The Division of Student Affairs recently adopted a new professional competency model, for use with all graduate students and professional staff in the Division. The purpose of the model is to provide a framework of core competencies that individual staff members can use as a basis to assess their own development and establish goals for continued growth. Similar models are used at many other institutions, and in many graduate preparation programs.

National Student Affairs professional associations, ACPA and NASPA, have also endorsed such models for professionals working in Student Affairs. The Staff Development Committee spent time this past year researching other models and developing one for use at FIU. Dr. Jones charged the Staff Development Committee with introducing this new model to all A&P staff and graduate assistants in the Division. The goal is that the use of this model will help individual staff and their supervisors focus on professional development in such a way that individuals have opportunities to strengthen their core competencies as Student Affairs professionals, and that collectively as a Division, we continue to advance in the skills and knowledge necessary to best serve our students.

A number of training sessions were held during the fall semester, and additional evaluation and follow-up is anticipated during the next couple of months. The forms can be accessed here on the Staff Development page.