Using CAS Learning and
Development Outcomes in Transfer
Orientation
CAS Professional Standards for
Higher 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
Hollie 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
CAS Resources
CAS Manual
Order on line at
www.cas.edu
CAS Resources
•
•
Self-Assessment
Guides are
available in CD
form or in printed
form
Guides may be
ordered with the
manuals or
separately
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.
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:
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
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
Frequently Asked Questions
About CAS
19. Health Promotion Programs *
20. Housing and Residential Life Programs *
21. International Student Programs
22. Internship Programs *
23. Learning Assistance Programs
24. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Programs
25. Multicultural Student Programs & Services *
26. Orientation Programs *
27. Outcomes Assessment and Program Evaluation
28. Recreational Sports Programs
29. Registrar Programs and Services
30. Service-Learning Programs *
31. Student Conduct Programs *
32. Student Leadership Programs
33. TRIO and Other Educational Opportunity Programs
34. Women Student Programs *
35. Master's Level Student Affairs Administration Preparation
Programs
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, selfstudy 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.
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."
13 Areas of Standardization Identified for
Orientation Programs
• Mission
• Program
• Leadership
• Organization and Management
• Human Resources
• Financial Resources
• Facilities, Technology and Equipment
13 Areas of Standardization Identified for
Orientation Programs
• Legal Responsibilities
• Equity and Access
• Campus and External Relations
• Diversity
• Ethics
• Assessment and Evaluation
The Mission of Orientation Programs
(OP) Must Include:
•
Facilitating the transition of transfer students into the
institution
•
Preparing transfer students for the institution’s
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
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
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?
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
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
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
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 cocurricular activities
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
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
Leadership Development
•
Demonstrates awareness of leadership opportunities,
including those in part-time jobs on and off campus,
and internships
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
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
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)
Social Responsibility
•
Understands the requirements of the codes of
conduct
•
Has knowledge of institution governance systems
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
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
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
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
Personal and Educational Goals
•
Determines personal and academic goals and
objectives
•
Uses personal and academic goals to guide decisions
•
Considers the effect of one’s personal and academic
goals on parents, family, and others
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
Transfer Orientation Program
Standards Must:
•
Articulate the institution’s 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 wellinformed choices
•
Provide transfer students with information and
opportunities for academic and personal selfassessment
•
Use qualified faculty members, staff, or peer advisors
to explain class scheduling, registration processes,
and campus life
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
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
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
Transfer Orientation Program
Self-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!!!!
Transfer Orientation Program
Self-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
Transfer Orientation Program
Self-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.
Transfer Orientation Program
Self-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.
Questions?
Evaluations
Contact Presenters:
Ralph Busby, rbusby@sfasu.edu
Hollie Gammel Smith, gammelholli@sfasu.edu
Sheri Mullican, smullican@sfasu.edu