Professional Competencies
As part of my graduation requirement and professional development plan, I have prepared reflections on all ten NASPA & ACPA Professional Competencies. Each one describes my mastery of the competency thus far, and how I plan to further develop each. Please feel free to browse through my professional competency reflections below.
Advising & Helping
“Address the knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to providing counseling and advising support, direction, feedback, critique, referral, and guidance to individuals and groups, (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
The Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
"(AER) focuses on the ability to use, design, conduct, and critique qualitative and quantitative AER analyses; to manage organizations using AER processes and the results obtained from them; and to shape the political and ethical climate surrounding AER processes and uses on campus." (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Law, Policy, and Governance
"Includes the knowledge, skills, and attitudes relating to policy development processes used in various contexts, the application of legal constructs, and the understanding of governance structures and their effect on one’s professional practice. (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Leadership
"Addresses the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of a leader, whether it be a positional leader or a member of the staff, in both an individual capacity and within a process of how individuals work together effectively to envision, plan, effect change in organizations, and respond to internal and external constituencies and issues." (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Organizational & Human Resources
"Includes knowledge, skills, and attitudes used in the selection, supervision, motivation, and formal evaluation of staff; conflict resolution; management of the politics of organizational discourse; and the effective application of strategies and techniques associated with financial resources, facilities management, fundraising, technology use, crisis management, risk management, and sustainable resources." (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Personal & Ethical Foundations
"Involves the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to develop and maintain integrity in one’s life and work; this includes thoughtful development, critique, and adherence to a holistic and comprehensive standard of ethics and commitment to one’s own wellness and growth." (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Social Justice & Inclusion
"The knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to create learning environments that foster equitable participation of all groups while seeking to address and acknowledge issues of oppression, privilege, and power." (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Student Learning & Development
"Addresses the concepts and principles of student development and learning theory. This includes the ability to apply theory to improve and inform student affairs and teaching practice." (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Technology
"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 as a whole." (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Values, Philosophy, & History
"Involves knowledge, skills, and dispositions that connect the history, philosophy, and values of the student affairs profession to one’s current professional practice. This competency area embodies the foundations of the profession from which current and future research, scholarship, and practice will change and grow."(ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education - Competency Matrix
"The current General Standards, as revised and approved in 2014, include rewritten or added standards that reflect broadly applicable and high quality practices pertaining to issues of access as well as changes and trends in student populations, technologies, and assessment efforts. With a growing focus on accountability and budget planning, as well as environmental and ethical purchasing practices, new standards were added to the section on Financial Resources. CAS also paid particular attention to the growth in distance education and online learning, new venues for accessing higher education, and expectations for program and service delivery." (CAS, 2014).