The purpose of this chapter is to explore the integration of the ACPA/NASPA Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners (ACPA/NASPA, 2010) on community college campuses. The competencies provide specific skill sets for a broad range of student affairs practice areas that should be met by professionals throughout their careers.…

This article considers student affairs practice within the Completion Agenda by studying community college student affairs educators' beliefs about their work related to the value others attribute to it. The Completion Agenda's goals are largely economic, and community colleges have been asked to focus on speed rather than the quality of the…

The price of college is increasingly out of reach for many Americans. Although community colleges are affordable compared to other institutional sectors, many community college students have unmet need. Free college and promise programs are emerging around the country as a solution to make college more affordable. This article examines the Salt…

The role of the mid-level manager as an organizer, communicator, and problem-solver in student affairs has been examined within the literature, but current discussion generally excludes the perspective of managers at community colleges. This chapter focuses on the importance of managerial identity and roles, particularly as it is enacted within a…

Each year hundreds of institutions will administer national surveys to measure the engagement of their students. However, stakeholders on college campuses, such as educators (faculty, instructors, student affairs educators, and disability services administrators) and institutional research staff who work with this information are often unaware of…

Student affairs and student services practices are concepts that can replace traditional models of student development, now emphasizing student identity, student voice, and emancipatory advocacy. A new identity is suggested to replace the title for student affairs professionals and student affairs programs in community colleges: student success…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine institutional actions that influence service use among SEAA community college students. More specifically, this study investigated the effects of access to services (service access), validating staff members (staff validation), and caring staff members (staff care) on the use of campus services…

In this qualitative study, 74 self-reported incidents from student affairs professionals at different levels of experience were analyzed to support the claim that the 10 ACPA/NASPA competency areas increase in complexity as expertise develops. Participants at all experience levels were observed using (a) personal and ethical foundations, (b)…

The purpose of this study was to understand the nature of collaboration between academic affairs and student affairs units in the community college context from a basic interpretivist qualitative perspective. The aim was to examine the experiences, influences, and perceptions of mid-level and chief student affairs and academic affairs officers…

To support the success of community college students, the role of student affairs professionals is critical. Therefore, adequate preparation of student affairs professionals who work in community college settings is paramount. However, literature focused on the intersection between the community college, student affairs, and graduate preparation…

Student success, accountability, and educational outcomes have been strongly emphasized in U.S. community colleges in recent years. For those individuals serving in community college student affairs, intentional commitment to standards and competencies in professional practice is essential in order to achieve institutional expectations and to meet…

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…

This intrinsic case study explored organizational readiness to implement a campus-wide technology initiative. Specifically, this research examined a rural community college's implementation of an "iPad campus" initiative in which all students, faculty, and staff were required to adopt iPad technology. We apply a heuristic for…

This brief discusses five strategies to support the success of Latinx/a/o students in community colleges. It is designed for student affairs educators--including staff, faculty, and administrators--to guide their approach for serving the needs of this population. The brief may also serve as a resource for professionals at baccalaureate-granting…

Recruitment, socialization, and development of new professionals are critical to the ongoing success, continuous improvement, and advancement of community colleges. The varied experiences and preparation of student services professionals create a complexity of needs that provide challenges to effectively and efficiently help them transition and…