Skills and Competencies for
Emerging Professionals
Prepared by the Office for Student Affairs
Graduate Assistant Competency
Committee
Agenda
• Issues and Committee Charge
• Partnerships
• Position Examination (Practicum/Field Study,
Internship, Graduate Assistantship)
• Skills and Competencies
• Testimonials
• Benefits
• Tools
• Next Steps
Issues to Resolve
• Lack of practical opportunities for students in Master’s
programs
• Financially challenging to hire GAs
• How can we match departments with qualified
candidates, while also increasing opportunities for
Master’s students?
• How can we maximize the experiences for Graduate
students and prepare them for work post-graduation?
• How can we create a more consistent framework for
opportunities?
• How can we better inform Graduate students about
learning and placement opportunities across
departments?
• How do we strengthen recruitment practices?
Committee Charge (Nov. 2009)
• Review existing competency programs for Graduate
Assistants at other institutions
• Develop a competency program for the University of
Minnesota that can be used across all areas of
Student Affairs
• Explore the different employment options available to
departments and develop a consistent program plan
for the departments within Student Affairs
• Recommend an implementation plan for the new
competency program and employment options
program plan.
Committee Members
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Mandi Watkins Soderlund, chair
Rebecca Ropers Huilman & Darwin Hendel, OLPD
Karen Miksch, PSTL
Debra Anderson, Sally Bauer, & Hans Peterson, SUA
Susan Warfield, SPHC
Patricia Jones Whyte, OED
Susan Cable-Morrison, OHR
Via email:
– Chad Ellsworth, FSL & Carrie Burke, CSPP
Partnership
• Academics and OSA
– It is vital in the development of student
affairs/service professionals that they gain
practical experiences with students before
graduation
– With that practical experience, students are more
prepared in the classroom
– Other examples of an Academic/Student Affairs
partnership:
• Leadership Minor
• Engagement Initiative
Partnership
• OLPD, PSTL, CSPP
– It is in the best interest of CEHD that academic
units are partnering to provide the best possible
experience for students
Postions
• Practicum/Field Study
– Always academic credit
• Advising student groups in both group and individual
settings
• Internships
– Sometimes academic credit
• Planning and implementing a program/event
• Assistantships
– Seldom/Never academic credit
• Student Activities GA:
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Advise program board committees
Register/advise student groups
Plan/implement events
Participate in/on committees
Funding Positions
• Practicum/Field Study
– No employer/employee relationship
– No pay or stipend
• Internships
– Sometimes employer/employee relationship
– No pay, stipend, or hourly
• Assistantships
– Always employer/employee relationship
– $17.01/hour plus tuition and benefits
Skills & Competencies
• SDO and SLO program developed for
undergrads in 2007
• No such program for Graduate and
Professional students
• Students need to be able to articulate what
they have gained from Graduate experiences
National Movement
• 2010 ACPA, NASPA, & CAS Competencies Document
rolled out at national conferences
– http://www.naspa.org/regions/regioniii/Professional%20Competency.pdf
• Recommended 10 competencies for all Student Affairs
Practitioners:
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Advising & Helping
Assessment, Evaluation, & Research
Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
Ethical Professional Practice
History, Philosophy, & Values
Human & Organizational Resources
Law, Policy, & Governance
Leadership
Personal Foundations
Student Learning & Development
U of M Skills & Competencies
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Advising & Supervising
Assessment, Evaluation, & Research
Human & Organizational Resources
Multiculturalism, Inclusion, & Equity
Policy, Governance, & Law
Professional & Ethical Practice
Professional Knowledge & Orientation
Student Learning & Development
U of M Skills & Competencies
• Advising & Supervising
Definition
Graduate students who have developed
competence in Advising & Supervising will:
professionally and academically aid a student in
his/her development via formal and informal
methods; coach, advise, and supervise in both
one-on-one and in large group settings; and
facilitate coaching, advising, and supervision
through selection and hiring, training,
communicating expectations, feedback and
assessment.
U of M Skills & Competencies
• Assessment, Evaluation, & Research
Definition
Graduate students who have developed
competence in Assessment, Evaluation, &
Research will: use, design, conduct, and critique
qualitative and quantitative assessment,
evaluation, and research analyses; utilize
assessment, evaluation and research to
improve organizational effectiveness; and shape
the political and ethical climate surrounding
assessment, evaluation, and research
processes and uses on campus.
U of M Skills & Competencies
• Human & Organizational Resources
Definition
Graduate students who have developed competence
in Human & Organizational Resources will:
demonstrate skills and knowledge in the selection,
supervision, motivation, and formal evaluation of
staff; appropriately resolve conflict; manage the
politics of organizational discourse; effectively apply
strategies and techniques associated with financial
resources, facilities management, fundraising,
technology use, crisis management, risk
management, and sustainable resources; and
understand and conduct budgeting and financial
resource management.
U of M Skills & Competencies
• Multiculturalism, Inclusion, & Equity
Definition
Graduate students who have developed competence in
Multiculturalism, Inclusion, & Equity will: create higher education
learning environments that are enriched with diverse views and
people of varied backgrounds, races, cultures, and beliefs; create
an institutional ethos that engages in multiculturalism and helps to
increase self awareness and knowledge of multiple groups
different from self; and pursue equity for all members of the
campus community.
A broad understanding of multiculturalism is employed that
includes race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation,
disability, age, and religion, so as to acknowledge that personal
identity is complex and intersectional.
U of M Skills & Competencies
• Policy, Governance, & Law
Definition
Graduate students who have developed
competence in Policy, Governance, & Law will:
apply current legal constructs and policy
development processes used in various
contexts, and understand governance structures
and their impact on one’s professional practice;
and recognize laws, policies, and procedures at
the campus, local, state, and federal level that
impact one’s professional practice.
U of M Skills & Competencies
• Professional & Ethical Practice
Definition
Graduate students who have developed competence
in Professional & Ethical Practice will: professionally
and appropriately represent one’s self, the
unit/organization and University in accordance with
set standards and expectations; understand and
recognize the importance and application of ethical
standards and practices in one’s work, pertaining to
professional relationships with colleagues, students
and external groups and in financial matters; the
interpretation and application of policies and
standards; and understand how and when viewpoint
neutrality applies to the position.
U of M Skills & Competencies
• Professional Knowledge & Orientation
Definition
Graduate students who have developed
competence in Professional Knowledge &
Orientation will: connect the history, philosophy,
and values of the profession to one’s current
professional practice; work both independently
and collaboratively to effect change and create
a vision; have a passion for work and remain
curious; and establish life-long learning through
professional development such as conferences,
publications, and best practices.
U of M Skills & Competencies
• Student Learning & Development
Definition
Graduate students who have developed
competence in Student Learning &
Development will: demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of concepts and principles of
student development and learning theory; apply
theory to improve and inform student affairs
practice, as well as understand teaching and
training theory and practice; and apply the
University of Minnesota Student Development
and Learning Outcomes to all programs,
activities, and Advising & Supervising practice.
Testimonials
• Maggie Towle, Director of Student Unions &
Activities
– Restructured to offer 4 GA positions in 2007
– Has offered Practicum experiences for CSPP
– Looking into offering more internship/practicum
experiences for students moving forward
• Susan Warfield, Director of Student Parent
HELP Center
– Works with Social Work field study students each
year; the positions are unpaid for certification credit
– Staffing of office would not be possible without these
students
Benefits to you
• Pipeline of employees
• Value added components
• Better investment with pre-determined
competencies
• Partnerships across the U leverages the
positive use of resources
Helpful Tools
• Appendices from report
A. Position comparison chart (pgs 11-12)
B. Skills and Competencies for Emerging
Professionals chart (pgs 13-16)
C. Sample Learning Contract (pgs 17-21)
D. Sample Pre-Assessment Tool (pgs 22-24)
E. Sample Performance Review Form (pgs 25-32)
Committee Next Steps/Goals
• Create a website with all the forms
available for supervisors
– The website will be operational by March
2011 and accessible through
www.osa.umn.edu
• Future committee considerations:
– Recruitment/Job fair
– Database
– Increased number of opportunities
Your Next Steps/Goals
• Visit the website and contact us if you are
interested in exploring these options
• We will assist you in launching the skills
and competencies program within your
area, including working with HR to
determine appropriate employer/employee
relationships and pay scales
Questions?