Using CAS Learning and Development Outcomes in Transfer Orientation CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education, 6th Edition

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Using CAS Learning and Development
Outcomes in Transfer OrientationCAS Professional
Standards forHigher Education, 6th Edition
Institute for the Study of Transfer Students,
Fort Worth, TX January 07 Presenters Ralph
Busby, Director of Counseling and Career
Services, Stephen F. Austin State University,
Nacogdoches, TX and NODA CAS Representative Holl
ie Smith, Coordinator of Orientation, Stephen F.
Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX Sheri
Mullican, Associate Director of Counseling and
Career Services, Stephen F. Austin
State University, Nacogdoches, TX
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CAS Resources

• CAS Manual
• Order on line at www.cas.edu

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CAS Resources

• Self-Assessment Guides are available in CD form
  or in printed form
• Guides may be ordered with the manuals or
  separately

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(No Transcript)
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CAS (23 Qs)

• What is CAS?
• CAS, the acronym used for the Council for the
  Advancement of Standards in Higher Education
  established in 1979, is a consortium of 35
  professional associations concerned with the
  development and promulgation of professional
  standards and guidelines for student learning and
  personal development support programs and
  services in institutions of higher learning.
• The Council's Board of Directors is composed of
  representatives from member associations and
  meets semi-annually in the Spring and the Fall.
  Prior to 1992, the consortium's name was the
  Council for the Advancement of Standards for
  Student Services/Development Programs.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CAS

• What CAS Standards and Guidelines are currently
  in place?
• The 2006 publication of Professional Standards
  for Higher Education has 34 sets of functional
  area standards and guidelines and one set of
  student affairs master's level preparation
  standards. Functional areas for which standards
  have been developed include programs and services
  concerned with

11. Commuter and Off-Campus Living
Programs 12. Conference and Events
Programs 13. Counseling Services 14. Disability
Support Services 15. Distance Education Programs
16. Education Abroad Programs and Services
17. Financial Aid 18. Fraternity and Sorority
Advising Programs

• 1. Academic Advising
• 2. Admission Programs
• 3. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Programs
• 4. Campus Activities Programs
• 5. Campus Information and Visitor Services
• 6. Campus Religious and Spiritual Programs
• 7. Career Services
• 8. Clinical Health Programs
• 9. College Honor Societies
• 10. College Unions

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Frequently Asked Questions About CAS

• 19. Health Promotion Programs
• 20. Housing and Residential Life Programs 21.
  International Student Programs22. Internship
  Programs 23. Learning Assistance Programs24.
  Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
  Programs25. Multicultural Student Programs
  Services 26. Orientation Programs 27.
  Outcomes Assessment and Program Evaluation28.
  Recreational Sports Programs29. Registrar
  Programs and Services30. Service-Learning
  Programs 31. Student Conduct Programs 32.
  Student Leadership Programs33. TRIO and Other
  Educational Opportunity Programs34. Women
  Student Programs 35. Master's Level Student
  Affairs Administration Preparation Programs

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CAS

• Who uses the CAS Standards and how are they
  typically put to use?
• There are a number of uses for the CAS
  Standards. They include program development,
  continuous improvement, self-study for
  accreditation or review, staff development,
  student development, program planning, program
  evaluation, and education about student affairs
  services and programs.
• In addition, CAS has collected a database of
  professionals and institutions who have used CAS
  standards in a variety of functional areas. We
  can provide you with the contact information of
  persons who have used a particular CAS Standard
  to assist you with your use of the standards.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CAS

• What is the difference between a CAS Standard and
  a CAS Guideline?
• A CAS Standard, which is printed in BOLD TYPE,
  is considered to be essential to successful
  professional practice and uses the auxiliary
  verbs "must" and "shall." Compliance with the CAS
  standards indicates that a program meets
  essential criteria as described in each standard
  statement and that there is tangible evidence
  available to support that fact. A CAS
  Guideline, printed in LIGHT FACE TYPE, is a
  statement that clarifies or amplifies a CAS
  standard. Although not required for compliance to
  be achieved, CAS guidelines are designed to offer
  suggestions and illustrations that can assist in
  providing programs and services that more fully
  address the needs of students than the standard
  mandates. CAS guidelines provide guidance for
  exceeding the criteria established by the CAS
  standards so as to approach excellence or to
  function at a more optimal level. CAS guidelines
  use the auxiliary verbs "should" and "may."

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13 Areas of Standardization Identified
forOrientation Programs

• Mission
• Program
• Leadership
• Organization and Management
• Human Resources
• Financial Resources
• Facilities, Technology and Equipment

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13 Areas of Standardization Identified
forOrientation Programs

• Legal Responsibilities
• Equity and Access
• Campus and External Relations
• Diversity
• Ethics
• Assessment and Evaluation

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The Mission of Orientation Programs (OP) Must
Include

• Facilitating the transition of transfer students
  into the institution
• Preparing transfer students for the institutions
  educational opportunities and student
  responsibilities
• Initiating the integration of transfer students
  into the intellectual, cultural, and social
  climate of the institution
• Supporting parents, partners, guardians, and
  children of transfer students

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Learning and Development Outcomes for
Orientation Programs for Transfer Students

• Intellectual Growth
• Effective Communication
• Realistic Self-appraisal
• Enhanced Self-esteem
• Clarified Values
• Career Choices
• Leadership Development
• Healthy Behavior
• Meaningful Interpersonal Relationships

• Independence
• Social Responsibility
• Collaboration
• Satisfying and Productive Lifestyles
• Appreciation of Diversity
• Spiritual Awareness
• Achievement of Personal and Educational Goals

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Learning and Development Outcomes for Orientation
Programs for Transfer Students

• The central idea for learning and development
  outcomes for Transfer Orientation is
• What is it that a transfer student should know
  and be able to do as a consequence of attending
  Transfer Orientation?

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Intellectual Growth

• Develops educational goals
• Examines information about academic majors and
  minors
• Understands the requirements of an academic
  degree plan
• Examines the core curriculum
• Demonstrates knowledge about internships and
  volunteer opportunities
• Develops personal goals
• Makes decisions based on complex information from
  a variety of sources including personal
  experience, personal values, and orientation
  programs

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Effective Communication

• Examines personal and academic strengths and
  weaknesses which affect academic plans and
  communicates that information to academic
  advisors
• Demonstrates the ability to use information on
  academic policy, student support services, and
  financial services
• Demonstrates the ability to use technological
  resources
• Composes appropriate questions when inquiring
  about particular requirements, departments, and
  resources
• Appropriately introduces oneself and initiates
  conversations with others

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Enhanced Self-Esteem

• Shows respect for self and others
• Demonstrates assertive behavior and evaluates
  reasonable risks with regard to academic course
  selection and course load when conferring with
  academic advisors
• Produces a schedule of classes in consultation
  with orientation staff and/or academic advisors

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Realistic Self-Appraisal

• Evaluates personal and academic skills,
  abilities, and interests and establishes
  appropriate educational plans for the first
  semester
• Ranks academic strengths and weaknesses
• Focuses on areas of academic ability and
  interest, and mitigates academic weaknesses
• Uses information on course selection, course
  load, and course schedule in order to construct a
  schedule
• Formulates opportunities for involvement in
  co-curricular activities

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Clarified Values

• Demonstrates ability to evaluate personal values
  and beliefs regarding relationships, diversity,
  substance use, academic integrity, and other
  ethical issues
• Analyzes personal, work, and lifestyle values and
  explains how they influence decision-making in
  regard to course selection, course load, and
  level of personal involvement in the campus
  community
• Acts in congruence with values

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Career Choices

• Describes career choice options of academic major
  and minor based on interests, skills, abilities,
  and values
• Identifies the purpose and role of Career
  Services in the development and attainment of
  academic and career goals

21
Leadership Development

• Demonstrates awareness of leadership
  opportunities, including those in part-time jobs
  on and off campus, and internships

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Healthy Behavior

• Describes personal behaviors and environments
  that promote health and reduce risk
• Identifies services provided to support the
  advancement of a healthy lifestyle and a healthy
  campus community
• Articulates the relationship between health and
  the development of lifelong goals

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Meaningful Interpersonal Relationships

• Creates relationships with fellow students,
  orientation staff, faculty members, academic
  advisors, and other institution staff in order to
  be engaged with the institution in a meaningful
  way
• Demonstrates ability to listen to others points
  of view
• Treats others with respect

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Independence

• Operates autonomously by attending prescribed
  student orientation programs while parents and
  family are attending different programs
  simultaneously
• Selects, schedules, and registers for academic
  courses with the advice and counsel of academic
  advisors and orientation staff
• Manages the campus physical environment (i.e.,
  location of buildings, understand a bus schedule)

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Social Responsibility

• Understands the requirements of the codes of
  conduct
• Has knowledge of institution governance systems

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Collaboration

• Works cooperatively with others
• Seeks the involvement of others
• Seeks feedback from others
• Contributes to achievement of a group goal
• Exhibits effective listening skills

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Satisfying and Productive Lifestyles

• Determines the balance between academic course
  load requirements, work, and leisure time
• Constructs goals for academic course
  requirements, work, and leisure time activities
• Identifies obstacles that hamper the achievement
  of stated goals
• Decides the importance of functioning on the
  basis of personal, ethical, spiritual, and moral
  values

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Appreciating Diversity

• Becomes aware of the impact of culture on
  individuals
• Becomes aware of educational offerings related
  to diversity
• Demonstrates an appreciation for diversity and
  the impact it has on society
• Seeks involvement with people different from
  oneself
• Challenges appropriately the abusive use of
  stereotypes

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Spiritual Awareness

• Develops and articulates personal belief system
• Understands the role of spirituality in personal
  and group values and behaviors
• Identifies campus and community spiritual and
  religious resources

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Personal and Educational Goals

• Determines personal and academic goals and
  objectives
• Uses personal and academic goals to guide
  decisions
• Considers the effect of ones personal and
  academic goals on parents, family, and others

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Transfer Orientation Program Standards Must

• Be based on stated goals and objectives
• Be coordinated with the relevant programs and
  activities of other institutional units
• Be available to all transfers new to the
  institution, as well as to families
• Assist transfer students as well as their
  families in understanding the purposes of higher
  education and the mission of the institution

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Transfer Orientation Program Standards Must

• Articulate the institutions expectations of
  transfers (e.g., scholarship, integrity, conduct,
  financial obligations, ethical use of technology)
  and provide information that clearly identifies
  relevant administrative policies and procedures
  and programs to enable transfers to make
  well-reasoned and well-informed choices
• Provide transfer students with information and
  opportunities for academic and personal
  self-assessment
• Use qualified faculty members, staff, or peer
  advisors to explain class scheduling,
  registration processes, and campus life

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Transfer Orientation Program Standards Must

• Provide transfer students as well as their
  families, with information about laws and
  policies regarding educational records and other
  protected information
• Inform transfer students as well as their
  families about the availability of services and
  programs
• Assist transfer students as well as their
  families in becoming familiar with the campus and
  local environment

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Transfer Orientation Program Standards Must

• Assist transfer students, as well as their
  families in becoming familiar with the wide range
  of electronic and information resources available
  and expectations for their use
• Provide time for transfers to become acquainted
  with their new environment
• Provide intentional opportunities for transfer
  students to interact with fellow transfer
  students as well as continuing students, faculty
  and staff members

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Conducting Self-Assessment for Transfer
Orientation Programs

• Self-Assessment Guides (SAGs) are provided by
  CAS as companion instruments
• SAGs outline the processes to be used for
  conducting Orientation Programs self-assessment

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Transfer Orientation ProgramSelf-Assessment
Steps (1 5)

• 1. Establish and prepare the self-assessment
  team
• Teams should be assembled from student
  services, academia, and student orientation
  staff.
• Not everyone will have the same
  background, experience and opinions and THAT IS
  OK!!!!

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Transfer Orientation ProgramSelf-Assessment Steps

• 2. Understand the CAS Standards and Guidelines
• If you do not know what best practices are, it
  will be
• difficult to know how a program measures up.
• 3. Compile and Review Documentary Evidence
• Transfer recruitment material
• Transfer Orientation programs
• Institutional administrative documents
• Research, assessment and evaluation data
• Staff activity reports
• Student activity reports

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Transfer Orientation ProgramSelf-Assessment Steps

• 4. Judging performance
• Five point rating scale, 1-5 (5 is fully
  compliant).
• Information Not Available should also be used.
• Exemplary ratings should be reserved for those
  areas that are clearly above and beyond CAS
  Standards.

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Transfer Orientation ProgramSelf-Assessment Steps

• 5. Implementing the Assessment Process
• Use individual rating processes and group rating
  processes.
• Once the entire assessment is completed, it is
  time to move to prepare a Plan of Action to
  become fully compliant with CAS Standards.

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Questions?

• Evaluations
• Contact Presenters
• Ralph Busby, rbusby_at_sfasu.edu
• Hollie Gammel Smith, gammelholli_at_sfasu.edu
• Sheri Mullican, smullican_at_sfasu.edu