Recent History: 1995-2005

Since becoming executive director on October 23, 1995, Gwendolyn Dungy has led a decade of progressive and significant growth for the association.  The year 1995 marked ten years of NASPA promoting higher education issues through its headquarters in Washington, D.C., signaling NASPA's growing place in public policy initiatives for higher education.  Major accomplishments from 1995-2005 include: 

  • tremendous expansion and diversification of professional development opportunities;
  • expansion of membership from individuals and institutions to regional, national, and international communities;
  • commitment to diversity and internationalization, as exemplified by the Minority Undergraduate Fellows Program (MUFP - now the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program, NUFP) and a growing number of exchanges with other countries through the International Exchange Program;
  • focus on the impact of technology, assessment and research, and public policy initiatives;
  • collaboration with other higher education organizations;
  • expansion of outreach efforts through print and electronic publications;
  • prominence of the NASPA Foundation;
  • development of faculty relationships, including the Faculty Fellows program and expanded programming for, and involvement of, faculty at the national conference; and
  • a greatly strengthened infrastructure, including financial stability and technological expansion.
     

Annual Conferences

Since the association's inception, NASPA annual conferences continue to be the principal means of professional development for NASPA members.  Since the first six met, these conferences have grown to over 5,000 participants. The exponential growth in conference attendance is mirrored by the expansion in complexity, breadth, and depth of conference programs.  The desire for gathering remains the same, however: to connect with colleagues; to grow in understanding of higher education issues of the day; and to present research and programs to expand the field and enrich our campuses. 

Conference themes and programs over the last decade (view conference archives) reveal issues in the student affairs profession and higher education. Expanded corporate partnership in the last decade has not only allowed registration fees to remain reasonable, but has also allowed the annual conference to grow and diversify in ways not possible with a budget supported only through conference registration and membership fees.

With an awards luncheon taking place at the first meeting in 1919, national awards are one of NASPA's longest traditions. In the last decade, two significant award changes have been made—the establishment of a new national award for mid-level student affairs professional and the development of the NASPA Excellence Awards. Initiated in 2005, the NASPA Excellence Awards recognize "outstanding programs, innovative services and effective administration" by NASPA members.

Institutes and Symposia

One of the most significant professional development enhancements of this era was the introduction of the national workshop series in 1996. Initial offerings included programs on assessment, fund raising, and technology. The national series offers flexibility and diversity in programming that is on the cutting edge of higher education issues.

Other programs identified on-going needs of constituent groups that influenced the incorporation of these concerns on the Board of Directors level, such as the small college programs that evolved into the biennial Small Colleges and Universities Institute. Another example is the International Assessment and Retention Conference, which focuses on the two preeminent higher education issues of the last few years. In terms of reaching out to a broad membership range, the Leadership Educators Institute is designed for early and mid-level student affairs administrators.

Another program that has gained strength over the last decade while evolving its format and frequency is the Alice Manicur Symposium for Women Aspiring to Be Senior Student Affairs Officers, offering crucial opportunities for women seeking top positions since 1989. The Institute, named after the first woman president of NASPA in 1976, is a vital part of NASPA’s efforts.

Another aspect of NASPA’s various institutes and symposia has been the opportunity for collaboration with other associations, such as the Association on Higher Education and Disabilities; the California Institute of Integral Studies; ACPA; the National Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs (NCLP); the Center for College Student Health and Safety (CCHS); LeaderShape; the Association of College Unions International (ACUI); American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO); National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA); American College Health Association (ACHA); Association of College and University Housing Officers – International (ACHUO-I); the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA); the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI); the National Intramural, Recreation and Intramural Sports Association (NIRSA); National Association of College & University Business Officers; American Association for Higher Education (AAHE); the Association for Student Judicial Affairs (ASJA); and Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).

Format changes have included video conferences, tele-seminars, and webcasts. Other technology changes led in 2003 to the development of the Student Affairs E-learning Series in conjunction with ACPA. In an era of ever-tightening budgets, increasing job demands, and near universal use of the Internet, E-learning offers a means of professional development for all student affairs professionals, regardless of travel funds or professional leave time.

In the last decade, NASPA further used the development of the World Wide Web to centralize information on graduate programs in student affairs administration through a searchable online directory of almost 200 graduate programs on the NASPA website. The section includes a rationale on why to pursue a career in student affairs, steps to get started for undergraduate and graduate students, a listing of graduate preparation programs with an international emphasis, and historical documents, such as Learning Reconsidered and the Student Personnel Point of View.

The growth of the online JobsLink has been nothing short of phenomenal. This 24-hour NASPA career services on the web started in April 1996 based on the recommendations of the Information Systems Advisory Task Force, chaired by Ron Beer. Previously, it was offered as 24-hour telephone employment information. The 1997 NASPA Annual Report announced that 100 jobs had been posted on JobsLink; by 2006, 1,015 positions were listed. The future in this important job placement arena looks bright since, in March 2006, NASPA and ACUHO-I announced a joint venture—The Placement Exchange, a year-round job placement service in addition to the on-site services preceding the Annual Conference.

James E. Scott Academy for Leadership and Executive Effectiveness

NASPA launched the National Academy for Leadership and Executive Effectiveness in 1997 based on the work of the Committee on Future Skills and Knowledge of Student Affairs Leaders, appointed by NASPA President James E. Scott in 1994. Very appropriately, the Academywas renamed for Dr. Scott in 2003, the year after he passed away. The original committee identified five curricular areas to improve leadership effectiveness for SSAOs:  executive effectiveness; educator effectiveness; personal effectiveness; understanding politics and power; and understanding the power and implications of technology.  The Academy mission is: "to create and implement a highly successful, self-supporting, broad-based curriculum and comprehensive instructional delivery system that will enable NASPA to be the leading-edge provider of leadership and executive effectiveness education, training, and development for senior student affairs officers."

The aspiration to make the Academy  "the leading-edge provider" is a crucial point in NASPA history.  Since the first meeting of deans in 1919, the core of the association has been the developmental opportunities it provides for SSAOs.  In the interim, the need to serve the wide range of student affairs professionals has been crucial, but the Academy allows the historical center of NASPA's purpose to come full circle.

The Academy held its first national symposium in 1998 and the following institutes continue to be offered: the New Senior Student Affairs Officer Institute; the Institute for Aspiring SSAOs; and the January Institute for Critical Issues. 

 Moreover, Leadership Exchange – a quarterly journal focusing on leadership and management for SSAOs – started in 2003.  It is sent to Voting Delegates as an institutional member benefit and the Advisory Board of the Academy serves as the editorial board for the publication. After publication, the electronic format is available to all NASPA members on the NASPA website.   

Another vital component of the Academy is the biennial Richard F. Stevens Institute, continuing a long NASPA tradition of professional development for senior officers. Named for NASPA's executive director from 1981-1986, the Institute focuses on accountability, managing institutional and personal transitions, critical issues for leadership, and relationships with students and other key constituents. 

NASPA Centers for Innovation

Laurence Smith, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Eastern Michigan University, initiated the concept of the Centers for Innovation in February 2000, proposing centers for leadership, public policy, research, and technology to guide professional development for the association. By 2005, these centers had formally evolved to: The Center for Public Policy; The Center for Scholarship, Research, and Professional Development for Women; The Center for Student Life Studies and Demographics; The Center for Technology and E-Learning in Student Affairs; and the previously discussed Center for the James E. Scott National Academy for Leadership and Executive Effectiveness.

NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program

The Minority Undergraduate Fellows Program (MUFP) has served as the foundation for NASPA's diversity efforts.  By identifying and nurturing talented undergraduate students interested in student affairs, NASPA, through its participating institutions and the student affairs professionals committed to serving as mentors, built a base for the development of the profession.  Since suggested by Fred Preston in 1987, initiated in 1989-90 by then NASPA President Doug Woodward, and developed by Constance Rockingham, the program has seen significant growth and evolution, but particularly so in the last ten years.  At the 2006 Annual Conference, NASPA announced a transition of the program to the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program (NUFP).  The program will be a selective undergraduate program whose purpose is to increase ethnic minorities, GLBT students, and students with disabilities in student affairs and higher education. 

The program includes: (1) an academic year in sponsoring institutions with fellows meeting at least twice monthly with their mentors and regular attendance at student affairs programs;  (2) an off-campus eight-week summer internship; and (3) the Summer Leadership Institute, which allows fellows from across the country to come together for development and community. The number of fellows has seen a dramatic increase from 56 as recently as 1998 to 219 in 2004. 

International Expansion

Another theme of change in the past decade is the dramatic growth in international programs and memberships.  By 2005, 30 countries (with Canadian representation including nine provinces) had at least one institutional member.  Efforts include the International Symposium, which celebrated its 10th anniversary at the 2005 annual conference, and a significant expansion in exchange programs. 

Dungy's crucial role in establishing an international interface for NASPA was demonstrated when she was invited to serve as an international consultant for the National Council on Higher Education for the South African government in 1995. In 1998, NASPA groups visited France, Germany, Mexico, and the United Kingdom with reciprocal visits from France and Mexico.  In 2000, NASPA signed new agreements with Australia, France, Germany, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom and had the first exchange with Australia.  Agreements with Canada, Iceland, and Italy were added in 2003.  Over 100 NASPA members have participated in international exchanges since the inception of the program in 1995.

Assessment and Research

In the last decade, federal and state government officials, boards of trustees, parents, and the general public have demanded that higher education take assessment more seriously.  NASPA has taken a strong lead in modeling assessment for the student affairs profession and providing resources and programs for all institutions.  The Student Affairs Benchmarking Project evolved from the Benchmarking Interest Group (BIG), which worked with the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) to revise original NACUBO benchmarks for student affairs.  With leadership from NASPA, the Interassociation Task Force on Benchmarking was created in 1997.  This method for "systematically measuring and comparing the work processes of one institution to another" with a focus on "internal activities, functions, and operations" provides the essential "external standard" needed for reliable assessment in student affairs.

The 1997 publication of Principles of Good Practice in Student Affairs in cooperation with ACPA provided another means for institutions and student affairs professionals to assess their programs and development.  Building on the 1994 Student Learning Imperative that focused the student affairs profession on student learning and learning environments, good practice in student affairs:

  1. Engages students in active learning.
  2. Helps students develop coherent values and ethical standards.
  3. Sets and communicates high expectations for student learning.
  4. Uses systematic inquiry to improve student and institutional performance.
  5. Uses resources effectively to achieve institutional missions and goals.
  6. Forges educational partnerships that advance student learning.
  7. Builds supportive and inclusive communities.

The document includes an inventory of items for each principle that allows institutions to review and improve current programs and activities.  Principles of Good Practice then became a feature on NetResults.

The focus on assessment expanded in 1998 when the Ford Foundation provided a grant to expand research on the impact of diversity on training of student affairs professionals and students' campus experiences.  NASPA named 2003 a "Year of Assessment," with programs including: an advanced assessment workshop; an assessment program track at the annual conference; publications that included an interactive CD series and a focus on student learning outcomes; and four regional assessment workshops. The following year, NASPA offered its first National Student Affairs Assessment and Retention Conference which has since expanded to the annual International Assessment and Retention Conference (IARC) in an effort to continue the work of AAHE after its dissolution. Themes of this conference include best practices, documenting learning, accountability, retention through graduation, and institutional responsibility for learning.    

NASPA's longest research project has been the Salary Survey, which is now done every two years. The survey was initiated in the early 1970s and was preceded by national surveys on the functions of student affairs administrators that NASPA started in 1932.  Moreover, the biennial Membership Survey, now done online, provides critical information for NASPA to tailor services to member needs.  

Continue to Conclusion of Recent History
(but just the beginning of good things to come...)