The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 37, No. 2 - 28

Gavin W. Henning • Kristan M. Cilente • Dean F. Kennedy • Tomecca M. Sloane

The literature offers little consensus among faculty and administrators regarding core competencies necessary for student affairs practitioners to be successful (American College Personnel Association, 2007; Burkard, Cole, Ott, & Stoflet, 2005; Herdlein, 2004; Kuk & Hughes, 2003; Lovell & Kosten, 2000; Pope & Reynolds, 1997). Although the Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS), ACPA-College Student Educators International (2007), and ACPA and NASPA (2010) have developed reports identifying core competencies in student affairs practice, there has been limited documentation regarding how widely these frameworks are being used by graduate faculty and institutions across the U.S. to train new student affairs professionals. Two predominant categories that emerged from the literature and that were related to needs for new student affairs professionals were position responsibilities and professional/institutional culture.

tive strategies for balancing work and personal commitments (Amey, 1998; Novack, 1999).

PROFESSIONALISM AND INSTITuTIONAL CuLTuRE
Beyond understanding basic and complex job expectations (Barr, 1990), new student affairs professionals must learn how to understand the political context of their institution; understand the implications of campus climate and culture, including formal and informal rules; demonstrate the application of theory to practice; and develop a sense of professionalism and professional ethics (American College Personnel Association & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, 2010; Barr; Lovell & Kosten, 2000; McWhertor & Guthrie, 2002; Pope & Reynolds, 1997; Reesor, 2002; Scott, 2000; Winston & Creamer, 1997). Ultimately, after learning what is expected of them in their position, new student affairs professionals need and want to learn what it means to be a professional staff member within the larger context of student affairs (Magolda & Carnaghi, 2004). When thinking about what these new professionals need to be successful once employed in their first job after an undergraduate or graduate education, our research team was propelled to explore this topic. We wanted to know the needs and issues facing new student affairs professionals and to determine the development opportunities that could be created to support them during their first professional position and would help them move forward to the next rung on their career ladder. The purpose of the original study was to identify the professional development needs of new student

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
In general, when professionals begin their first position after graduate school, they need to understand the institutional climate and culture, receive adequate training, and understand job expectations and requirements (Lovell & Kosten, 2000; Magolda & Carnaghi, 2004). New student affairs professionals have expressed an interest in being trained in the areas of writing reports, using technology, developing programs, creating appropriate and applicable training opportunities for graduate and paraprofessional staff, and managing budgets (Lovell & Kosten; Pope & Reynolds, 1997; Scott, 2000). Beyond learning how to master these job functions (Burns, 1982), new student affairs professionals also seek effec-

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THE JOURNAL OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENT HOUSING
The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 37, No. 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 37, No. 2
