1. TOWARDS PROFESSIONALIZING STUDENT AFFAIRS PRACTICE IN SA HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
NASDEV WINTER SCHOOL
19 JUNE 2015
Dr MJ Nkonoane
Deputy Campus Manager

2. OUTLINE Introduction Literature Review Methodology
Results of the Study
Conclusion and Recommendations

3. INTRODUCTION
Discussion about and action towards professionalizing student affairs (e.g., the leadership and management of practitioners, and the delivery of programs and services) began at the national level in 1996 with the National Commission on Higher Education (Harper, 2004).  
Also in this movement was the establishment of the South African Association of Senior Student affairs Professionals (SAASSAP) and the National Association of Student Development Practitioners (NASDEV) (Bodibe, 2008). The need to professionalize student affairs practice continues to be part of discourse at annual national conferences of the aforementioned associations.

4. LITERATURE REVIEW
Blimling (2001)Student affairs practitioners require the disposition, philosophy, formal and informal knowledge that unite student affairs to its fundamental purpose
Study conducted to determine the need for capacity building among student affairs practitioners
Student affairs profession continues to be viewed as an immature profession due to lack of professional development opportunities
Cuyjet, Longwill-Grice & Molina (2009)- There is neither a single way to prepare professionals, nor a definitive set of professional standards
Herdlein(2004) questions the adequacy of graduate programs in the rapidly changing environment of HE in USA

5. LITERATURE REVIEW…cont.
Student Affairs in South Africa has historically served the role of conflict management, especially with the Student Representative Councils (SRCs), who were at one time seen as enemies of the state (Bodibe, 2008).
Effectively student services practitioners became de facto gatekeepers for apartheid higher education policies (Mandew, 2003).
Mandew (2003) – There is no articulated philosophical framework or explicit theory that informs practice in the field of student affairs in South Africa
Bodibe (2009)-No set qualifications for staff-upper level managers may have advanced degrees but entry-level practitioners seldom have degrees related to the practice
Masters programme at UKZN & Ph D at UWC

6. METHODOLOGY
This study used Sequential Exploratory Triangulation, where interviews were conducted first with a sample of convenience; and the adapted questionnaire was then administered to a wider pool of 150 student affairs practitioners conveniently sampled from the membership databases of both SAASSAP and NASDEV.
Pertinent questions were formulated and expressed for the qualitative section of the study
For the quantitative section of the study hypotheses were formulated to determine the relationship(s) between and amongst the independent variables of the study: which are male and female student affairs practitioners, senior and junior student affairs practitioners, and professionally trained and non-professionally trained practitioners
The results of the study supported current research that there is a need for capacity building for student affairs practitioners responsible for student governance.

7. RESULTS OF THE STUDY Section A Qualitative
The interview schedule (Appendix 4) entailed the following six questions which were extrapolated from the main research questions and objectives of the study. The questions are: 
Interview Question 1: To what extent are student affairs practitioners professionally prepared to effect sound student governance practice?
Interview Question 2: How can student affairs professionals be better equipped to enhance student governance in higher education institutions?
Interview Question 3: What are your views regarding an establishment of professional
competencies in student affairs?

8. RESULTS OF THE STUDY…cont.
Interview Question 4: What are your perceptions of the relevance of participation in continuing professional development system?
Interview Question 5: What are your views regarding the current employment practices of student affairs practitioners in South African higher education institutions, especially with regard to student governance?
Interview Question 6: What is the nature of discourse on the need to professionalize student affairs practice, especially in NASDEV/SAASSAP?

9. RESULTS OF THE STUDY Interview Questions 1
All nine interviewees confirmed that there is currently no formal preparation programme for student affairs practitioners responsible for student governance at higher education institutions in South Africa.
However, there was further concurrence among all the interviewees that professional preparation for student affairs practitioners is placed in the areas of student counselling, student health services, judiciary services, and social work, where it is also mandatory to register with professional or regulatory bodies.
However, all interviewees concurred that the aspect of being trained as a professional student affairs practitioner per se is non-existent.

10. RESULTS OF THE STUDY 2
There was concurrence among all interviewees that a more formal professional preparation programme needs to be developed
However, institutions need to inject more financial resources into student affairs to enhance student development programmes carried out by student affairs practitioners.
All interviewees were of the view that student affairs practice plays an equally significant role in ensuring that students attain their academic goals, and thereby play an important supportive role in the enhancement of the academic project 3
All interviewees endorsed the idea of instituting professional competencies in student affairs for the purpose of enhancing professional practice.

11. RESULTS OF THE STUDY 4
Interviewees concurred with the interviewer that a continuing professional development programme should be designed and applied in the institutions of Higher Education. Nevertheless, the interviewees maintained that:
Such programme should be mandatory for enrolment by all practicing student affairs practitioners; and,
That such enrolment and success in the programme; should be amongst criteria for renewal of tenure and promotion. 5
All interviewees felt that a more rigorous approach to talent management should be adopted, with a specific focus on appropriate development plans for entry-level student affairs practitioners and thereby enhancing performance management processes.
Competency-based selection processes should also be adopted in order to ensure the balance between the twin challenges of equity and excellence. 6
All interviewees were emphatic about the importance of NASDEV and SAASSAP organisations being in collaboration with organisations such as ACPA and NASPA which have made enormous strides in the field of student affairs practice.

12. SECTION B QUANTITATIVE
RESULTS OF THE STUDY
SECTION B QUANTITATIVE
Demographics
The three major demographics that constitute the independent variables are Gender, Experience, and Level of Training. Other demographics that appealed to the researcher for the contribution they might render are: University type, University Location, Student Enrolment.

13. RESULTS OF THE STUDY Gender Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent
Female 63
56.3
Male 49
43.8
100.0
Total
112

14. RESULTS OF THE STUDY Table 4.4(a): Work designation Designation
Frequency
Percent
Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent
Dean of Students 12
10.7
Director 23
20.5
31.3
Assistant Director 9
8.0
39.3
Student Development Officer 50
44.6
83.9
Other 18
16.1
100.0
Total
112

15. RESULTS OF THE STUDY Employment Duration Frequency Percent
Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent
A year or less 19
17.0
2 to 3 years
33.9
3 to 5 years 21
18.8
52.7
More than 5 years 53
47.3
100.0
Total
112

16. RESULTS OF THE STUDY Table 4.5: Training Highest Qualification
Frequency
Percent
Valid Percent
Cumulative Percent
Certificate 2
1.8
Diploma 9
8.0
9.8
Bachelor's Degree 26
23.2
33.0
Hons 35
31.3
64.3
Masters/Doctorate 40
35.7
100.0
Total
112

17. ACPA-NASPA ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS PRACTITIONERS
Advising and Helping
Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Ethical Professional Practice
History, Philosophy, and Values
Human and Organizational Resources
Law, Policy, and Governance
Leadership
Personal Foundations
Student Learning and Development

18. PROPOSED CAPACITY BUILDING MODEL
Student Affairs Competency Areas
Curriculum
1. Advising and Helping
Educational Psychology
2. Assessment, Evaluation and Research
Research Methodology
3. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Inclusive Education
4. Ethical Professional Practice
Ethics
5. History, Philosophy, and Values
Student Development Services in Higher Education
6. Human and Organizational Resources
Foundations of Higher Education and Educational Law
Higher Education Administration
7. Law, Policy, and Governance
8. Leadership
Higher Education Leadership and Management Studies
9. Personal Foundations
Philosophical Foundations of Student Affairs Practice
10. Student Learning and Development
Theories of Student development in Higher Education

19. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
Research should also be conducted by gathering input from the leadership of student affairs organizations such as SAASSAP and NASDEV.
According to Lunceford (2010) the 2010 National Survey of South African Student Affairs Practitioners which was commissioned by SAASSAP confirmed the need for formal preparation programs for student affairs practitioners.
Student affairs modules have been offered as a specialization in the higher education programs at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and in the former Policy Analysis, Leadership and Management (PALM) program at the University of Western Cape (UWC) (CHET, June 2006). In January 2011, the UWC and California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) began their first cohort in a Ph. D program in Student Affairs at UWC

20. Thank you Contact details Dr MJ Nkonoane Deputy Campus Manager
Tel.:
| Bloemfontein (051) | Welkom (057)