The Systematization of a Professional Development Curriculum for Student Affairs in the U.S. Universities

Abstract

　 With the aim of obtaining some insights that can contribute to the professional development of non-academic staff responsible for the support of teaching, learning and student life in Japanese universities, this paper takes as its main theme the systematization of a professional development curriculum for student affairs professionals in the U.S. universities over the past 20 years. The objectives of such systematization are on the one hand, to identify a professional development curriculum as a quality assurance model (QAM), and on the other hand, to clarify both new developments in PD in the context of influences exerted by recent reforms in the U.S. university education, and changes in specialization.

　 The professional development of student affairs professionals has become one of the most important tools used to provide a framework of quality assurance for their work. QAM is based on the perception that lifelong learning forms the background to student affairs from the entry level to the upper levels. It also has to perform a balancing act between on the one hand, the professional standards or ethics formulated by professional associations, and on the other, the selfmotivation of professionals operating within a harsh job market environment.

　 More specifically, several professional competency models can be identified in each student affairs program, depending on such factors as the level of the staff involved and their academic background. In the 1980s, however, higher education reform underwent a paradigm shift, moving in the direction of support for learnercentered education in the context of student affairs. The mission of student services was changed so as to focus on improving and enhancing student learning, and this resulted in the integration of professional competencies. The skills and knowledge needed to enhance student learning have become an important part of these competencies, among which counseling, advisory and leadership skills in support of student learning now play a central role in student affairs professionals.

　 The process of establishing a PD curriculum in student affairs offers many suggestions to the PD process in Japan. Firstly, Japanese non-academic staff are called on to rethink their professionalism and their work. Secondly, they have to recognize that the reform focusing on learner-centered exerts a major impact on the nature of PD and on all their jobs and organizational structures.