Senior Student Affairs Officers Research Articles

The Experiences of Black Women Senior Student Affairs Officers: A Multiple-Case Study

Within this multiple-case study, we explored the experiences of Black women in senior student affairs officer (SSAO) positions at four-year historically white institutions (HWIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States. We used Black feminist thought and representational bureaucracy to theoretically frame the study. Participants included SSAOs representing three HWIs and two HBCUs. Four central themes—often expressed within experiences of marginalization—emerged across the cases: 1) I Have a Right to Be Here; 2) Creating Networks; 3) No Straight Line to the Top; and 4) I’m Thinking about the Black Girls Coming Behind Me. We conclude the study with a discussion, implications for practice, and recommendations for ongoing research.

Leadership Characteristics of Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAO): An Analysis of Gender, Professional Preparation, and Experiences

Leadership Characteristics of Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAO): An Analysis of Gender, Professional Preparation, and Experiences

Values, Contexts, and Realities: Senior Student Affairs Officers’ Decision-Making During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs), whose primary responsibility is the health, safety, and well-being of students, were at the forefront of leading their campuses through the COVID-19 crisis. In Fall 2020 a diverse group of 23 SSAOs was interviewed to understand the contexts and issues that influenced decision-making during the pandemic. A focus on students, alignment with institutional contexts, and financial realities were consistently identified as key influencers of decision-making. Effective decision-making often entails a balancing act of several factors. The implications of this study can be used to inform student affairs practice and the professional development of graduate students and future and current SSAOs.

Behaviors, Attitudes, Skills, and Knowledge Critical to Effective Senior Student Affairs Officers

We surveyed 441 senior student affairs officers to measure their perceptions of behaviors, attitudes, skills, and knowledge (BASK) important to their effectiveness. Most important was integrity. Women and People of Color scored higher on BASK factors than other SSAOs. Practice implications include discussing BASK in NASPA associate/assistant vice president initiatives, reexamining curricula for NASPA and ACPA aspiring SSAO institutes, being more inclusive with demographic questions, and developing ways to further integrity in professional practice.

Social Justice in Student Affairs Graduate Programs: Exploring the Perspectives of Senior Student Affairs Officers

This study highlights how 19 senior student affairs officers (SSAOs) perceived social justice and inclusion (SJI) content in higher education and student affairs (HESA) graduate programs. While SSAOs across identities and institutional types viewed SJI as a programmatic strength, they named tensions between advocacy and administrative work and noted that SJI critiques are less effective when lacking understanding of how to navigate political environments. We include SSAOs’ recommendations for programs and offer implications for practice.

Senior Student Affairs Officers’ Perspectives on Professional Preparation in Student Affairs Programs

Attention to key skills has long guided the field of student affairs, prompting exploration into the preparation of new professionals; yet, Senior Student Affairs Officers’ (SSAO) insights on this topic remain relatively unknown. Because these individuals influence early-career success, this qualitative study explores SSAOs’ perspectives on professional preparation in student affairs. We overview SSAOs’ observations regarding strengths and gaps of graduate preparation programs, as well as implications for practice.

Faculty Involvement in Student Affairs

Higher education is experiencing tremendous pressure from constituents to justify activities and the quality of its product (student outcomes). This increased level of accountability makes it a necessity that collaborative relationships exist between academic and student affairs to improve the quality of undergraduate education. One way in which this collaboration may occur is through faculty involvement in student affairs governance activities. This study focused on the perceptions of Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAO) regarding faculty involvement in institutional and student affairs governance.

Using the CAS Professional Standards: Diverse Examples of Practice ed. by Needham Y. Gulley, Shannon R. Dean, Laura A. Dean

Reviewed by: Using the CAS Professional Standards: Diverse Examples of Practice ed. by Needham Y. Gulley, Shannon R. Dean, Laura A. Dean Heidi Levine Using the CAS Professional Standards: Diverse Examples of Practice Needham Y. Gulley, Shannon R. Dean, and Laura A. Dean (Editors) Washington, DC & Fort Collins, CO: NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, ACPA – college Student Educators International, and Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, 2017, 184pages, $39.95 (hardcover) More than thirty years following the publication of the first Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) standards in 1986, the editors of this volume provide a case study-based overview of how professionals can apply the standards in current practice. The editors intentionally invited authors able to reflect on practice at different institutional types and sizes and in different functional areas. In the thirty-plus years since the publication of the first CAS Standards, limited work has been published suggesting opportunities for related research (Creamer, 2003) and questioning to what extent and by whom the standards are used (Arminio, 2003). Arminio and Gochenauer (2009) provided a brief overview of the standards, their development, related research, and use in practice; but the most comprehensive review of the standards’ application was published only five years following the release of the first set of standards (Bryan, Winston, & Miller, 1991). This volume fills a niche in providing a thorough look at how the current CAS standards can be used to guide and improve professional practice. Chapter 1, by current CAS executive director, Marybeth Drechsler Sharp, offers an overview of CAS’s evolution and of the standards themselves. Drechsler Sharp presents the CAS general standards as a foundation for the area-specific standards, infusing a holistic approach to thinking about student affairs work and its affects on students, and promoting cross-functional perspectives and work. In her introduction to uses of the standards, she focuses on formal self-assessment and lays out facets of assessment that will be revisited in subsequent chapters. In chapter 2, Shannon Dean discusses using the overarching CAS general standards and learning domains to develop intended student learning outcomes. She anchors this work not only in relation to ever-increasing demands for accountability but in enhancing leaders’ ability to intentionally design programs to achieve specific student development goals. Dean also addresses the challenges and importance of engaging staff in this work, a recurring theme throughout the volume. Chapter 3, coauthored by Tim Pierson and Onie McKenzie, looks at multiple benefits of sustained use of the CAS standards from the perspective of a senior student affairs officer (SSAO). In addition to describing how the CAS model provides the basis for regular program assessment, Pierson and McKenzie discuss the value to and importance of the SSAO in fully embracing this work, as well as speaking to some of the particular challenges and benefits (e.g., prioritization) of doing program review at smaller institutions. Chapters 4 and 5 provide examples of division-wide uses of the CAS standards. Mary-Jeanne Raleigh and John Jones III review one regional institution’s use of the standards to help a student affairs division [End Page 137] shift from an accreditation-focused approach toward one that uses assessment of identified learning objectives to help drive strategic decision-making. Jennifer Wells addresses the process of instilling within a student affairs division a culture that embraces assessment. In both chapters, authors describe strategies to engage staff throughout the division and the connection to prioritizing student affairs work. Wells also provides concrete examples of the processes and mechanisms, including the development of working groups and utilization of the CAS self-assessment guides, used to undergird the creation of a comprehensive review process. In chapter 6, Adrian Rodriguez and Louann Schulze focus on assessment of academic advising in a multi-campus community college context. They discuss the usefulness of the CAS model for creating a framework to identify and assess student learning outcomes, particularly considering ways to align these processes in a functional area that is housed across multiple campuses. Their recommendations include considerations of team composition, examination of how the timing allotted to the full assessment cycle needs to reflect the...

Epistemology, pedagogy, and student affairs assessment: A voluminous framework for equity

For the past twenty years higher education scholars have stressed the need to educate senior student affairs officers, divisional staff, and graduate students about the importance of building and maintaining a culture of assessment (Yousey-Elesner, Bentrim, & Henning, 2015). However, few have advocated for educating burgeoning student affairs practitioners about how ways of knowing influence cultures of assessment. We argue that an emphasis on epistemological frameworks in student affairs assessment teaching is seemingly missing in the graduate curriculum and the current teaching paradigm impedes perspectives that resist oppressive structures in higher education—those which disrupt and dismantle colonized thinking and advance equity. In this paper we speculate on the dominant narratives within assessment teaching in student affairs, build a case for critical epistemologies and epistemological pluralism, and share recommendations in the form of a course plan designed to spur dialogue and learning around the role of epistemology in assessment practice.

Intersectionality in Student Affairs: Perspective from a Senior Student Affairs Officer

The author draws upon over four decades of experience in student affairs administration to investigate how senior student affairs officers can incorporate intersectionality into comprehensive and targeted decision‐making processes, strategic planning, and organizational considerations.

Next Generation Leadership: The Changing Culture of Leadership in the Senior Student Affairs Officer (SSAO) Position

The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify and compare differences in leadership behaviors of senior student affairs officers (SSAOs) based on their generational cohort (Baby Boomer, Generation X, Millennial). The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) was used to measure nine leadership behaviors and three leadership outcomes. Surveys were administered electronically to 3,361 individuals identified as a chief student affairs officer or director of student affairs in the Higher Education Online Directory (2014). There were 449 respondents including 246 Baby Boomers, 192 Generation Xers, and 11 Millennials. The findings showed that whereas generation x SSAOs exhibited more transactional leadership behavior, baby boomers were more transformational. The results of this study have implications for the field of student affairs as research and practice support the need for more transformational leaders in senior administrative positions in higher education.

A Strategic Necessity: Building Senior Leadership's Fluency in Digital Technology

This chapter describes the opportunity for senior student affairs officers (SSAOs) to develop an increased digital fluency to meet the needs of various constituencies in the digital age. The authors explore what a digital fluency is, how it might impact SSAOs’ leadership potential, and the benefits for their respective divisions.

Student Political Engagement in the Co-Curriculum: Understanding the Role of Senior Student Affairs Officers

The apolitical nature of the civic engagement movement poses challenges to our democracy (Saltmarsh & Hartley, 2011). The co-curricular experience is well positioned to address this phenomenon but little research exists to inform practice. This qualitative study uncovers how the socialization of senior student affairs officers (SSAO) influences approaches to student civic/political development. Implications for practice and future research are presented based on the findings from the study.

Handbook for Student Affairs in Community Colleges ed. by Ashley Tull, Linda Kuk, and Paulette Dalpes (review)

Reviewed by: Handbook for Student Affairs in Community Colleges ed. by Ashley Tull, Linda Kuk, and Paulette Dalpes Case Willoughby Handbook for Student Affairs in Community Colleges Ashley Tull, Linda Kuk, and Paulette Dalpes (Editors) Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC, 2014, 351 pages, $95.00 (softcover) Community Colleges are somewhat used to getting short shrift compared to their four year counterparts: fewer resources; less respect; and less scholarship about their institutions, personnel, and students. This volume makes great strides in increasing awareness of the issues, concerns, programs and services of community colleges student affairs organizations and personnel. These long-standing needs are now highlighted as community colleges ascend into the national spotlight. As the "completion agenda" aims to return the United States to preeminence in terms of adults with college credentials, as 4-year institutions' tuitions rate soar, and as student debt levels are deemed a national crisis, a renewed focus on the large numbers of students attending community college makes increasing sense. The content of the Handbook for Student Affairs in Community Colleges prepares student affairs to be a major contributor in addressing these issues. As an edited book organized in four parts, it covers a broad range of topics from history and research to programs and structures to future directions. Part 1, "Historical and contemporary developments" contains two chapters. The first, titled "Introduction to student affairs in the community college," by Tull, provides an excellent backdrop for the book. It deftly weaves together community college history philosophy, and evolving purposes. These themes are well-supported by rafts of data in narrative format. Some form of chart for all the numerical information might have made the presentation clearer. Floyd, Felscher, and Mulder authored chapter 2, "The contemporary student and student development theory." The explicit application of student development theory in the community college is extremely welcome, even more so as the authors link student learning and development to retention and graduation rates. The next eight chapters comprise part 2, “Organizing and leading student affairs in community college settings.” Kuk’s chapter 3, “Organization and administration of community college student affairs” provides a useful 30,000 foot view of student affairs, including how states organize community colleges (as part of state systems, districts, or stand-alone entities). She discusses the impact on funding and administration of student affairs and the disproportionate resources that 4-year institutions enjoy. The focus then becomes internal, covering various reporting models for student affairs organizations in community colleges. Chapter 4, "The challenging and unique role of a community college senior student affairs officer," highlights similarities and differences of the senior student affairs officer (SSAO) role between 2-year and 4-year institutions, and between different types of community colleges. In the latter part of the chapter, authors Garber and Wills provide two illuminating perspectives on the SSAO role, one by an SSAO and one by a president. Chapter 5, "Partnering with academic affairs in the community college setting," was authored by Cohen, Gomez, Peruggi, Schlesinger, and Suss. The topic and content [End Page 882] of this worthwhile chapter are of paramount importance, although the title is somewhat misleading. Rather than a review of literature on academic and student affairs partnerships that is implied by the title, the chapter is actually an excellent case study of such a partnership at Kingsborough Community College. Regardless, the chapter offers much to the reader that can be transferred to other institutions. "Financing student affairs in community colleges," by Kuk and Ash, is the sixth chapter and serves as a good primer on the topic. It reviews community college revenue sources, financial aid, funding formulas, decreasing public support, increasing loan debt, budgeting processes and specific ways that student affairs organizations are funded. In chapter 7, Lowery accomplishes the near impossible. "Legal and policy issues for student affairs in the community college" strikes a balance between breadth and precision, making complex legal concepts both clear and compelling for the reader. Topics include various sources of law that impact community colleges, the importance of institutional policies and procedures to clarify student rights and responsibilities as well as institutional obligations. This chapter is a must read for student affairs professionals. With a strong...

Book Review: Handbook for student affairs in community colleges by Tull, A., Kuk, L., & Dalpes, P. (Eds.)

Tull, A., Kuk, L, & Dalpes, P. (Eds.). (2015). Handbook for student affairs in community colleges. Sterling, VA: Stylus. 376 pp. US$95 (cloth). ISBN 978-1-62036-203-7 US$45 (paper). ISBN 978-1-62036-204-4 US$35.99 (eBook). ISBN 978-1-62036-206-8.The Handbook for Affairs in Community Colleges describes the role of student affairs administrators in the community college setting. Editors Tull, Kuk, and Dalpes collaborated with an array of 28 authors to identify the nuances of student affairs in community colleges using historical context, theoretical frameworks, contemporary issues, and current best practices. Each contributor is an accomplished community college administrator or university faculty member whose research is based on the community college setting.From inception to today, community colleges have filled in the gaps providing access to students with wide-ranging academic backgrounds and aspirations. To this end, student affairs professionals address student needs that vary greatly. This book details the organizational, financial, and population differences for administrators in community college student affairs.The text begins with a dedication from the editors and foreword by Arthur Cohen on behalf of the late Florence Brawer. Following this, the preface addresses the intended audience, statement of need, contribution to literature, and chapter authors. This 17-chapter volume is arranged in four parts: and Contemporary Developments, and Leading Affairs in Community College Settings, Student Affairs Programs and Services, and Future of Affairs in the Community College.Part One: Historical and Contemporary Developments is comprised of two chapters providing an overview of student affairs in the community college. The chapters link demographics to social movements creating a vivid picture of the changing climate within the student affairs profession. Comparative data for 4-year public and private colleges provide a glimpse of the unique and highly diverse nature of the community college. The section begins with an introduction to the seminal texts and theories guiding student affairs work, linking them to the attributes of today's community college students. Later, the discussion goes beyond demographic information to capture what students hope to achieve and the factors affecting these goals. This section provides current examples of best practices, including the role the community college has in the evolving landscape of student development theory with particular attention to millennial students.Part Two: Organizing and Leading Affairs in Community College Settings is composed of eight chapters, which highlight leadership from a variety of perspectives. The text uses organizational theory to frame how differences in organizational structure and leadership affect student affairs and the community college as a whole. Strategies to improve the functionality and impact of student affairs offices are identified. The suggestions provide effective, real world possibilities in an era of limited budgets and high accountability. The perspective of the senior student affairs officer (SSAO) is captured from the viewpoints of president and practitioner. Part Two uses case studies to illustrate effective institutional change and highlights the financial challenges present for student affairs. A recurring theme in Part Two is the importance of collaboration to fulfill both academic and student affairs needs of the community college. Emergent themes include relationship building, mission support, and advocacy as an expert in student development. The authors look beyond financial challenges to identify evolving methods of funding, including development and the rise of the auxiliary enterprise on community college campuses. A comprehensive review of legal issues using community college litigation highlights areas in which the community college may be at risk. …

The Role of the Executive‐Level Student Services Officer Within a Community College Organizational Structure

The unique nature and mission of community colleges directly shapes the role and function of a senior student affairs officer (SSAO). Broadly, the community college mission is shaped by a vision of fulfilling several commitments to local communities. This includes admitting all applicants through an open access admissions policy and providing comprehensive educational programs leading to associate's degrees, career and technical education, basic skills education, certificates, and the transfer pathway to baccalaureate‐granting institutions, as well as lifelong learning courses. This chapter will discuss the role of the SSAO within a community college organizational structure. Career paths will be explored including competencies needed in this role. Implications include promising practices for aspiring SSAOs as well as recommendations for search committees who must no longer neglect SSAOs as potential presidents.

The Role of the Dean of Students in Study Abroad

This chapter provides an overview of key concepts a senior student affairs officer should take into account with students studying overseas. The importance of partnerships with on‐campus offices is also discussed.

Career Services at Colleges and Universities: A 30-Year Replication Study

This study examines career planning programs and career services offices at colleges and universities in the United States as viewed by senior student affairs officers (SSAOs). Findings from a 1979 study of career services offices (CSOs) were compared to the current findings. Additionally, new areas of research were examined in order to provide benchmark data for future studies. Several affirming findings emerge from the study informing higher education, student affairs, and career services professionals about the effectiveness and value of college and university career services offices well into the 21st century.

Directors, Deans, Doctors, Divergers: The Four Career Paths of SSAOs

Directors, Deans, Doctors, Divergers:The Four Career Paths of SSAOs J. Patrick Biddix (bio) Career paths in student affairs generally follow a conventional course: graduate degree to entry-level position, progressive responsibility until middle management (Renn, 2004; Twombly, 1990), and then a decision to remain, work to advance, or change fields (Mills, 2007; Rosser & Javinar, 2003). This middle management, or director/dean-level career stage has been considered a bottleneck (Belch & Strange, 1995), particularly for women (Jones & Komives, 2001). Research has also shown advancement is increasingly difficult without a terminal degree (Howard-Hamilton & Hyman, 2009). Studies on factors influencing career advancement have enlightened qualitative considerations individuals face when moving up (Jones & Komives, 2001; Marshall, 2009); however, few studies have quantitatively shown which positions and/or experiences lead to the most reliable paths to becoming a senior student affairs officer (SSAO). This study examined the relationship between three experiences research has individually, though not collectively, revealed as important to becoming SSAO: being director of a functional area, being dean of students, and obtaining a doctorate. Data were drawn from résumés of 403 SSAOs collected during the 2008-2009 academic year. SSAO is used in this study as a standard title for the chief officer in charge of student services on campus. Findings update previous research by a providing a sample more congruent with a recent demographic report (NASPA, 2008). Data analysis and presentation were modeled after Birnbaum and Umbach's (2001) study of career paths to the college presidency. Review of Literature Middle Management in Student Affairs Following an entry-level position or comparable experience, many student affairs professionals seek a directorship of a functional area or dean position (Renn, 2004; Twombly, 1990). Mills (2007) referred to this career area as middle management, though there are role differences by title (Tull & Freeman, 2008), functional area, and training and experiences (Rosser & Javinar, 2003). Responsibilities can include staff supervision, performance appraisal, planning, staff development, and ethics and credibility (Roberts, 2007). A recent study of SSAOs revealed residential life, dean of students, and student activities were the most common midlevel functional areas leading to the SSAO at 4-year institutions (Biddix, 2011), though a study of 2-year institutions (Biddix et al., 2012) showed midlevel directorships in administrative areas such as admissions and financial aid were more prevalent prior SSAO experiences. [End Page 315] Saunders and Cooper (1999) surveyed SSAOs (N = 62) to determine the most important skills and competencies to obtain during middle management. Areas receiving the highest ratings included personnel management and leadership skills, conflict resolution, effectively creating and participating in teams, implementing effective decisions, and understanding organizational behavior. Roberts (2007) asked NASPA Region III middle managers (N = 331) how they gained competence in 10 skill areas and found discussions with colleagues, mentors, and professional conference programs as most effective. These findings were congruent with Janosik, Carpenter, and Creamer (2006) who rated professional association involvement such as planning conferences and institutes; sponsoring research projects; publishing in journals, books, and monographs; and providing opportunities for staff to network and share as evidence of professional development. The Importance of the Doctoral Degree Saunders and Cooper (1999) also found a doctoral degree essential for career advancement, lending viability to an applicant's opportunities, particularly when compared alongside candidates with a master's and similar work experience. In a dated, though frequently cited, study of higher education doctoral graduates over a 15-year span, Townsend and Mason (1990) found the degree may not be as valuable for attaining higher positions, stating, "obtaining the doctorate may now be the means for many prospective students simply to hold their current positions, rather than to advance" (p. 79). Daddona, Cooper, and Dunn (2006) identified a mismatch between expected and attained positions among doctoral graduates 5 years out (N = 101), which the researchers posited might be related to years of postmaster's job experience prior to entering a doctoral program. Howard-Hamilton and Hyman (2009) stated, "without a doctorate, many administrators remain in entry- or midlevel positions and will often make lateral moves rather than advance to positions with authority over budgets, policies, and a large staff " (p. 390). Method Data for this study were comprised of SSAO...

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