LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE SENIOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

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

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/Ethnicit White/Caucasian y 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 Master's Ed. Specialist Ed. D Ph. D

Population: 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 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 responsibly and tactfully (98. 0%); “Most Important” findings reflect some other CC leadership literature: � Brown, Martinez, & Daniel, 2002; Duncan & Harlacher, 1991; Hockaday & Puyear, 2008

AACC Competencies: Perceptions of Importance & Preparation AACC Competencies, in order of importance by domain Community College Senior Student Affairs Officers Community College Presidents 1 Communication 1 Organizational Strategy 2 Communication 3 Collaboration 3 Resource Management 4 Community College Advocacy 4 Collaboration 5 Resource Management 5 Community College Advocacy 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

AACC Competencies: Perceptions of Importance & Preparation 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, Ed. D, Ph. D Dependent Variables: Six competency domains Findings: Organizational Strategy Ed. D & Ph. D more prepared than Master’s Resource Management Ed. D more prepared than Master’s Communication No significant findings Collaboration Ed. D more prepared than Master’s Community College Advocacy Ed. D more prepared than Master’s Professionalism Ed. D more prepared than Master’s & Ph. D Lit Review: Duree (2007): Findings revealed CC President’s highest degree earned has no impact on preparedness � Nelson & Coorough (1994): Ed. D degree are for �

Preparedness Ratings for AACC Competencies, Leadership Preparation Mentoring Relationships Findings: Organizational Strategy “Yes” Mentoring Relationship more prepared Resource Management No significant findings Communication No significant findings Collaboration “Yes” Mentoring Relationship more prepared Community College Advocacy “Yes” Mentoring Relationship more prepared Professionalism “Yes” Mentoring Relationship more prepared Lit Review: � Confirms assertions of & findings by Carpenter & Stimpson, 2007; Cooper & Miller, 1999; Roper, 2002; Van. Der. Linden, 2005

Preparedness Ratings for AACC Competencies, Leadership Preparation Leadership Development Programs Findings: Organizational Strategy No significant findings Resource Management No significant findings Communication No significant findings Collaboration No significant findings Professionalism No significant findings Lit Review: � Confirms Duree’s (2007) findings for CC Presidents � Confirms Tunks’ (2007) findings for Florida CC employees

Importance Ratings for AACC Competencies, Institutional Characteristics - Size Independent Variables: Six categories from IPEDS Findings: Dependent Variables: Six competency Organizational Strategy 5 K-10 K & 10 K + more important than 1 K- 2 K domains Resource Management No significant findings Communication No significant findings Collaboration No significant findings Community College Advocacy No significant findings Professionalism No significant findings

Importance Ratings for AACC Competencies, Institutional Characteristics - Setting Independent Variables: Three categories from AACC Dependent Variables: Six competency domains Findings: Organizational Strategy Urban more important than Rural Resource Management No significant findings Communication No significant findings Collaboration No significant findings Community College Advocacy No significant findings Professionalism 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

Preparing for first CCSSAO Position: Most Effective Leadership Experience Open Ended question 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% Lit Review: � Findings support Fulton-Calkins & Milling (2005) and Mc. Dade (2005) on mentoring relationships’

Preparing for first CCSSAO Position: What should have been done differently? Open Ended question 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% Lit Review: � Findings support Tunks’ (2007) finding that professionals desire mentoring relationships

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 Ed. D 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

Implications – Graduate Schools Graduate school administrators should consider the Ed. D the preferred degree for those aspiring to be student affairs administrators � Ed. D curricula should include practical elements for active learning, including internships and practica � Ed. D curricula should include at least one class on the financial aspects of higher education, including accounting, budgets, and budgeting procedures � Ed. D programs should include structured opportunities for students to develop mentoring

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

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 Ed. D) � 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