff members on 2 of the 30 benefits examined. Student affairs staff members were more likely to have received opportunities to participate in professional conference presentations than their faculty member counterparts, while faculty members were more likely to have shared research interests with students outside of the classroom than their student affairs staff member counterparts. / Master of Arts