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  • CAS Releases Revised Standards for Alcohol and Other Drug Programs; Disability Resources and Services; and Housing and Residence Life Programs

    Posted on May 9, 2013, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates

    Washington, D.C.  The Council for the Advancement of Stan­dards in Higher Education (CAS) has released revised standards to provide direction for three functional areas in higher education. CAS, composed of 39 collaborating professional associations representing over 100,000 professionals in higher education, recently approved the revision of its Alcohol and Other Drug Programs (AODP); Disability Resources and Services (DRS); and Housing and Residence Life Programs (HRLP) Standards and Guidelines. These CAS publications and other materials can be ordered at www.cas.edu.

    John Watson, Director of Alcohol, Other Drug, and Health Education at Drexel University, explained that the new AODP standards were developed with experts from multiple disciplines, and “serve as a best practice guide for any area of a college or university that addresses alcohol and other drugs issues.”  Watson was the expert committee member for the revision of the AODP Standards. “There is a heavy focus on shared responsibility and the continuum of programming and service provision,” he said. “They represent the current state of affairs with an eye to the future.”

    Jean Ashmore, immediate past president of Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and the expert member of the DRS revision committee, said, “The field of disability services in higher education has moved from medically modeled, compliance-based practices to more culturally based campus-wide collaboration and consultation. The new CAS DRS standards reflect this shift and can be used to design as well as evaluate disability offices from an updated perspective.” AHEAD has been a CAS member association since 1981.

    “What excites me about the newly revised CAS Standards for Housing and Residence Life Programs is that for the first time we have included guidelines for the development and implementation of living-learning communities (LLCs), along with best practices, and identified outcomes of LLCs for participating students, faculty, and staff,” said Carole Henry, executive director of housing and residence life at Old Dominion University, who served as ACUHO-I’s expert representative to the HRLP revision committee.  She also highlighted that the new HRLP Standards clarify that, for instances in which private housing developments have relationships to an institution, those private housing developments should follow the CAS Standards for HRLP. “There is no doubt that these standards will be a very useful educational and assessment tool for our students and staff as we strive to provide the best residential experience on our campuses,” Henry concluded. 

    CAS was established in 1979 to develop standards that promote college student learning and promote self-assessment for institutional effectiveness. There are now 43 CAS Standards in diverse areas of the college student experiences.

    The revised standards and guidelines are available from the online store at www.cas.edu, as supplements to the most recent book published by CAS. The eighth edition of the CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education was released in August 2012. The book of standards is the defining source of professional standards for many of the services provided to students in higher education. CAS also is releasing an updated CD (version 5.1) of all 43 functional area self-assessment guides (SAGs).

  • CAS Director Regina Lawson is finalist for national award

    Posted on April 18, 2013, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates

    Regina Lawson, CAS Director and Wake Forest’s police chief for the past 20 years, is a finalist for the 2012 Campus Safety Director of the Year Award. Lawson serves on the CAS Board as the representative from the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA).

    Campus Safety Magazine, which presents the award annually, selected Lawson as a 2012 Campus Safety Director of the Year finalist. The magazine offered an opportunity for the community to express support for a candidate by voting on its website, but it will also rely on a list of criteria in selecting the award recipient.  Judging criteria include, in part, a candidate’s leadership and management abilities, efforts to foster excellent community relations, abilities to manage a budget efficiently, and talent for creating and employing innovative solutions to challenges. Eligible candidates for the award include university, hospital and school officials who hold such positions as police chief, director of public safety and security and emergency manager; the winner will be announced in April 2013.

    Lawson joined Wake Forest’s police department in 1989 as assistant chief. The University appointed Lawson as police chief in 1992. Lawson has played leading roles in creating or expanding the University’s community policing initiative; crisis management team; CARE team (Campus Assessment Response and Evaluation); victim assistance program; town-gown relationship efforts; campus police advisory groups; campus emergency response team; and numerous student safety and training programs. Lawson is a graduate of UNC Wilmington, where she worked on the campus police department before joining Wake Forest. Read more about Lawson in the Winston-Salem Journal.

    About CAS

    CAS was established in 1979 to develop standards that promote college student learning and promote self-assessment for institutional effectiveness.  Composed of 39 collaborating professional associations representing over 100,000 professionals in higher education, CAS has developed standards and guidelines for 43 diverse areas of the college student experiences.

    The eighth edition of the book, CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education, was released in August 2012.  The book of standards is the defining source of professional standards for many of the services provided to students in higher education. Along with the book, CAS also released an updated CD of all 43 functional area self-assessment guides (SAGs). The SAGs provide institutions of higher education with strategies for assessing program and service effectiveness based on the evidence a self-study team gathers and evaluates.  Information about CAS and its efforts over its more than three decades can be found at http://www.cas.edu.

  • CAS Names Marybeth Drechsler Sharp as Executive Director

    Posted on February 1, 2013, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates

    The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) has appointed Dr. Marybeth Drechsler Sharp as Executive Director. She has served in this role on an interim basis since May 2012. Drechsler Sharp is the association’s second Executive Director, following in the footsteps of the late Phyllis Mable. CAS was established in 1979 to develop standards that promote college student learning and promote self-assessment for institutional effectiveness. 

    “We are thrilled to have Dr. Drechsler Sharp in this leadership role for CAS,” said CAS President Laura Dean. “Her background and skills have already made significant contributions to our processes, and we look forward to the ways that her presence will extend CAS’s visibility in the higher education community.” 

    Drechsler Sharp completed her doctorate in College Student Personnel at the University of Maryland (UMD), where she also has served as an adjunct instructor. During her doctoral career, Drechsler Sharp worked with student leadership development and service learning initiatives as a graduate staff member for the College Park Scholars living-learning program at UMD. Previously, she served as a residence hall coordinator at the University of Missouri, a graduate hall director at the University of Central Missouri, and an executive board member for the Missouri College Personnel Association. 

    Drechsler Sharp was a National Study of Living-Learning Programs research team member and a co-researcher for the Autoethnographic Research Group. She has researched and presented on topics of learning outcomes, leadership self-efficacy, dimensions of identity development, student engagement in living-learning environments, and the motives and experiences of faculty members involved with living-learning programs. 

    ACPA: College Student Educators International recently recognized Drechsler Sharp as an Annuit Coeptis Emerging Professional. She also received the 2011 Nevitt Sanford Award from ACPA’s Commission for Professional Preparation. Drechsler Sharp resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband, Sean. 

    Composed of 39 collaborating professional associations representing over 100,000 professionals in higher education, CAS has developed 43 sets of standards and guidelines within diverse areas of the college student experiences. The eighth edition of the CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education was released in August 2012, and it is the defining source of professional standards for many of the services provided to students in higher education. The updated publication can be ordered at www.cas.edu. Along with the book, CAS released an updated CD of all 43 functional area self-assessment guides (SAGs).

  • CAS Releases Revised Standards for Master’s Level Student Affairs Professional Preparation Programs

    Posted on February 1, 2013, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates

    Revised standards to provide direction for Master’s Level Student Affairs Professional Preparation Programs in higher education have been released by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS). CAS, composed of 39 collaborating professional associations representing over 100,000 professionals in higher education, has developed standards and guidelines for Master’s Level Student Affairs Professional Preparation Programs. The materials are rooted in scholarship and work conducted within the field of serving student affairs master’s students. 

    “The CAS Standards for Professional Preparation Programs provide a solid foundation for graduate programs that educate students to be effective student affairs professionals,” explained Gavin Henning, Associate Professor and Director of the Master’s of Higher Education Administration and Doctorate of Education Programs at New England College. “These standards outline programmatic structures and requirements as well as creating a framework for the curriculum.” Henning, a CAS board member representing ACPA: College Student Educators International, chaired the revision committee. ACPA is a founding CAS member organization. 

    According to Susan Komives, professor emerita at the University of Maryland, “The CAS Standards for master’s preparation have advanced quality in the student affairs field for nearly 30 years. Regular revisions have ensured a timely standard to guide professional preparation.” In addition to her experience as a faculty member, Komives served as CAS President from 2008-2011. 

    CAS was established in 1979 to develop standards that promote college student learning and promote self-assessment for institutional effectiveness. There are now 43 CAS standards in diverse areas of the college student experiences.

    The revised Master’s Level Student Affairs Professional Preparation Programs Standards and Guidelines are available at www.cas.edu. The eighth edition of the CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education was released in August 2012. The updated publication can be ordered at www.cas.edu. The book of standards is the defining source of professional standards for many of the services provided to students in higher education. Along with the book, CAS also released an updated CD of all 43 functional area self-assessment guides (SAGs).

  • Gavin Henning, Member of the CAS Board of Directors, Selected as ACPA Diamond Honoree

    Posted on October 3, 2012, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates

    The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) is pleased to announce that the ACPA Foundation has selected Gavin Henning as a member of the 2013 Class of Diamond Honorees.  He currently represents ACPA: College Student Educators International through his role on the CAS Board of Directors.

    “As I look upon the list of current and past winners of the ACPA Diamond Honoree Award, I am humbled to be honored among these leaders in our profession,” Henning shared.

    According to CAS President Laura Dean, Henning has made significant contributions as a member of the CAS Board of Directors.  “Gavin’s expertise in assessment, as well as his national involvement and recognition in that area, allows him to offer valuable perspectives for our work,” President Dean explained.  “Through his most recent contribution, as the chair of the standards revision committee for Master’s Level Student Affairs Preparation Programs, Gavin has worked with others from CAS and with experts in the field to create an updated document that will benefit preparation programs and students across the country.”

    Henning holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Education Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of New Hampshire. Currently, he is Associate Professor of Higher Education at New England College where he also directs the Master of Science in Higher Education Administration and the Doctorate of Education programs.  Prior to becoming a full-time faculty member, Henning spent 20 years in higher education administration, including 12 years working in student affairs assessment and institutional research.

    Beyond his involvement with CAS, Henning is past chair of ACPA’s Commission for Assessment and Evaluation and is currently a member of the ACPA Governing Board, serving as Director for Professional Development.  Additionally, he is founder and past-president of Student Affairs Assessment Leaders.  He has received the Annuit Coeptis award from ACPA for his contributions to student affairs and higher education.

    The ACPA Foundation invites donations in honor of the Diamond Honorees to support its programs and efforts. Interested individuals can contribute to the foundation in Henning’s honor; visit the ACPA Foundation page at https://acpa.ejoinme.org/MyPages/Donation/tabid/412764/Default.aspx or download a donation form from http://acpafoundation.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/DH2013_Donation_Form.pdf.

     

    About CAS

    CAS was established in 1979 to develop standards that promote college student learning and promote self-assessment for institutional effectiveness.  Composed of 39 collaborating professional associations representing over 100,000 professionals in higher education, CAS has developed standards and guidelines for 43 diverse areas of the college student experiences.

    The eighth edition of the book, CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education, was released in August 2012.  The book of standards is the defining source of professional standards for many of the services provided to students in higher education. Along with the book, CAS also released an updated CD of all 43 functional area self-assessment guides (SAGs).  The SAGs provide institutions of higher education with strategies for assessing program and service effectiveness based on the evidence a self-study team gathers and evaluates.  Information about CAS and its efforts over its more than three decades can be found at http://www.cas.edu.

  • CAS Board of Directors Member Luke Jensen Recognized at University of Maryland

    Posted on October 3, 2012, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates

    Luke Jensen, board member for the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), was selected as a recipient of the President’s Distinguished Service Award at the University of Maryland (UMD) for his work in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equity Center.  Jensen has represented the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals on the CAS Board of Directors since 2002.

    “I am deeply honored to receive this award,” Jensen said.  “I share it with the many people who have worked tirelessly to make the University of Maryland a more welcoming place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people.” Jensen will be recognized at UMD’s 29th Annual Faculty and Staff Convocation on October 9, 2012.

    “Luke has played an important role as a member of the CAS Board of Directors,” explained Laura Dean, CAS president. One of the responsibilities of Directors is to voice the perspective of their functional area and educate others on the Board about it.  “Through Luke’s long-term commitment and involvement, CAS has not only published significant updates to the standards for LGBT programs and services, but has ensured that LGBT issues receive consideration across other areas, as well,” President Dean elaborated.  “The work of CAS, and the insight of individual Directors, have benefited directly from Luke’s presence.”

    Jensen holds a Ph.D. in Musicology from New York University. He spent a decade as Associate Director of the Center for Studies in Nineteenth-century Music at UMD before becoming Coordinator of LGBT Equity, then later, Director of the LGBT Equity Center.

    Through his roles at UMD, Jensen helped establish the President’s Commission on LGBT Issues, the LGBT Scholarship Fund and the LGBT Studies Program, as well as the center he heads.  In addition to his positions at UMD and with CAS, Jensen has served as a member of the National Advisory Committee for Expanding the Circle: Creating an Inclusive Environment in Higher Education for LGBTQ Students and Studies, an annual conference of the California Institute of Integral Studies. Within the University System of Maryland, he has chaired the LGBT Issues Committee of the Diversity Network, and has assisted other campuses as they build their infrastructure to support LGBT people.

     

    About CAS

    CAS was established in 1979 to develop standards that promote college student learning and promote self-assessment for institutional effectiveness.  Composed of 39 collaborating professional associations representing over 100,000 professionals in higher education, CAS has developed standards and guidelines for 43 diverse areas of the college student experiences.

    The eighth edition of the book, CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education, was released in August 2012.  The book of standards is the defining source of professional standards for many of the services provided to students in higher education. Along with the book, CAS also released an updated CD of all 43 functional area self-assessment guides (SAGs). The SAGs provide institutions of higher education with strategies for assessing program and service effectiveness based on the evidence a self-study team gathers and evaluates.  Information about CAS and its efforts over its more than three decades can be found at http://www.cas.edu.

  • CAS Materials Introduce New and Revised Standards and Guidelines

    Posted on August 21, 2012, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates

    New standards to provide direction for Transfer Student Programs and Services, Campus Police and Security Programs, and Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Prevention Programs in higher education have been released by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS). In addition, CAS recently retooled its Fraternity and Sorority Advising Programs standards and guidelines. CAS, composed of 39 collaborating professional associations representing over 100,000 professionals in higher education, has developed standards and guidelines for the aforementioned areas and rooted them in the scholarship and work conducted within their respective fields. Each of the new standards codifies needs and expectations for educators in the related functional areas.

     

    The Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Prevention Programs (SARVPP) standards address needs that transcend boundaries of campus services. “Unfortunately, sexual violence affects all members of our campus communities,” explained Sara Bendoraitis, the director for programming, outreach and advocacy in American University’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion and CAS board member. “These standards can now provide a baseline to ensure that victims and survivors will receive the care and services they require on our campuses,” she concluded.

     

    New standards for Campus Police and Security Programs offer direction for advancing public safety efforts within higher education. “Regardless of how large or small your campus or public safety department, implementation of these standards provide opportunities for assessment and continual improvement,” said Regina Lawson, Chief of Police at Wake Forest University and the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators’ (IACLEA) representative to the CAS Board. “Compliance with these standards results in uniformity of polices, procedures and practices that are consistent with the leading agencies in our profession.”

     

    Also, the newest CAS materials address the unique nature of working with transfer students. According to Janet Marling, Executive Director for the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS), “The development of standards and guidelines for Transfer Student Programs and Services is a critical milestone in acknowledging the diverse higher education pathways students pursue.” She further stated that, “By presenting a uniform lens through which institutional approaches to providing transfer programs and services are examined, CAS has elevated expectations placed on colleges and universities to assist this growing population.”

     

    Finally, the revised standards for Fraternity and Sorority Advising Programs (FSAP) are an outcome of the combined efforts of more than 30 individuals, including the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) Executive Board and representatives from the diverse fraternal movement. A long-time member association, AFA has been involved with CAS since 1981. “As advocates of sororities and fraternities as values organizations, it is only natural that the Association would continue to work with CAS to help professionals align their practice with standards that promote a higher level of excellence,” AFA Executive Director Mark Koepsell said.

     

    “I am most excited about how the new standards more strongly emphasize education on values congruence and collaboration with diverse fraternal movement stakeholders, both of which are strategies needed for professionals to successfully advise these organizations,” articulated Dan Bureau, Director of Student Affairs Learning and Assessment at the University of Memphis and AFA representative to the CAS Board of Directors.

     

    CAS was established in 1979 to develop standards that promote college student learning and promote self-assessment for institutional effectiveness. There are now 43 CAS standards in diverse areas of the college student experiences; a complete list is available here. The eighth edition of the book, CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education, was released in August 2012. The book of standards is the defining source of professional standards for many of the services provided to students in higher education. Along with the book, CAS also released an updated CD of all 43 functional area self-assessment guides (SAGs). The updated publications, which include the new and revised standards and guidelines, can be ordered through the online store.

  • CAS Releases its 2012 Materials

    Posted on August 21, 2012, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates

    The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) released the eighth edition of the book, CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education, in August 2012. The book of standards is the defining source of professional standards for many of the services provided to students in higher education.

     

    The CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education book introduces five new functional areas of standards and guidelines: Campus Police and Security Programs, Parent and Family Programs, Sexual Assault and Relational Violence Programs, Transfer Student Programs and Services, and Veterans and Military Programs and Services. In addition, the General Standards have been updated to include technology and distance education services. The book continues to carry 38 functional areas already published, while several functional area standards and guidelines have been revised and unanimously approved by the CAS Board of Directors.

     

    Along with the book, CAS also released an updated CD of all 43 functional area standards and guidelines and Self-Assessment Guides (SAGs). Other information on the CD includes an e-learning course about how to conduct self-assessment, a PowerPoint presentation that can be used to give an overview of CAS and the assessment process, and links to the CAS website. The SAGs provide users with strategies for assessing program and service effectiveness based on evidence a campus-based team would gather and evaluate.

     

    Both the book and the CD are available to order through the CAS online store. Visit http://www.cas.edu, and select the “store” button along the top of the page.  Information about CAS and its efforts over its more than three decades can be found at http://www.cas.edu.

  • CAS Holds First State-Wide Users Group Meeting

    Posted on June 18, 2012, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates


    On May 14, 2012, the Arkansas College Personnel Association (ArCPA) and the University of the Ozarks (AR) hosted 107 participants from 17 colleges and universities in the first ever CAS Users Group Meeting.  Attendees were introduced to CAS and its work, the concept of standards of practice, and a step-by-step process for using the CAS Standards and Self-Assessment Guides to conduct a program review.  One participant raved that the sessions “opened my eyes on how to improve services provided to our students.”

    CAS Board of Directors members Deb Garrett and Melissa Mahan developed and presented the workshop, with assistance from Janet Marling; CAS Board member Linda Thompson also attended.  After the presentation, a panel of CAS users shared experiences and recommendations for participants seeking to use the standards and review process in their own settings.  As one attendee reflected, it was valuable to receive “all the expertise from real users.”  Participant responses to the workshop, handouts on using CAS standards, and copies of the CAS “Blue Book” were overwhelmingly positive.

  • CAS Announces 2012 Publications

    Posted on May 8, 2012, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates

    Washington, DC:  The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) announces the publication of the 8th Edition of the book, CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education, and its release on August 1, 2012. Pre-orders for the updated publication are now being accepted. The book of standards is the defining source of professional standards for many of the services provided to students in higher education.

    Along with the book, CAS is also releasing an updated CD of all 43 functional area self-assessment guides (SAGs). The SAGs provide the institution with a strategy for assessing program and service effectiveness based on the evidence a team gathers and evaluates.

  • Texas A&M at Corpus Christi recognized by CAS

    Posted on March 5, 2012, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates

    Texas A&M at Corpus Christi recognized by CAS

    The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) recently awarded Texas A&M at Corpus Christi with its most prestigious honor, the Ted K. Miller Achievement of Excellence Award.  Dr. Amanda Drum, Director of Assessment and Housing, along with Dr. Eliot Chenaux, Vice President of Student Affairs received the award on behalf of the Student Affairs Division.  The award recognizes outstanding accomplishments in advancing standards of practice and quality assurance in educational programs and services in higher education, with the goal of enhancing student learning.














    Laura Dean, president of CAS, presented the award.  In her letter of recognition, Dean cited the selection committee’s recommendation, stating that “the award selection committee was particularly impressed by the on-going assessment plan that includes ‘a rotation plan to assure that each area is fully reviewed using the CAS standards every five years.’  In addition, the committee cited improvement in educational programs in the areas of alcohol education and University Housing using the CAS standards. It is clear that your efforts have resulted in the creation of a culture of assessment in the Division of Student Affairs. Your work will serve as an important example to others striving to incorporate assessment more fully into their student affairs divisions.”

    The Ted K. Miller Achievement of Excellence Award is named in honor of Ted Miller, CAS’s first president from 1979-1989, a professor emeritus of the University of Georgia, and the CAS publications editor until his retirement in 2004.

    The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) is a consortium of over 40 professional associations in higher education.  Founded in 1979, CAS develops and disseminates standards of practice and related materials for the purpose of fostering student learning and development through enhancing the quality of programs and services.

  • CAS Announces 2012 Publications

    Posted on February 12, 2012, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates

    CAS announced it will suspend all sales of its current publications effective April 15, 2012, and will start immediately taking orders for its new publications to be released on August 1, 2012. In the interim, if colleagues want to purchase publications, they should realize that the 7th Edition of the CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education will be replaced with the 8th Edition.

     

    The CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education to be released in August 2012 will introduce five new functional areas of standards and guidelines: Campus Police and Security Programs, Parent and Family Programs, Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Prevention Programs, Transfer Student Programs and Services, and Veterans and Military Programs and Services. In addition, the General Standards have been updated to include technology and distance education services. The Book will continue to carry the 38 functional areas already published, while several functional area standards and guidelines have been revised and unanimously approved by the CAS Board of Directors.

     

    Version 5.0 of the CD that contains all 43 functional area standards and guidelines and Self-Assessment Guides (SAGs) will also be released in August. Other information on the CD includes an e-learning course about how to conduct self-assessment, a PowerPoint presentation that can be used to give an overview of CAS and the assessment process, and links to the CAS website.

     

    Mailings to student affairs, library, and institutional research officers at most every college or university will be distributed by CAS in mid-April and again in late August to notify them of the changes and distribution schedule.

  • CAS Releases Veterans and Military Programs and Services Standard

    Posted on December 24, 2010, tagged in the category of Press Release, Updates

    VETERANS AND MILITARY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

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