Christopher D. Valentino
Per Astera Ad Astra
Professional Competency Assessments
In the following narratives I have assessed my development in the ten professional competency areas for student affairs practitioners (ACPA & NASPA, 2010). Within these narratives I reflected upon my experiences throughout my time in Bowling Green State University’s College Student Personnel (CSP) program and have identified experiences that have developed my skills and knowledge as a student affairs practitioner.
Exemplary Competency Areas
Student Learning and Development
"The Student Learning and Development competency area addresses the concepts and principles of student development and learning theory. This includes the ability to apply theory to improve and inform student affairs practice, as well as understanding teaching and training theory and practice" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
"The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) competency area includes the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to create learning environments that are enriched with diverse views and people. It is also designed to create an institutional ethos that accepts and celebrates di!erences among people, helping to free them of any misconceptions and prejudices" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Law, Policy, and Governance
"The Law, Policy, and Governance competency area includes the knowledge, skills, and attitudes relating to policy development processes used in various contexts, the application of legal constructs, and the understanding of governance structures and their e!ect on one’s professional practice" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Proficent Competency Areas
Human and Organizational Resources
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"The Human and Organizational Resources competency area includes knowledge, skills, and attitudes used in the selection, supervision, motivation, and formal evaluation of the staff, conflict resolution, management of the politics of the organization discourse; and the effective application of strategies and techniques associated with financial resources, facilities management, fundraising, technology use, crisis management, risk management, and sustainable resources" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
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Leadership
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"The Leadership competency area addresses the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of a leader, whether it be a positional leader or a member of the staff, in both an individual capacity and within a process of how individuals work together e!ectively to envision, plan, e!ect change in organizations, and respond to internal and external constituencies and issues" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Personal Foundations
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"The Personal Foundations competency area involves the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to maintain emotional, physical, social, environmental, relational, spiritual, and intellectual wekkbess; be self-directed and self-reflective; maintain excellence and integrity in work; comfortable with ambiguity; be aware of one’s own areas of strength and growth; have a passion for work; and remain curious" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
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Ethical Professional Practice
"The Ethical Professional Practice competency area pertains to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to understand and apply ethical standards to one’s work. While ethics is an integral component of all the competency areas, this competency area focuses specifically on the integration of ethics into all aspects of self and professional practice" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Advising and Helping
"The Advising and Helping competency area addresses the knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to providing counseling and advising support, direction, feedback, critique, referral, and guidance to individuals and groups" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
Acceptable Competency Areas
Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
"The Assessment, Evaluation, and Research competency area (AER) focuses on the ability to use, design, conduct, and critique qualitative and quantitative AER analyses; to manage organizations using AER processes and the results obtained from them; and to shape the political and ethical climate surrounding AER processes and uses on campus" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
History, Philosophy, and Values
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"The History, Philosophy, and Values competency area involves knowledge, skills, and attitudes that connect the history, philosophy, and values of the profession to one’s current professional practice. This competency area embodies the foundations of the profession from which current and future research and practice will grow. The commitment to demonstrating this competency area ensures that our present and future practices are informed by an understanding of our history, philosophy, and values" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010).
References:
American College Personnel Association & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. (2010). Professional competency areas for student affairs practitioners.
Washington, DC: Authors. Retrieved from http://www.myacpa.org/pgp/principle.htm