Perceptions of New Student Affairs Professionals and Their Supervisors Regarding the Application of Competencies Learned in Preparation Programs

Abstract

In his recent article on the relevance of grad uate preparation of new college student person nel professionals, Herdlein (2004) stated, “It is unclear whether graduate programs in student affairs have been satisfactory in preparing student affairs administrators in the rapidly changing environment of higher education.” (p. 51). Indeed the issue of whether or not college student personnel (CSP) programs have been successful in preparing students to work in student affairs has been an issue for nearly 50 years. This issue has been compounded by the fact that there still remains fierce debate as to what knowledge college student personnel graduates need in order to be successful in the profession. Almost 5 decades ago, Mueller (1959) made the argument that the most essential skills needed for students considering a career in student personnel were counseling related. Mueller’s argument was supported by Parker (1971), who also contended that counseling skills were the essential ingredients necessary for success in student affairs. During the early 1980s, however, others argued that it was more important for graduate preparation programs in college student personnel to emphasize administration and practical experience over counseling skills (Ostroth, 1981; Stamatakos, 1981a, 1981b). Students in college student personnel preparation programs, it was felt, need to be given the opportunity to work in the field to develop their skills, and there was increasing concern that students who gradu­ ated from these programs were not learning the competencies that the field acknowledged as being crucial to early success in student affairs. By contrast, Sandeen (1982), in a poll of senior student affairs officers (SSAOs), found that 73% of the SSAOs surveyed assessed the academic quality of graduate degree programs in college student personnel as either “good” or “excellent.” Sandeen’s study affirmed the notion that senior student affairs officers view professional preparation as a very important issue. As the profession continued to develop it became clear that it was not simply a case of “counseling vs. administration.” College student personnel graduates needed to learn a wide range of skills, including those related to counseling and administration, if they were to be effective in their chosen profession. In a survey of first–year professionals in student