Chief Student Affairs and Academic Affairs Officers' perceptions of counseling centers' value in fulfilling institutional mission

Due to an increasing need for services in a time of limited resources, counseling centers often struggle to secure resources to fund services proportionate to the level of student need. In order to secure resources, counseling centers are challenged to demonstrate that their services are as valuable in fulfilling institutional mission as those provided directly by academic affairs. The situation is further complicated with threats of services being outsourced to a lower cost provider. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences that exist between Chief Student Affairs Officers and Chief Academic Affairs Officers regarding their perceived value of counseling centers in fulfilling their institution's mission. Additionally, the study determined the differences that exist between the perceptions of Chief Student Affairs Officers and Chief Academic Affairs Officers regarding their agreement with outsourcing as a means of effectively accomplishing identified counseling center roles.;A researcher-developed survey instrument based on standard counseling center roles established by the Council for the Advancement of Standards was used to collect data from Chief Student Affairs Officers and Chief Academic Affairs Officers at institutions where the Counseling Center Director participated in the 2006 National Survey of Counseling Center Directors. Five-point Likert-type scales were used to measure respondents' perceptions of value toward counseling centers fulfilling institutional mission and agreement with outsourcing as a means of completing counseling center roles.;Analysis of the data determined that respondents valued or strongly valued the provision of the identified counseling center roles in fulfilling institutional mission. Crisis intervention was ranked as the most valuable role by the respondents. Chief Student Affairs Officers valued all counseling center roles, with the exception of crisis intervention, at a significantly higher level than Chief Academic Affairs Officers. Respondents indicated a general disagreement with outsourcing as a means of effectively accomplishing most counseling center roles and neither agreed or disagreed with outsourcing as a means of effectively fulfilling the roles of psychiatric consultation and support and psychological testing and other assessment.