Evaluating elements of career planning centers: Eight critical issues

Abstract

Career counseling efforts on most campuses are often given little prominence and are relegated to the least skilled counselors. If housed in a specific center for career counseling, they most typically consist of a one person staff, and are both underfunded and underused. Although one could make a good case for career counseling being central to the mission of any college or university, that case has not been made with much success on most campuses. Too often career counseling centers do not have their vision communicated in a mission s ta tement tha t can be a springboard to innovation and change. As we approach the turn of the century, colleges are being pressed to assert their role and mission, and to become much more accountable to their constituents. It seems a fitting t ime to examine the role of career counseling on college campuses and to rethink the manner in which it can emerge as a profession. In this article, there are eight themes presented for careful consideration by the reader. Through self-study and examination of these critical themes, career centers can take their place in being a logical and significant par t of building the important services and networks that colleges and universit ies must have to survive in hard economic times (M. Heppner & Johnston, 1986).