The need to ensure a quality workforce, the purpose and role of appropriate professional preparation, and the need to continually update the knowledge and skills of those who practice have been written about extensively in almost every discipline.

Over the past 10 years a variety of proposals on licensing, certification, and testing as a way to encourage professional development and to address quality assurance in the field of student affairs have been considered but have not received wide spread support. NASPA has been in the forefront of these discussions and has taken a leadership role in advancing this conversation.

The purpose of this paper is expand upon previous work done in this area by:

1. outlining a process by which the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) can sharpen the focus of its professional development activities and encourage its members to be more purposeful in continuing education through the acquisition and maintenance of their knowledge and skills, and
2. conceptualize how a National Student Affairs Registry could be developed to recognize those professionals who demonstrate a commitment to such activity.

With respect to the Registry, the NASPA Board has conceptually agreed to the following:

• NASPA should adopt a curriculum structure, based on the CAS standards for professional preparation programs, as part of its professional development program and encourage its consistent use (link to pdf; see page 6).
• Any system that recognizes and rewards professionals who respond to their professional obligation to acquire the knowledge, skills, values, and beliefs necessary to provide high levels of service to their students and institutions must take into account the differences inherent in the profession and allow for multiple methods for inclusion in the registry.
• Participation in the Registry is voluntary and is not linked to membership in NASPA or current employment.
• Criteria for initial inclusion in the registry should address:
  1. professional preparation,
  2. appropriate supervision,
  3. continuing professional education, and
  4. an endorsement of enhanced practice.

• NASPA should adopt a multi-tiered system that acknowledges differences in members' professional preparation and professional practice experience (link to pdf; see page 13).
• NASPA must commit itself to offering high quality, affordable professional development activities based on its student affairs curriculum in a variety of formats and geographic locations.
• NASPA should develop a registration process for programs that would carry continuing professional education credits (CPECs). Staff in the NASPA office would coordinate such a process. Programs would have to attend to the adopted curriculum structure but could be offered by anyone and by any association.
• The burden for producing electronic documents that would confirm the applicant's eligibility for the Registry should be placed on the applicant. Monitoring the applications process, maintaining records, recognizing member accomplishment would be the responsibility of the NASPA Central Office.
• NASPA should charge an application fee to the individual at the time an application is submitted. The fee should be set to offset the costs of the program. These costs would include: publicity and publications, forms, data entry, staffing, computer hardware and maintenance, and other costs. The fee should not be viewed as an additional revenue stream.

The creation of a Registry will have an impact on the way we view professional development. Readers should be aware of the following:

• The model described in this proposal gives great weight to the work done by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) with respect to its standards of practice and standards for professional preparation programs.
• The proposed model has the potential to increase attendance at longer, more narrowly focused programs and workshops and decrease attendance at those programs that do not carry CPECs.

The benefits to the practitioner, the Association, and the profession are numerous:

• Individuals who enter the field without any preparation can use the curriculum matrix to guide their learning and be assured that at least one professional association will offer programs that meet their professional development needs.
• Individuals wishing to demonstrate a commitment to their continuing professional development in a more systematic way will have a structure by which to do so and can be rewarded for their efforts.
• Supervisors who conduct performance appraisals or need to spend scarce travel dollars more productively can use the curriculum matrix as a tool to guide their decisions about how to assist staff in their professional development.
• Relationships with professional preparation programs can be enhanced by re-enforcing attention to the student affairs curricula and the lifelong learning encouraged by the faculty.
• Other administrators in the higher education community can be reassured that those listed in the Registry are serious about their own professional development.
• State, and regional professional associations may become more important to their members as they offer high quality CPEC programs at lower costs.
• By offering such a service and recognition to student affairs professionals, NASPA enhances the role it plays in our profession and fulfills its mission as the leading voice for student affairs administration, policy and practice.
• Most importantly, adopting such a Registry helps ensure that those within the profession continue to play a preeminent role in the creation of standards, defining professionalism, and ensuring quality.