leadership competencies of community college senior student affairs officers 2011 afc convention

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE SENIOR STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICERS

2011 AFC CONVENTION

Dan Rodkin, Ed.D.

Statement of Problem

College Completion Agenda Community College Leadership Gap Lack of leadership competencies for

CCSSAO

The problem addressed within this study was the lack of a designated set of leadership competencies necessary to be an effective senior student affairs officer at a community college in the United States

Study Purpose

To assess CCSSAOs’ demographics, educational backgrounds, and leadership development experiences, as related to these individuals’ mastery of the AACC Competencies, and to determine which competencies are deemed most critical for CCSSAOs to effectively perform their jobs.

Endorsed by NCSD Board, December 2010

Research Questions

What are the general demographic characteristics, professional backgrounds, and leadership experiences of current community college senior student affairs officers in the United States?

Is there a relationship between the community college senior student affairs officers’ perceptions of importance of the leadership skills included in the AACC Competencies and their perception of their preparedness for those skills when they assumed their first community college senior student affairs officer position?

To what extent do the highest degrees earned by community college senior student affairs officers influence how they rate their preparedness on the leadership skills included in the AACC Competencies when they assumed their first community college senior student affairs officer position?

Research Questions

To what extent do the differences in leadership preparation outside of formal education influence how they rate their preparedness on the leadership skills included in the AACC Competencies when they assumed their first community college senior student affairs officer position?

To what extent do differences in institutional characteristics (specifically, institution size, setting, structure, and highest degree offering) affect the reported importance of the AACC Competencies?

Which leadership experiences do current community college senior student affairs officers believe best prepared them to serve in this capacity, and what do they wish they had done differently to prepare for their first community college senior student affairs officer position?

Methodology

Quantitative, internet-based, self-report questionnaire

The Community College Senior Student Affairs Officer: Demographics and Leadership Survey Focused on the AACC Competencies

Link sent via Emails from Jan 11 – Feb 11, 2011

Population

2011 Higher Education Directory and 2010 National Council on Student Development Membership Directory

308 acceptable completions: 32.2% response rate

Population: Demographics

Population Demographics

Age Average Age 51.7 years

Gender Females: 52.3% Males: 47.7%

Race/Ethnicity

White/Caucasian 74.5%

Black/African American 14.1%

Hispanic/Latino 7.2%

American Indian/Native American

2.0%

Asian/Pacific Islander 1.3%

Multiracial 1.0%

Population: Highest Degree Earned

Highest Degree Earned

Master'sEd. SpecialistEdDPhD

Population: Career Pathways

Career Pathways

Most common titles:

Vice President/Vice Chancellor

54.5%

Dean/Director 34.7%

Average length of time in current position

6.5 years

Average # years working in student affairs

19.8 years

Average # positions in students affairs 4.1

Previous position:

Dean/Director 30.2%

Vice President/Vice Chancellor

28.6%

Associate VP/Assistant VP 15.6%

@ a community college 80.7%

Population: Leadership Preparation

Leadership Preparation

Participated in a Leadership Development Program

47.0%

Participated in a mentoring relationship 51.2%

Female participants 54.1%

Mentoring relationship formed in employment arena

82.6%

Formal mentoring relationship 24.7%

Informal mentoring relationship 75.3%

AACC Competencies: Perceptions of Importance & Preparation

98%+ of respondents rated the following top 10 leadership skills very important or important:

Develop a positive environment that supports innovation, teamwork, and successful outcomes (99.7%);

Listen actively to understand, analyze, engage, and act (99.3%); Develop, enhance and sustain teamwork and cooperation (99.3%); Manage conflict and change in ways that contribute to the long-term viability of the

organization (99.0%); Promote and maintain high standards for personal and organizational integrity,

honesty, and respect for people (98.9%); Create and maintain open communication regarding resources, priorities, and

expectations (98.7%); Demonstrate the courage to take risks, make difficult decisions, and accept

responsibility (98.6%); Manage conflict and change by building and maintaining productive relationships

(98.6%); Use a data-driven decision making practices to plan strategically (98.0%); Project confidence and respond responsibly and tactfully (98.0%);

“Most Important” findings reflect some other CC leadership literature:

Brown, Martinez, & Daniel, 2002; Duncan & Harlacher, 1991; Hockaday & Puyear, 2008 Five of these “top ten” are in Duree’s (2007) “top ten” from CC Presidents


AACC Competencies, in order of importance by domain

Community College Senior Student Affairs Officers

Community College Presidents

1 Communication 1 Organizational Strategy

2 Organizational Strategy 2 Communication

3 Collaboration 3 Resource Management

4 Community College Advocacy

4 Collaboration

5 Resource Management 5 Community College Advocacy

6 Professionalism 6 Professionalism Lit Review: Similar to results from Duree’s 2007 study on CC

Presidents Comparison to Laws (2011) & Wilson-Strauss (2005)

competencies for CCSSAOs


10 leadership skills with lowest preparedness ratings: Take an entrepreneurial stance in seeking ethical alternative funding sources

(36.6%); Establish networks and partnerships to advance the mission of the community

college (43.8%); Implement financial strategies to support programs, services, staff, and facilities

(59.0%); Implement a human resources system that fosters the professional development

and advancement of all staff (61.5%); Work effectively and diplomatically with legislators, board members, business

leaders, accreditation organizations, and others (63.8%); Contribute to the profession through professional development programs,

professional organizational leadership, and research/publications (70.3%); Use a systems perspective to assess and respond to the needs of students and the

community (71.1%); Support operational decisions by managing information resources (71.6%); Demonstrate cultural competence in a global society (72.7%); and Manage conflict and change in ways that contribute to the long-term viability of

the organization (74.0%).

Seven of these “bottom ten” are in Duree’s 2007 study on CC Presidents

Preparedness Ratings for AACC Competencies, Highest Degree Earned

Independent Variables: Master's, EdD, PhD Dependent Variables: Six competency domains

Lit Review: Duree (2007): Findings revealed CC President’s

highest degree earned has no impact on preparedness

Nelson & Coorough (1994): EdD degree are for practitioners

Findings:

Organizational Strategy EdD & PhD more prepared than Master’s

Resource Management EdD more prepared than Master’s

Communication No significant findings

Collaboration EdD more prepared than Master’s

Community College Advocacy

EdD more prepared than Master’s

Professionalism EdD more prepared than Master’s & PhD

Preparedness Ratings for AACC Competencies, Leadership Preparation

Mentoring Relationships

Lit Review: Confirms assertions of & findings by Carpenter

& Stimpson, 2007; Cooper & Miller, 1999; Roper, 2002; VanDerLinden, 2005

Findings:

Organizational Strategy “Yes” Mentoring Relationship more prepared

Resource Management No significant findings


Collaboration “Yes” Mentoring Relationship more prepared


“Yes” Mentoring Relationship more prepared

Professionalism “Yes” Mentoring Relationship more prepared

Preparedness Ratings for AACC Competencies, Leadership Preparation

Leadership Development Programs

Lit Review: Confirms Duree’s (2007) findings for CC

Presidents Confirms Tunks’ (2007) findings for Florida CC

employees

Findings:

Organizational Strategy No significant findings



Collaboration No significant findings

No significant findings No significant findings

Professionalism No significant findings

Importance Ratings for AACC Competencies, Institutional Characteristics - Size

Independent Variables: Six categories from IPEDS

Dependent Variables: Six competency domains

Findings:

Organizational Strategy 5K-10K & 10K + more important than 1K- 2K





No significant findings


Importance Ratings for AACC Competencies, Institutional Characteristics - Setting

Independent Variables: Three categories from AACC

Dependent Variables: Six competency domainsFindings:

Organizational Strategy Urban more important than Rural





No significant findings


Importance Ratings for AACC Competencies, Institutional Characteristics

Structure Independent Variables: Single campus, Multiple

campus Dependent Variables: Six competency domains

Highest Degree Offering 96.1% of respondents: highest offering =

Associates

Lit Review: Lack of respondents at Bachelor’s degree granting institutions is counter to Floyd, Skolnik, and Walker’s (2005) assertion regarding the proliferation of the CC baccalaureate

Preparing for first CCSSAO Position: Most Effective Leadership Experience

Open Ended question

Lit Review: Findings support Fulton-Calkins & Milling

(2005) and McDade (2005) on mentoring relationships’ importance

Findings: %

Student Affairs employment experience 41.7%

Specific leadership development workshop 19.7%

Mentoring relationships 17.7%

Graduate school / doctoral program 11.8%

Networking 7.5%

State association peer groups 5.9%

Working with college presidents 5.9%

Preparing for first CCSSAO Position:What should have been done differently?

Open Ended question

Lit Review: Findings support Tunks’ (2007) finding that

professionals desire mentoring relationships

Findings: %

Completed a doctoral degree 15.3%

Acquired greater knowledge of each area of student affairs

11.1%

Acquired greater knowledge about accounting, budgets, and budgeting processes

10.6%

Emphasized professional development 10.2%

Better developed at least one mentoring relationship

9.7%

Enrolled in a leadership development institute 5.6%

Summary & Conclusions

CCSSAOs rated the leadership skills identified by the AACC Competencies as important or very important

CCSSAOS rated their preparedness for the AACC Competencies significantly lower than they rated the leadership skills’ importance

Earning an EdD participating in mentoring relationships as a protégé both played a significant role in helping CCSSAOs feel more prepared for the senior-level position

Participating in leadership development programs did not lead to CCSSAOs reporting a significantly higher level of preparedness for the AACC Competencies

Institutional characteristics had a minimal impact CCSSAOs perceptions of the importance of the AACC Competencies

Implications – Graduate Schools Graduate school administrators should consider

the EdD the preferred degree for those aspiring to be student affairs administrators EdD curricula should include practical elements for

active learning, including internships and practica EdD curricula should include at least one class on

the financial aspects of higher education, including accounting, budgets, and budgeting procedures

EdD programs should include structured opportunities for students to develop mentoring relationships with professionals working in the field

Implications – Professional Orgs Professional organizations should focus on

mentoring programs & leadership development programs Formal mentoring programs should be developed

to give new professionals opportunities to learn from more experienced colleagues

Leadership development program curricula should be research-based w/ measureable learning outcomes

Assessments should be implemented to document if the intended learning outcomes from leadership development workshops were achieved

Implications – CC Student Affairs Community college student affairs divisions

should invest in professional development experiences for their entry-level and mid-level employees Include cross-training across the division &

exposure to financial aspects of higher education

Develop mentoring program for entry-level employees

Identify ways to support employees’ opportunities for continued formal graduate education

Implications - Mid-level Practitioners

Individuals whom aspire to be CCSSAOs must take responsibility for their training & development Complete a doctorate (preferably an EdD) Find at least one mentor & cultivate the relationship Explore opportunities to learn about multiple facets

of student affairs Use this study’s instrument as a self-assessment to

determine knowledge gaps, and seek out additional training & professional development to increase preparedness for a future CCSSAO position

leadership competencies of community college senior student affairs officers 2011 afc convention

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