A new survey indicates that many student affairs professionals expect to see their responsibilities increase over the next five years in areas such as equity, diversity and inclusion, online student communications and crisis management for students, among others.
The survey by NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education released in March shows that nearly all of the 957 respondents (68, or 7%, were from public two-year colleges) expect to see an increase in responsibility in at least one area, compared to 42% who anticipate a decrease in responsibility in one area. Those who anticipate an increase in responsibility over the next five years expect the increase across an average of 19 different responsibility areas.
Whether student affairs professionals feel prepared for those expected changes is mixed. In some areas, such as more interactions with students and advising, coaching and mentoring, the participants reported they feel prepared for the increase. In other areas, such as assessment and evaluation, they feel only somewhat prepared. And in areas such as grant management, fundraising, technology and online student supports, the respondents said they feel underprepared.
