CAS HESA Faculty Testimonials
KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
“Program review has a long tradition in higher education—and a distinctly different feel than a formal accreditation process. The CAS model encourages growth in student affairs/service units without muting the characteristics and contextual features that make them unique. When I teach students in graduate higher education administration/student affairs, students quickly identify CAS as a superior mode for continuous improvement over accreditation, which is increasingly accountability-driven. CAS collaborates carefully with the specific professional associations within the functional areas of student affairs offers many benefits to practitioners interested evaluating their practice. CAS promotes a developmental self-reflective process where communication and collaboration are natural consequences of the process.”
– Dr. Erica Eckert, Assistant Dean for Assessment and Accreditation at Kent State University
“I think CAS can play a huge role in helping higher education professionals to think more alike while still allowing for ample room to embrace the unique characteristics of their offices and institutions. Professionals can use CAS to identify industry-standard best practices and then use those standards to adapt and improve their own services for better results.”
– Joshua Clasen (M.Ed, May 2017)
“I plan to use CAS in my professional role as a guiding tool of standards. If given the opportunity I would like to steer the department that I work for into using CAS standards if they are not already doing so. I feel that having a a set standard allows for us not only to better serve our students, but also our university community.”
– Scott Hackett (M.Ed, May 2017)
“The CAS standards provide a resource that can be adapted and interpreted to meet the needs of an office or program within the context of their institution. With accountability becoming more and more necessary in higher education, using the CAS Standards are a beneficial way for units and programs to stay current and up to date on the standards provided by their professional association and create their own plan of self-improvement. As a current graduate student, using a tool that allows me to personalize my review and focus on my programmatic or unit needs makes me feel like I have control over the program review process and am serving my unit the best. Being able to take the standards section by section and focusing on what is a priority to me and my unit, makes self-improvement manageable while providing a way to look forward and create goals or build a plan that is realistic. The CAS Standards are a comprehensive resource that is built with individuals in mind.”
– Jill Swanson (M.Ed May, 2017)
"As my career progresses, I will look to CAS as a way to model the student and stakeholder experience for career development."
– Beth Carter (M.Ed, May 2016)
FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY
CAS has been extremely useful in teaching my graduate class. The CAS Executive Director has taken time to meet with my class to discuss the standards, but more importantly how to use them throughout your career. The students have engaged in discussion and had a more meaningful learning experience since learning about CAS. Students conduct a brief CAS assessment of a student affairs department and provide recommendations. It is these experiences that have opened their minds to how they can use CAS in their first job!
CAS has been helpful when developing a new department and helping frame documentation for new staff. For example, we used the new Sexual Violence-Related Programs and Services standard to help us shape the office. A doctoral student from Baker University conducted a CAS review and made several recommendations. This document was sent to our President’s Office who granted us funding and a new position. CAS allows administration and decision makers to see the research to make data-informed decisions. This has been tremendous in helping us shape our new office.
– Dr. Keegan Nichols, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at Fort Hays State University
“Program review has a long tradition in higher education—and a distinctly different feel than a formal accreditation process. The CAS model encourages growth in student affairs/service units without muting the characteristics and contextual features that make them unique. When I teach students in graduate higher education administration/student affairs, students quickly identify CAS as a superior mode for continuous improvement over accreditation, which is increasingly accountability-driven. CAS collaborates carefully with the specific professional associations within the functional areas of student affairs offers many benefits to practitioners interested evaluating their practice. CAS promotes a developmental self-reflective process where communication and collaboration are natural consequences of the process.”
– Dr. Erica Eckert, Assistant Dean for Assessment and Accreditation at Kent State University
“I think CAS can play a huge role in helping higher education professionals to think more alike while still allowing for ample room to embrace the unique characteristics of their offices and institutions. Professionals can use CAS to identify industry-standard best practices and then use those standards to adapt and improve their own services for better results.”
– Joshua Clasen (M.Ed, May 2017)
“I plan to use CAS in my professional role as a guiding tool of standards. If given the opportunity I would like to steer the department that I work for into using CAS standards if they are not already doing so. I feel that having a a set standard allows for us not only to better serve our students, but also our university community.”
– Scott Hackett (M.Ed, May 2017)
“The CAS standards provide a resource that can be adapted and interpreted to meet the needs of an office or program within the context of their institution. With accountability becoming more and more necessary in higher education, using the CAS Standards are a beneficial way for units and programs to stay current and up to date on the standards provided by their professional association and create their own plan of self-improvement. As a current graduate student, using a tool that allows me to personalize my review and focus on my programmatic or unit needs makes me feel like I have control over the program review process and am serving my unit the best. Being able to take the standards section by section and focusing on what is a priority to me and my unit, makes self-improvement manageable while providing a way to look forward and create goals or build a plan that is realistic. The CAS Standards are a comprehensive resource that is built with individuals in mind.”
– Jill Swanson (M.Ed May, 2017)
"As my career progresses, I will look to CAS as a way to model the student and stakeholder experience for career development."
– Beth Carter (M.Ed, May 2016)
FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY
CAS has been extremely useful in teaching my graduate class. The CAS Executive Director has taken time to meet with my class to discuss the standards, but more importantly how to use them throughout your career. The students have engaged in discussion and had a more meaningful learning experience since learning about CAS. Students conduct a brief CAS assessment of a student affairs department and provide recommendations. It is these experiences that have opened their minds to how they can use CAS in their first job!
CAS has been helpful when developing a new department and helping frame documentation for new staff. For example, we used the new Sexual Violence-Related Programs and Services standard to help us shape the office. A doctoral student from Baker University conducted a CAS review and made several recommendations. This document was sent to our President’s Office who granted us funding and a new position. CAS allows administration and decision makers to see the research to make data-informed decisions. This has been tremendous in helping us shape our new office.
– Dr. Keegan Nichols, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at Fort Hays State University