Building talent pools in student affairs: A professional development model for succession planning

The nation's colleges and universities have long been challenged to recruit and retain student affairs professionals. Studies have consistently shown that attrition in the field is high, with an average student affairs professional's career spanning only six years. Researchers have suggested that professional development programs might be implemented as a tool for extending the careers of student affairs professionals.Training and development literature suggests that the most effective professional development programs are those that are designed to meet the specific strategic objectives of the implementing organization. This study sought to design such a program, based on the specific succession planning needs of the student affairs organization at one large, public university.The study site is a large research university in a multi-campus state system, in a state facing economic hardship. It is experiencing the same demographic shifts as the national trend: its workforce is aging. As many of its student affairs managers approach retirement, development of future leaders is a strategic objective for its student affairs organization.The objective of this study was to design a program for building talent pools to meet the need for student affairs leadership. The study used three mechanisms to accomplish this goal: (1) Managers who had been promoted at the site were interviewed in order to identify the credentials, competencies, and characteristics that determine which professionals reach their career aspirations. (2) Student affairs professional and management staff at the site were surveyed to establish the level of interest in, and support for, career advancement and professional development. (3) Training experts with experience administering programs for staff in the public university setting were interviewed to identify best practices in professional development.Based on the data collected, a proposal for implementing a professional development program that meets the specific needs of the student affairs organization has been produced.