fl gym“ 3‘: .- '60 :0.“ ‘- w, "S” '_. ”"37“”? ; “:4“ ' ‘ L ”.3" ‘ ii" vgfil'w “’A}v.'¢l ‘{ $fi4“ ’ {If N"? '1. .1 ( \r 1%} ’ Pam"? l‘afifl' Tr“; 11;:1i43;;.~éifi 3%.: ruff}; J‘ ‘1 J- :‘vE-g: $112? ‘u' "a “ ‘. .um/ {Wk «Pg 'n')! I: '2 \x ‘I". n‘ .1 , gm: ‘ Ki ”#1? V 5r .3;- a I '5‘; v-s $.- -‘*t ’ . CW :‘bfi'; 3 $2: . g:\ 5!. 5.336.. 1' b It‘tfi: , y 1? . ' {a} ‘1’”? 2:20;: «5“ g, 1 . 8 . ‘ . 1*"«:x:-I:§~iw:-= .5 | ....\'.- A ""2. u”...- 73;» 7433?:73251- 477%” ' ' 3" :fp :3. q-r 3 W“ ’icgfgggo 415:4? 3:71:75 .3253 » :35.fm§r~.i¢. » "1:: Mn?" "“7 ‘11:. - .. ”" Em' --"‘ 5"”be fig” . $3153... vim.“ T MIL-.813 I‘lllllllllllllllllllllllll 1293 00896 4599 This is to certify that the dissertation entitled A STUDY OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE STUDENT AFFAIRS PROFESSION AND MID—LEVEL PROFESSIONAL ATTRITION presented by TERRY E. BORG has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Ph.D. degree in iDILCAIIQNAL ADMINISTRATION 04% Major professor Date DECEMBER 10, 1990 MS U is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution 0-12771 r v , x LIBRARY Michigan State University PLACE IN RETURN BOX to remove this checkout from your record. TO AVOID FINES return on or before date due. DATE DUE DATE DUE DATE DUE J MSU Is An Affirmative ActiorVEqual Opportunity Institution chmS-M A STUDY OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE STUDENT AFFAIRS PROFESSION AND MID-LEVEL PROFESSIONAL ATTRITION BY TERRY E. BORG A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Educational Administration 1991 ABSTRACT A STUDY OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE STUDENT AFFAIRS PROFESSION AND MID-LEVEL PROFESSIONAL ATTRITION BY Terry 3. Borg The student affairs profession may be facing a future of long- term instability in recruiting qualified practitioners. The rate of attrition from the student affairs profession, especially at the mid- level, combined with fewer students entering professional preparation programs leads to the hypothesis that a shortage of professionally prepared student affairs workers may be forthcoming. Furthermore, staffing problems become more acute when considering the goals of affirmative action and an apparent shortage of ethnic minority candidates. Those institutions striving to provide student affairs role models that proportionately represent the diversity of their student population are finding difficulty in recruiting ethnic minorities and Caucasian male candidates. The purpose of this study was to: 1) Describe the gender composition of the student affairs profession; 2) Describe the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession; 3) Identify actual reasons mid-level student affairs professionals have left the profession; 4) Identify chief student affairs officers' perceptions of the reasons for mid-level student affairs professionals' attrition: 5) Compare chief student affairs officers' perceptions of the reasons for attrition with the actual responses of leavers; and 6) Determine what occupations former mid-level student affairs professionals enter upon leaving the field. Demographic and mid-level attrition questionnaires were sent to 389 randomly selected chief student affairs officers and 69 selected former mid-level student affairs professionals. The usable sample response rate of the chief student affairs officers was 51.4%, while the former mid-level student affairs professionals provided a 31.813 return. The major conclusions of this study include: 1. There is relative gender balance in the student affairs profession. 2. Little progress has been made in increasing the racial/ethnic diversity of the profession over the past two decades. 3. Mid-level professionals continue to leave student affairs primarily due to the lack of rewarding outcomes, e.g. promotion, salary. 4. Females and males leave student affairs for similar reasons. 5. Mid-level professionals from different types of institutions leave the profession for similar reasons. 6. Chief student affairs officers are not accurately perceiving the actual reasons for attrition of mid-level staff. 7. Industry/Comerce is the largest employer of former mid-level professionals. Copyright by TERRY EDWARD BORG 1991 To my father and mother who taught me the values to live by. To Betty, Nicolas, and Kelsey who help me live these values each day. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Although this study bears my name as author, many others contributed in ways such that without them this task would have never been completed. These contributions came in many forms. Often, contributors gave without even knowing. Each of the following people share in the success of discovering and revealing the knowledge uncovered in this study. First, I wish to acknowledge and thank the members of my dissertation comittee: Dr. Louis Stamatakos - Chair, Dr. Keith Anderson, Dr. Cassandra Book, and Dr. James Studer. The support, guidance and challenge that each committee member provided throughout this learning process taught me the critical thinking skills essential for sound scholarship. I sincerely appreciate and cherish the time that we have spent together. Additionally, two former comittee members also made contributions of note. The late Dr. Richard Featherstone whose gentle guidance and caring challenged me with the questions to insure that I embarked upon the correct academic program. Dr. Lee Meadows who has provided personal support and academic guidance in the study of organizational development. The methodology employed in this study was expedited through the contributions of David Byelich and Dr. William Latta of Michigan vi State University's Office of Planning and Budgets. Their willingness to share their knowledge provided an invaluable assistance in the accessing and the learning of higher education data bases. Their assistance was critical in the development of the sampling frame. The practical application of statistics to this study posed one of the greatest challenges in establishing generalizability. The assistance I received from the following statistics consultants provided the foundation from which generalizability was demonstrated: Jim McBride, Mike Keefe, Lois Smith, and Terri Vealey. Technical computer support was critical in managing the data bases required to select a stratified random sample and to accomplish the statistical manipulations of data. Primary in providing this support were Rob Case, Dr. Edward Ingraham, Sue Rose, Mark Schloegel, and Mary Sheridan of Lyman Briggs School. Each of these individuals made significant contribuitons in teaching me how to more effectively utilize my high tech resources. Under the chairmanship of D. David Ostroth, the American College Personnel Association's Comission I was instrumental in the success of this project through the establishment of the Demographics of the Profession Task Force. The sponsorship of this task force provided credibility and financial support to this study. The support staff of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Services, and University Housing Programs at Michigan State University assisted in the essential activities of typing, photocopying, and the collecting of the survey returns. The assistance giving by Barbara McWilliams and Charis Linklater was vii very appreciated. In addition to the above friends who contributed directly to the efforts of this dissertation, other friends provided additional support, energy and encouragement to complete this study. Many people have urged me on over the years. For these friends I will be eternally grateful: Carolyn Arthur, Laura Ashlee, Sandy Conner, Bob Godfrey, Julie Goebel, Mary Haas, Cindy Helman, Paul Landen, Kate Murphy, Barbara Palombi, Rodney Patterson, Roger Serr, and Jim Wall. Finally, I wish to acknowledge the most important people who contributed to this academic exercise. These people are my family. The two people who taught me the importance of always striving for excellence and always finishing what you start, my mother and father, Blsie and Demetry Borg. The two people who encouraged patience, understanding, and support, my in-laws, Doris and Barney Zonkers. The two children who often wondered what is daddy's project and when will it be done so he can play, my son and daughter, Nicolas and Kelsey. The one person who has carried the heaviest load, often being a single parent of two children, spending many hours alone, making excuses to friends and sacrificing many leisure-time activities so I could get the deed done, my best friend, my wife, Betty. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES xiii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 Background of the Study 1 The Problem 5 Need for the Study 8 Purpose 11 Research Questions 11 Testable Hypotheses 12 METHODOLOGY 13 Population 13 Research Design 14 Definition of Terms 16 Limitations 17 Organization of the Study 18 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 20 Introduction 20 Demographics of the Student Affairs Profession 20 Job Satisfaction and Motivation Theory 29 Job Satisfaction in Student Affairs 34 Attrition in the Student Affairs Profession 36 Summary 45 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH DESIGN, METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES OF THE STUDY 46 Introduction 46 Purpose 46 Research Questions 47 Testable Hypotheses 48 Development of the Instrument 48 Population and Sample 51 Procedures and Collection of Data 53 Data Analysis 55 Summary 58 ix CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS OF DATA Introduction Purpose of the Study Analysis of Respondents Rates of Response to the Survey: Chief Student Affairs Officers Representativeness of Respondents: Chief Student Affairs Officers Conclusions Regarding Response Rates and Representativeness: Chief Student Affairs Officers Rates of Response to the Survey: Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals Representativeness of Respondents: Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals Findings of the Demographic Survey Gender Composition of the Student Affairs Profession Racial/Ethnic Composition of the Student Affairs Profession Findings of the Attrition Survey Introduction Responses of Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals: Reasons for Attrition Responses of Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals: Gender Differences in Attrition Responses of Former Hid-Level Student Affairs Professionals: Racial/Ethnic Differences in Attrition Responses of Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals: Institutional Control and Type Differences in Attrition Responses of Chief Student Affairs Officers: Perceived Reasons for Attrition Responses of Chief Student Affairs Officers: Within Group Testing Comparison of Responses to the Attrition Survey: Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals to Chief Student Affairs Officers Comparison of Responses to the Attrition Survey: Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals to a Select Group of Chief Student Affairs Officers Comparison of Responses to the Attrition Survey - Most Liked Aspects of Mid-Level Student Affairs Positions: Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals to Chief Student Affairs Officers 60 6O 6O 61 61 65 71 72 73 73 73 75 77 77 78 79 85 85 91 94 96 103 106 Comparison of Responses to the Attrition Survey - Least Liked Aspects of Mid-Level Student Affairs Positions: Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals to Chief Student Affairs Officers Occupations After Student Affairs Other Findings of the Attrition Survey Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals Personal Characteristics: Career Path Findings The Role of Job Enlargement/Job Enrichment Programs in the Retention of Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals Summary CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Introduction SUMMARY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDY The Problem Need for the Study Purpose Research Questions Testable Hypotheses Population Research Design MAJOR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS Research Question Research‘Question Research Question Research Question Research Question Research Question Research Question Research Question mflGthNI-J Other Findings: Personal Characteristics of Career Path Other Findings: Job Enlargement/Job Enrichment; An Alternative in Reducing Attrition RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY APPENDICES: APPENDIX A: APPENDIX B: APPENDIX C: APPENDIX D: APPENDIX E: APPENDIX F: Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Survey Chief Student Affairs Officer' Transmittal Letter Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Transmittal Letter Coding Sheet Business Reply Envelop xi 108 111 113 113 115 120 123 123 123 123 126 128 128 129 130 132 133 133 135 137 140 142 143 145 151 153 155 156 161 167 175 183 184 185 186 APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX APPENDIX LIST OF REFERENCES J: K: L: M: N: O: P: Q: Chief Student Affairs Officer's Follow-up Letter Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Follow-up letter Membership of the American College Personnel Association Commission I Task Force on the Demographics of the Profession Doctoral Dissertation Committee Pre-test Groups National Association of Student Personnel Administrator's Regions-States List Table 28: Degree of Consideration Given to Attritional Reasons Letter of Permission for Use of Shaw's Survey Instrument Tables 29 8 30: Gender Composition of the Student Affairs Profession 1972 8 1974 Tables 31 & 32: Racial/Ethnic Composition of the Student Affairs Profession 1970, 1972, c 1974 Table 33: Attritional Data from Shaw's (1970) Study xii 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 197 198 199 200 202 Table 1: Table 2: Table 3: Table 4: Table 5: Table 6: Table 7: Table 8: Table 9: Table 10: Table 11: Table 12: Table 13: LIST OF TABLES Fall Enrollments (All Levels) by Gender (1987) and Racial/Ethnic (1986) Classification Response Rates of All Institutions Response Rates by Institutional Affiliation/Control Response Rates by Institutional Type All Institutions Distribution by NASPA Regions Institutional Affiliation/Control Public 5 Private Distribution of Respondents by NASPA Regions Institutional Type Two Year a Four Year Distribution of Respondents by NASPA Regions Comparison of Gender and Racial/Ethnic Composition: Student Affairs Profession to 1980 United States Census Population Data A Comparison of the Racial/Ethnic Composition of the Student Affairs Profession at Private Colleges and Universities 1988 and 1977 Gender Composition of the Student Affairs Profession Racial/Ethnic Composition of the Student Affairs Profession by Institutional Control/Affiliation and Type The Three Major Factors Influencing a Mid-Level Professional's Decision to Leave the Student Affairs Profession Gender Comparison of Degree of Consideration Given to Attritional Reasons by Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals xiii 28 63 64 64 66 67 67 69 70 74 76 80 82 Table Table Table Table Table Table Table Table Table Table Table Table Table 14: 15: 16: 17: 18: 19: 20: 21: 22: 23: 25: 26: Degree of Consideration Given to Attritional Reasons by Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals Stratified by Institutional Control and Type 86 Chief Student Affairs Officers' Perceptions of the Three Major Factors Influencing a Mid-Level Professional’s Decision to Leave the Student Affairs Profession 93 Comparison of Responses of Chief Student Affairs Officers who identified former mid-level professionals to Chief Student Affairs Officers who provided no usable former mid-level professional information on the Reasons for Attrition 95 Comparison of Responses of A11 Responding Chief Student Affairs Officers to Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals on the Reasons for Attrition 98 The Three Major Factors Influencing a Mid-Level Professional's Decision to Leave the Student Affairs Profession 100 Comparison of Responses of Select Chief Student Affairs Officers who identified the Former Mid-Level Professionals to Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals on the Reasons for Attrition 104 The Three Most Liked Aspects of a Mid-Level Student Affairs Position 107 The Three Least Liked Aspects of a Mid-Level Student Affairs Position 109 Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals Current Economic Sector of Employment 111 Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional Current Position Title by Economic Sector 112 Mean Years Worked in Different Types of Higher Education Institutions 114 Mean Years Wbrked in Higher Education Institutions by Student Population (Headcount) 115 The Effect of Job Enlargement/Enrichment Programs on the Retention of Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals 116 xiv Table Table Table Table Table Table Table 27: 28: 29: 30: 31: 32: 33: Chi Square Test of Job Enlargement and Job Enrichment Programs: A Comparison of the Responses of Chief Student Affairs Officers to the Responses of Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals Degree of Consideration Given to Attritional Reasons Gender Composition of the Student Affairs Profession - 1972 s 1974 Gender Composition of the Student Affairs Profession by Institutional Control/Affiliation and Type - 1974 Racial/Ethnic Composition of the Student Affairs Profession - 1970, 1972, a 1974 Racial/Ethnic Composition of the Student Affairs Profession by Institutional Control/Affiliation and Type - 1974 Reasons for Attrition Among Selected Former Student Personnel Werkers (Shaw, 1970) XV 119 193 198 198 199 199 200 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Wfimm Ernest 1» Boyer's 92113.99. the W W is America (1987) identified eight points of tension which appeared with such regularity on campuses across the United States, that these conflicts diminished ”the vitality of the baccalaureate experience" (p. 2). Of specific relevance to the student affairs profession is the tension between the curricular and cocurricular where "a great separation, sometimes to the point of isolation, between academic and social life on campus" exists (Boyer, 1987, p. 50. Boyer (1987) contends that many faculty and academic administrators intentionally "distance themselves from student life and appear to be confused about their obligations in nonacademic matters" (p. 5). Historically, the functions associated with student life outside of the classroom were performed by the trustees, administrators and faculty of early American higher education institutions. The colonial period's ‘Collegiate Way of Life' (Rudolph, 1962) maintained, "What the student did before, after, and between his academic studies was viewed as important, perhaps even paramount, to the educational mission involved" (Miller & Prince, 1983, p. 5). Delworth and Hanson (1980) identified three major themes which explain the relinquishing of academic personnel involvement in the cocurricular. These are (l) the shift in emphasis from religious to secular concerns, (2) the expansion in size and complexity of institutions, and (3) the shift in faculty focus from student development to academic interests (Delworth & Hanson, 1980, p.4). The post-Civil War period was characterized by an America with a growing population, rapid industrial expansion, and new federal legislation promoting public higher education. As a result of these historical developments, higher education's mission broadened to include the development of a more comprehensive curriculum along with a more diverse student body. Faculty preparation and background also changed during this period. A. growing' number’ of faculty pursued graduate study at German institutions where they were introduced to scholarly research grounded in the scientific method. In the German system, faculty showed little interest 5J1 students' activities beyond the classroom, an attitude often reflected by American faculty returning from study in Europe. Although American institutions were influenced in varying degrees by these changes, the prestigious, complex institutions were affected most. It was at these institutions where the student affairs field emerged (Sandeen, 1987, p. 3). In the early twentieth century college presidents began to appoint a person on campus whose responsibilities included "academic advising, personal, housing, and conduct matters” (Sandeen, 1984). This person came from the ranks of the faculty and usually had the title of dean. The events of World War I and WOrld War II had a dramatic impact on the student life operations at most campuses. Advances in testing and measurement of recruits made during Werld War I were applied to students on college campuses, giving rise to the areas of admissions, registration, counseling and placement programs. The post-World War II period witnessed the unprecedented growth and expansion of higher education in American history primarily due to the demand for further education fueled by the G.I. Bill. As the need for student life programs increased, professional associations and training programs were established, national conferences occurred, standards of practice were developed and a literature began to emerge (Sandeen, 1984). It was from these beginnings that the student affairs profession began to take shape. The initial fundamental mission of student affairs was to provide direct services to students. ”Student services emerged and evolved by default, by taking over necessary and sometimes unpopular tasks abandoned by trustees, administrators, and faculty" (Delworth & Hanson, 1980, p. 3). Functions such as housing, student discipline, health programs, and counseling were merged into student affairs divisions. By 1966, the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare identified nineteen student services functions (Ayers, Tripp, & Russel, 1966, p. 112) that were common in most institutions of higher education. The scope of functions associated with the student services field has continued to expand. In 1986, the Council for the Advancement of Standards for Student Services/Development Programs (CAS) identified some twenty-two functional areas of a student affairs program. The CAS list includes: academic advising, career planning and placement, college unions, commuter student programs and services, counseling services, disabled student services, fraternity and sorority advising, housing and residential life programs, judicial programs and services, learning assistance programs, minority student programs and services, recreational sports, religious programs, research and. evaluation, student activities, student orientation programs, college health programs, international educational exchange programs, admissions, food service programs, intercollegiate athletics, and campus child care (Council for the Advancement of Standards, 1986). Comparing the functions listed in 1966 to 1986, some areas have been merged (e.g. residence halls with married housing) or new titles have been provided (e.g. nursing services and medical services are now entitled college health programs), however five new functions have emerged. These new areas are minority student programs and services, research and evaluation, campus child care, comuter student programs and services, and disabled student services. CAS maintains that professional staff members are needed to operate the student services functional areas. The recsmmended standards make it explicitly clear that in most functional areas the person holding the director position, or its equivalent, must possess an earned graduate degree in a student affairs related curriculum (to be defined below) (Council for the Advancement of Standards, 1986). In summary, contemporary higher education can be characterized by a division between the curricular and co-curricular. Although academic staff originally carried out the student life functions at early American colleges, these functions were delegated to others when higher education institutions became secularized, more complex and comprehensive in nature, and began placing a higher value on faculty research. The co-curricular functional areas, i.e. student services, have developed into the student affairs profession. The Problem Given the reports of recent observers, the student affairs profession may be facing a future of long-term instability in recruiting qualified practitioners (Burns, 1982; Harder, 1983; Holmes, Verrier, 8 Chisholm, 1983; Keim, 1985; Rickard, 1985b). The rate of attrition from the student affairs profession (Bender, 1980; Holmes et al., 1983) combined with the reduction of students entering professional preparation programs (Rickard, 1985b), leads to the hypothesis that a shortage of professionally prepared student affairs workers may be on the horizon. Furthermore, staffing problems become more acute when one considers the goals of affirmative action, e.g. representation of ethnic minorities and women at all organizational levels, and what appears to be a shortage of ethnic minority candidates. Additionally, those institutions striving to provide student affairs role models that proportionately represent the diversity of their student population are not only finding difficulty in recruiting ethnic minorities, but also white male candidates. Recognizing the concern that a shortage of professionally prepared student affairs workers may be on the horizon and that this deficit is heightened as qualified ethnic minority role models are sought, one must be knowledgeable of the gender and racial/ethnic composition of the current student affairs profession. The most recent national demographic study of the student affairs profession surveying the membership of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) was conducted in 1974 (Wilson, 1977). Other demographic studies since that time have been limited to literature reviews (Gross, 1978), regional studies (Harter, Moden, & Wilson, 1982), housing organizations (Welty, 1982), graduate preparation programs (Aronson, Bennett, Moore, & Moore, 1985; Keim, 1985: Rickard, 1985b) and by position levels (Rickard, 1985a; Rickard, 1985b). None of these studies provides a current and accurate assessment of the gender and the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession. This assessment is needed to evaluate the impact of contemporary attritional concerns raised regarding the composition of the student affairs profession. One of the student affairs profession's major concerns regarding attrition is the loss of its mid-level professionals. The Council for the Advancement of Standards, 1986, holds that it is important for those holding director level positions, i.e. mid-level positions, to be professionally trained and have earned a graduate degree in a student affairs related curriculum. Recent studies (Bender, 1980; Burns, 1982; Holmes et al., 1983) have revealed that it is precisely at this level of position that professionally trained and educated staff have left the student affairs profession. The issue of attrition of mid-level student affairs professionals becomes more complex when considering the gender and racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession. In this situation, the loss of a trained professional from the field may create a void in providing an available role model for a special student population. Furthermore, attrition of mid-level student affairs professionals could create a situation where an institution may be unable to recruit and/or retain a specific racial/ethnic group or gender representation on its campus due to the lack of candidates. Ultimately attrition could translate into unmet affirmative action goals resulting 511 a less diverse professional staff. Studies conducted to determine the reasons for attrition from the student affairs profession have been of a limited regional, professional association, or institutional nature and have not been directed at the mid-level professional. Generally these studies have concluded ‘that people leave the student affairs profession because there is (1) little opportunity for advancement (Bender, 1980; Harder, 1983; Ostroth, Efird, & Lerman, 1984; Evans, 1988), (2) professional burnout (Arnold, 1982; Forney & Wiggers, 1984; Spicuzza, Baskind, & Woodside, 1984) and (3) low salary (Badders and Sawyer, 1982; Badders and Sawyer 1983). The one study (Shaw, 1970) conducted on what can be construed as mid-level professionals (limited to the member institutions of NASPA), was conducted in a very' different. period in the history of higher education where growth, not retrenchment, was being experienced. It appears that administrative and faculty positions in colleges and universities were in far greater availability in the early 1970's (Grant & Foy, 1972) than is currently the case. Thus, the literature is limited, especially with respect to mid-level positions, in providing information regarding attrition from the student affairs profession. In addition to the limited information provided in the literature regarding attrition of mid-level professionals, there is also a void regarding chief student affairs Officers' perceptions of the reasons for attrition. There appears to be no published studies reporting on chief student affairs Officers' perceptions of why professionals are leaving the student affairs field at any level, or specifically leaving the mid-level. A comparison of chief student affairs Officers' perceptions with those who have left the profession could inform the profession of the similarities and disparities in their perceptions. Information that might be used to reduce attrition for example, through job enrichment and/or job enlargement strategies could be forthcoming from such an examination of perceptions and misperceptions. In conclusion, various authors have raised concerns regarding the future stability of the student affairs profession given an increasing attrition rate, especially at the mid-level position, and a reduction in matriculants of student affairs preparation programs. The current demographic, i.e. gender and racial/ethnic, composition of the student affairs profession is unclear given that a national study has not been conducted in the past fifteen years. Additionally, the student affairs literature is lacking in providing the reasons for and the perceptions of mid-level professional attrition. mg 19.: 3312 F339! Given the field's high rate of attrition (Bender, 1980; Holmes et al., 1983) and the reduction of students entering professional preparation programs in student affairs (Rickard, 1985b), the information gleaned from this study may be used to increase the retention of current mid-level professionals in the field. The implications for the profession drawn from this study's findings may have long range effects in the areas of job satisfaction and motivation for mid-level professionals. Furthermore, a study of this nature is needed to test the following assumptions often verbalized by members of the profession and/or noted in the literature: 1) Females greatly outnumber males in the student affairs profession. In order to establish gender balance, more males are needed in the profession. 2) There is not enough racial/ethnic diversity in the profession. Institutions of higher education committed to affirmative action goals are finding it very difficult to recruit minority candidates with appropriate training into student affairs positions. 3) Student affairs professionals are generally leaving the field due to the lack of opportunity for advancement and the lack of financial remuneration. 4) Chief student affairs officers are accurately perceiving the reasons for attrition from the mid-level student affairs professional ranks. 5) Organizational development tools such as job enlargement and job enrichment strategies will motivate potential leavers from the student affairs profession to remain in the field. Testing of the above assumptions will provide new information to the student affairs profession regarding the composition of the 10 profession, attrition from the profession, applicability of organizational development motivation theories relevant to the student affairs profession, and retention programs. Programs directed at attaining gender and racial/ethnic diversity in the profession, as well as retaining mid-level student affairs professionals, could achieve higher levels of performance from the understandings derived from this study. Finally, this study is needed to strengthen the literature, given its inadequacy to address the questions related to mid-level attrition from the student affairs profession. The literature on attrition from the student affairs profession has addressed all position levels generically and has been drawn from limited samples and populations. These studies (Bender, 1980; Burns, 1982; Holmes et al., 1983) therefore have limited generalizability. A large scale representational study is needed to provide information from actual leavers which can then be applied to most types of public and private two-year and four-year institutions of higher education. National concern over the issues of mid-level student affairs professional attrition, as well as concern for the recruitment and retention of gender and ethnically/racially diverse student affairs professional staffs precipitated this study. As a reflection of this concern, the American College Personnel Association's (ACPA) Commission I initiated a task force to study the demographics of the profession; this task force has partially funded this study. The findings and the implications for the ‘ profession drawn from this study will be reported nationally to assist individual institutions 11 of higher education and the profession as a whole in the pursuit of reducing mid-level student affairs professional attrition and making aware the current demographic composition of the student affairs profession. EEIEQEQ The purpose of this study is six-fold: 1) To describe the gender composition of the student affairs profession at all levels; 2) To describe the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession at all levels; 3) To identify the actual reasons mid- level student affairs professionals have left the profession; 4) To identify chief student affairs officers' perceptions of the reasons for mid-level student affairs professionals' decisions to leave the jprofession; 5) To compare chief student. affairs officers' perceptions of the reasons for attrition with the actual responses of leavers; and 6) To determine what occupations former mid-level student affairs professionals enter once leaving the field. mm This study sought to answer the following questions: 1) What is the gender composition of the student affairs profession? 2) What is the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession? 3) Why do mid-level student affairs professionals leave the field? 4) Do females leave the student affairs profession for 12 different reasons than males? (This question is responded to by Testable Hypothesis I.) 5) Do people of different racial/ethnic origins leave the student affairs profession for different reasons? (This question is responded to by Testable Hypothesis II.) 6) Do mid-level student affairs professionals leave different types of institutions for different reasons? (This question is responded to by Testable Hypothesis III.) 7) Are chief student affairs officers accurately perceiving the reasons which motivate mid-level student affairs professionals to leave the student affairs profession? (This question is responded to by Testable Hypothesis IV.) 8) What occupations do former' mid-level student affairs professionals enter once leaving the field? we Mass; The analysis of this study has tested the following null hypotheses: Hull Hypothesis I: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by gender in response to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. Hull Hypothesis II: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by race or ethnic origin in response to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. Null Hypothesis III: No difference in reasons for mid- level professionals leaving the student affairs profession will be found by the type of institution (public and private, two year and four year) in response to the mid- level student affairs attrition study instrument. 13 Hull Hypothesis IV: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by comparing chief student affairs officers' and former mid-level student affairs professionals' responses to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. METHODOLOGY u a n The subjects for this study were selected through a three step process. The first step was to select a random sample of the nation's two year and four year, public and private, universities and colleges. Identification of that sample was sought from the most complete available listing of those institutions, i.e. the Higher; Negation general 1319;513:191; mm 1285—54 (M)° Using the m, lists of colleges and universities were grouped into National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Regions. Within each NASPA Region the institutions were stratified by type, i.e. two year, four year, and then by affiliation/control, i.e. public, private. Due to the constraints of financial resources and time, the size of the sample was arbitrarily set at a ten percent minimum for each identified subgroup. In subgroups where a ten percent sample did not provide a minimum of sixty institutions, a larger percent was selected. The size of the sample population for this study was 389 institutions, which was approximately twelve percent of the total population. If an institution chosen for the sample was listed in the m but not in the m 1288 Higher W W (Torregrosa, 1988) another institution within its stratified group was chosen to replace it utilizing a random l4 selection process. The second step of this process was to identify the chief student affairs officers at the sample institutions through using the the 331 mg Higher ggugagign W. Once identified, a demographic and attrition survey was mailed to each chief student affairs officer. Part of this survey requested that each chief student affairs officer identify by name, address, and telephone number two former mid-level student affairs professionals who met the following criteria: (1) was awarded a graduate or professional degree in a student affairs related curriculum, (2) held an associate or assistant or director position responsible for direction, control, or supervision of one or more student affairs functions or staff, (3) was no longer carrying out a basic student affairs function, (4) left the student affairs profession in the past five years, and (5) had reasons for attrition that excluded death, retirement or temporary leave. The surveying of former mid-level student affairs professionals constituted the third step of this process. Each former mid-level student affairs professional, identified by a chief student affairs officer, was mailed a demographic and attrition survey. magma Procedurally, this study had four phases: 1) Based on the review of the literature, two questionnaires were developed by the author and pre-tested by a select group of current and former student affairs professionals 15 (Appendix K). One questionnaire was completed by the chief student affairs officer, and the other completed by the former mid-level student affairs professional. The questionnaires were modified from the survey designed in the Shaw (1970) study. 2) A survey instrument was mailed to the chief student affairs officers of the institutions identified in the sample which requested demographic information about the institution's student affairs division, the chief student affairs officer’s perceptions as to why mid-level personnel are leaving the student affairs profession, and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of former mid-level student affairs professionals. 3) Those former student affairs professionals identified by the chief student affairs officers were then solicited to complete a different survey instrument which sought to secure demographic data, their actual reasons for leaving the student affairs profession, and their present occupation. 4) The information collected in this study was initially analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics. Frequency distributions, means, and percentages were used for this analysis. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version x (SPSSX) was used. The t-test and the chi-square statistic were employed as the analytical statistical process whereby answers were derived for the research questions and support or non-support was determined for each hypothesis. 16 Densities 22 Terms 1) M 3.3.3113. is a major administrative subdivision, e.g. Vice President for Student Affairs, within postsecondary education institutions concerned with the provision of student programs and services which complement and supplement the classroom- teaching mission of these institutions (Miller a Prince, 1976). 2) Mi§;1ggg1 pggfigggignal refers to those individuals in an associate or assistant or director position, responsible for the direction, control, or supervision of one or more student affairs functions and staff. Such functions may include but are not limited to co-curricular programs, residence hall programs, counseling, financial aid, testing, records, admissions, unions, orientation, and career planning and placement (Kane, 1982; Scott, 1978; Sherburne, 1970). For the purposes of this study these professionals must have earned a graduate or professional degree in a student affairs related curriculum. 3) 29:93; migzlgggl student gffiaigg pggfesgional refers to one who has met the criteria for a student affairs mid-level professional and is not carrying out a basic student affairs function. The reason for attrition from the profession must exclude retirement, temporary leave, and death. To be considered eligible for the purposes of this study an individual must not have left the profession before 1983. 4) SEER: gtuggn; gfjgigg gffiggg refers to the chief student life administrator on campus responsible for the direction of student life programs, i.e. student affairs division (Torregrosa, 1988). 5) M refers to a gradual decrease in the number of 17 members of a particular group for various reasons (Wills, 1983). For the purposes of this study attrition refers to those individuals who are no longer carrying out a basic student affairs function for reasons other than death, retirement, or temporary leave. 6) W refers to an individual's frame of reference formed by experience and upon which judgments are made (Kane, 1982). 7) M m; curriculum refers to a regionally accredited, e.g. North Central, program of professional or graduate education which culminates in the awarding of a graduate or professional degree ‘that examines one or more of the following emphases of professional preparation; (1) student development emphasis, (2) administrative emphasis, and/or (3) counseling emphasis (Council for the Advancement of Standards for Student Services/Development Programs, 1986, p. 103). Limitations This study was conducted with the following limitations: 1) The response rate to the questionnaire was important. A small number of responses limits generalizability, therefore a follow-up mailing was implemented to secure as high a return rate as possible. 2) The questionnaires were a self-reporting instrument and their validity is limited by the perceptions and the interpretations of the respondents and the clarity of the questions asked. 3) Since institutions vary in size and organizational structure, the former mid-level student affairs professionals to be 18 surveyed may not have held identical functions even though their titles were similar (Kane, 1982). 4) This study included only those former mid-level student affairs professionals who had been awarded a graduate or professional degree in a student affairs related curriculum, held an associate or assistant or director position responsible for direction, control, or supervision of one or more student affairs functions or staff, was no longer carrying out a basic student affairs function, had left the student affairs profession in the past five years, and had reasons for attrition that excluded death, retirement or temporary leave. W sf m aim The report of this study was organized into five chapters, appendices, and a list of references. Chapter One served as an introduction. by’ providing’ background to the study, defining the problem, establishing the need for this study, listing the purpose, research questions, and testable hypotheses. Chapter One also provided an overview of the research methodology employed, defined the terms used in the study, stated the study's limitations, and explained the organization of the report. Chapter Two consists of a review of the pertinent literature related to the demographic composition of the student affairs profession, job satisfaction and motivation, and attrition in the student affairs field. Chapter Three contains the design and the research methodology employed in the study. 19 Chapter Four provides the presentation of the data. Also in this chapter is the analysis and interpretation of the data. Chapter Five contains a summary of the study's findings, a presentation and disposition of the study's hypotheses, conclusions drawn from the findings, implications for the profession, and recomendations for further study. CHAPTER TWO REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE W This chapter is devoted to a review of the literature pertinent to the demographic composition of the student affairs profession, job satisfaction and motivation theory, and attrition from mid-level student affairs professional positions. For the purpose of achieving clarity in ‘the presentation of the literature, this chapter is divided into four major sections. The first section of this chapter is a review of the literature examining the demographic composition of the student affairs profession. The second section includes a brief review of job satisfaction and motivation theory from an organizational behavior perspective. The third section reports on studies related to job satisfaction in the student affairs profession. In the final section, studies related to the general area of attrition in the student affairs profession and the major reasons cited for its existence are presented. The chapter concludes with a brief sumary. mummmw The first of a group of studies regarding ethnic minority and female representation in the student affairs profession using the total membership of a professional association as a sample population was completed in 1970. The National Association of Student Personnel 20 21 Administrator's (NASPA) Division of Research and Program Development began collecting baseline data in that year under the direction of James R. Appleton (1971). Similar studies were replicated by NASPA in 1972 and 1974, and were reported by Myers and Sandeen (1973) and Wilson (1977), respectively. These later studies were broadened to include the minority classifications of Oriental, American Indian, and women, in addition to the Blacks and Spanish surnamed (Mexican- Latin Americans) that were initially surveyed in 1970. Wilson (1977) summarized: Overall, the percentage of professional staff who were women increased from 39% in 1972 to 42% in 1974. Slight gains also were made in the percentages of leadership positions held by women. The percentage of institutions which had staff employed in women's programs decreased as did the percentage which had staff employed in special programs for minority students. The percentage of professional staff who were minority persons increased from 11% to 13.7% between 1970 and 1972, but this trend did not continue in 1974. However, the percentage of institutions with no minority professional staff had declined by 1974. In all three years Black staff comprised 9% of the professional staff. In 1974, Spanish- Surnamed staff ranked second (2.08%), Oriental staff third (1.09%), and American Indian staff fourth (.53%) (p. 66). Cross (1978) conducted a review of the literature on characteristics of student affairs professionals. His review of thirty-three studies on student affairs workers and other college staff were compared on the five characteristics of gender, ethnicity, age, academic degree, and marital status. Of relevance to this study were his conclusions on gender and ethnicity. Gross found that men held a disproportionate amount of positions in the student affairs profession as compared to women; 82% to 100% of the chief student affairs officers were men; 42% to 55% of the newly hired staff and 22 entry level positions went to men; and 42% to 81% of the department heads were men. Racial composition of the profession was found to be overwhelmingly Caucasian. The studies Gross reviewed usually limited the definition of minority race to include Black, Oriental, American Indian, and those with Spanish-surnames. Some of the studies excluded Asians as a minority, so the following data may have under reported the actual case. Gross reported that the literature indicated that an uneven distribution of minority persons existed in the profession depending on the position. He also reported that a preference existed for persons of majority over minority status in chief student affairs officers positions (4% to 5% minority). Finally, the studies reviewed indicated that a trend for increased minority involvement in the profession may be forthcoming since there was a higher proportion of minorities among new student affairs graduates (9% to 16% minority), among those in staff positions (11% to 24% minority), and among those in entry-level positions (11% to 14% minority). Gross concluded, given the data on sex and ethnicity especially with respect to chief student affairs officer's positions, "This suggests that systematic biases exclude women and minorities from proportional representation in the highest levels of student personnel hierarchies..." (p. 234). Harter, Moden, and Wilson (1982) conducted a census and analysis of women and minority professional staff in student affairs. The sample population of the study was Region IV-East of NASPA due to its large number of diverse institutions. The authors compared the 23 survey results with that of general population figures of the seven state region and found that student affairs divisions in this NASPA region employed a greater proportion of ethnic minorities than were represented in the general population. Additionally, the proportion of male and female student affairs workers reflected precisely the proportion in the general population. The authors categorized student affairs functions and attempted to report on the proportion of minorities, women, and men in each, however, Harter, Moden and Wilson cautioned that their results were suspect given that some respondents inadvertently included non-professional staff. The authors also examined the supply side of credentialed minority and female candidates for student affairs positions. They found that the supply of credentialed minority graduates from which student affairs can draw is small. "The potential for recruiting minorities credentialed as specialists is even further eroded given the fact that higher education must compete with other segments of society for qualified candidates" (p. 47). Harter et a1. (1982) concluded that given the relatively low minority representation in both master's and doctoral programs nationally and the underrepresentation of women in doctoral programs, staffing patterns in student affairs will change little in the future. Welty's (1982) findings in a study of the number of minority group members employed in college and university housing programs for the Association for College and University Housing Officers International (ACUHO-I) Research and Information Committee, contrast with the conclusions of Harter et al. (1982). In a survey of 512 24 ACUHO-I member institutions it was found that the percentage range of minority professional employees in ‘the functions of the central housing office, student personnel, and food service increased in the period of 1975-80 when compared to 1970-75. Although the percentage of minority professionals increased, the actual number has remained stable in this five year period. Welty also noted that the number of minority nonprofessional employees hired has continued to rise for this same period. Harter's et a1. (1982) examination of the supply side of credentialed minority and female candidates for student affairs positions are brought into question by Aronson, Bennett, Moore and Moore (1985). Harter et al. (1982) drew their conclusions regarding minority representation in graduate school from national data supplied by the American Council on Education, 1.28; 2395, m1; Lgr Mr W. Aronson's et al. (1985) survey of 137 graduate preparation programs in college student personnel revealed that schools in the southern states experienced an increase in master's degrees awarded to members of minority groups, while programs in other parts of the country showed no significant increases. Aronson et a1. (1985) reports that minority group graduates in student affairs increased from 17% of all graduates from 1976 to 1979, to 23% of all graduates in 1983. Thus, the trend from this study indicated that more ethnic minorities are graduating given increasing numbers in the south and no noted decrease in other parts of the United States. At the American College Personnel Association convention in 1985 25 two presentations were made concerning the demographics of the profession. Marybelle C. Rockey Keim (1985) reported on the demographics of graduate preparation programs in student affairs from 1973-1984. Scott T. Rickard (1985b) in a separate session presented his demographic data of graduate preparation programs as well as data on those who hold chief student affairs officer and director level positions. Both Keim (1985) and Rickard (1985b) agree that at the graduate preparation program level, the percentage of women enrolled in these programs has increased significantly. Furthermore, there is a decline in the number of men enrolled in graduate programs in student affairs at all degree levels. For example, Keim (1985) reported that in the 1983-1984 academic year, men made up 35.4% of the masters students, 43.2% of the specialist degree students, and 46.2% of the doctoral students. Eleven years earlier the percentages for the above degree levels were 54.4%, 57.9%, and 70.2%, respectively. While the percentages of males participating in graduate programs has decreased and females increased, the number of graduate students enrolled in these preparation programs has also declined significantly. Keim (1985) reported that in 1972-1973 2,586 masters students, 242 specialist degree students, and 966 doctoral students were enrolled in graduate preparation programs. In 1983- 1984 the enrollment figures declined to 1,974 masters students, 75 specialist degree students, and 852 doctoral students. While concurring with Keim's findings of the graduate student population, Rickard (1985b) gave a broader focus to the profession by reporting on the number of females and males at the chief student 26 affairs officer's and director's levels. Rickard ( 1985b) reported that although white female representation of both graduate students as well as graduates at the masters and doctoral level in student affairs preparation. programs was from 42% to 56%, white female representation at the director level was 23% and 14% at the chief student affairs officer level. While Rickard was very concerned about the long-term. effects of the lack of males entering the profession, he viewed the current trend of an increased presence of white females in mid and upper level positions allowing for new voices to be heard, increasing the vitality of the profession through diversity of thought. Rickard also took issue with Harter et al. (1982). Rickard's profile of masters and doctoral graduates from 1979-80 to 1982-83 indicated that white females were the dominant group at the masters and doctoral level. Rickard found that 55% of the masters and 42% of the doctoral graduates were white females, 33% of the masters and 36% of doctoral graduates were white males, 5% of the masters and 10% of the doctoral graduates were minority males, and 7% of the masters and 12% of doctoral graduates were minority females. Rickard maintained that the staffing patterns in student affairs were changing; there was no underrepresentation of women in the profession. In fact, the author contended, the trend is a continued feminization of the student affairs field. The feminization of the student affairs profession has been further documented by McEwen, Engstrom, and Williams (1990). In this study, the authors sought. gender data from graduate preparation programs, professional associations and perceptions of student 27 affairs professionals. All data sources demonstrated "a clear shift toward greater proportions of women in student affairs" (p. 47). According to the authors, the feminization of the student affairs profession "should be considered both as a quantitative issue, based on available numerical data, and also as a qualitative issue related to the role and function of student affairs work” (p. 51). The qualitative issue refers to the care and relationship orientations typically ascribed to females. Recently, reports have been published on minority enrollment in institutions of higher education (Qhrgniglg, July 6, 1988), the demographic trends of the ‘United States' population (Hodgkinson, 1985), and the number of doctorates earned by minorities (Hirschorn, 1988). These reports are applicable to this study given some authors (Harter' et al., 1982; Rickard, 1985a) concern for proportional representation, i.e. the gender and racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs professional staff reflecting the institution's student enrollment composition. The gender and racial/ethnic composition of students at all levels attending institutions of higher education in the United States is listed in Table 1. The gender composition of higher education is shown to be near balance. It appears that there are slightly more females attending colleges and universities than males. Furthermore, this information demonstrated that higher education is dominated by Caucasians. Hodgkinson (1985) identified a that the racial/ethnic composition of the United States by the year 2000 will likely include many more children from minority backgrounds. ”Most important, by around the 28 .apsuu can» no sees ecu us sane~4e>s ucsuusu once en» es: coaueSMOucq e>ooe era .m.z .oma .e .oooa .6 Eden .emququmuu wanna: um «auqoquau «an acne cause «use oaeausxaeaoeu unusaaouce dune oom~.. .eaa .a .oomn .oa scan .naamammuu manna: «a uauququau «an acne cone» nuns uses-o aeosadouco seem some. us.o mo.o am.o mm.n mo." on.p oe.o no." Hm.o vm.m unmanned «Named udduaudu oo.flo nh.vo mm.hh uh.mo No.dm magma Nuddueumqm muedu added mm.n mn.n om.n nh.N no.m .eeueuceouem. coaunoauauuedo ...ooaa. cacauexaaaoaz one ..omo~. assess an .a~o>ou use. oucosaaoueu uses H ednefi vm.nm H6.Hm 00.0m on.nm mH.vm «adieu ov.uv an.ov ov.nv v0.0v mo.m¢ acoausuau-cn ~34 HUGH BSOH 810% 039 eus>aum Gdansk «NNH quumudmumu 29 year 2000, America will be a nation in which one of every THREE of us will be non-white. And minorities will cover a broader socioeconomic range than ever before..." (Hodgkinson, 1985, p. 7). This forecast has major implications for higher education institutions if proportional representation of student affairs professionals is desired. As Hirschorn (1988) identified, there are fewer blacks and males of all races receiving doctorates now than in the past decade. Black Americans earned 820 research degrees in 1986, 26.5 per cent fewer than they received 10 years ago. Black males earned only 321 research doctorates--down from 684 in 1977. By contrast, the number of doctorates awarded to black women was 499--more than 15 per cent higher than in 1977. Black women now earn more than 60 per cent of all doctorates awarded to blacks in the United States (Hirschorn, 1988, p. 1). As racial diversity increases in America, and people of different racial/ethnic backgrounds attend universities and colleges, it appears that fewer minority role models possessing doctorates will be available based upon Hirschorn’s finding. For the student affairs profession this may mean fewer terminally degreed minority staff will be available for employment. £92 W sag W Ibsen: Victor Vroom in his classic organizational behavior text, Egrk 31151 W (1964), held that an individual's work behavior is voluntary and consequently motivated. Vroom argues for a cognitive model of motivation, where motivation is referred to as "a process governing choices made by persons or lower organisms among alternative forms of voluntary activity" (Vroom, 1964, p. 6). People 30 work because they may find satisfaction in some of the following properties: wages, expenditures of mental or physical energy, contribution to the production of goods and services, social interaction, and social status. Vroom's research reveals that individuals greatly differ in their motives, values, and abilities. These differences probably have an important bearing on the optimal characteristics of their work role. Given these differences there is an assumption that job satisfaction is the result of situational, personality and environmental variables. Although the factors which promote job satisfaction appear to be unique to the individual, some general conclusions can be drawn according to Vroom. First, job satisfaction is directly related to the extent to which jobs provide rewarding outcomes (e.g. pay, variety, supervisory consideration, promotion, social interaction, participation in decision making, and control over the pace of work). Second, there is a consistent negative relationship between job satisfaction and the probability of resignation. Third, no simple relationship exists between job satisfaction and job performance. It is evident from the job satisfaction literature that the behavior of people in organizations is so closely associated with their motivations, that motivation becomes pivotal to the study of organizational behavior in higher education (Owens, 1981, p. 136; Vroom, 1964). Motivation theory has its roots in classical organizational theory (March, 1958). The two main lines of development in classical organizational theory were (1) Scientific Management Theory and (2) Administrative Management Theory. 31 Scientific Management Theory held humans were viewed as simple machines with the focus on the basic physical activities involved in production and was typified by time-motion and methods study. Administrative Management Theory viewed the employee as a given, not a variable, and as an inert instrument performing tasks. This theory largely ignored factors associated with individual behavior and, in particular, its motivational bases (March, 1958). The classical management view of motivation was typified by a Theory x (McGregor, 1960) view of humankind, where individuals were assumed to be "inherently lazy, would avoid work if possible, and must be coerced” (Owens, 1981, p. 107). The motivating factor was perceived as money; if the employee was paid well, they would perform well. Broader theories of organizations and motivation were developed that explored the possibility that people were not simple machines, e.g. Influence Theory (March, 1955). The Hawthorne studies (Hoslett, 1951) set the stage for the human relations movement. It was this movement in organizational theory that present day theories of motivation applicable to higher education are based. Because the precise nature of the complex relationships between human needs and goal-setting behavior is not easy to understand, some scientists have developed theoretic explanations in the course of their investigations of human motivation. No theoretic model or explanation now is universally accepted as being fully explanatory, but there are several major concepts of motivation at work that have been fruitful sources of insight for practicing managers and administrators seeking ways to make organizations more effective (Owens, 1981, p. 111). Two such theories shall be reviewed. Maslow's Hierarchy-of-Needs Theory (Maslow, 1970) maintains that 32 people are motivated to achieve through the process of satisfying their needs. Maslow identified five orders of human needs,i.e. basic physiological needs, safety and security needs, social affiliation needs, esteem needs, and self-actualizing needs. He contended that people satisfy these needs in a hierarchical order. The hierarchical order of needs, however, does not imply that there will never be ambivalence with respect to need fulfillment. The ambivalence is especially an issue as the individual moves into the higher-ordered needs where there are usually many options for satisfaction. "A need that has been satisfied is not a motivator. Once a need is satisfied, another (higher-order) need arises to take its place as a motivator" (Owens, 1981, p. 114). A second theory of motivation often applied to higher education is that of Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory of Motivation (Herzberg, 1966). This theory of motivation focuses on job satisfaction, job dissatisfaction, and no satisfaction. Herzberg maintains that traditionally it was held that the opposite of job satisfaction was job dissatisfaction. It was believed that if the sources of job dissatisfaction were eliminated the job would then become motivating and satisfying. Herzberg refuted this line of logic. It was his belief that the opposite of job satisfaction is no satisfaction. Herzberg held, "by eliminating sources of dissatisfaction, one may placate, pacify, or reduce the dissatisfaction of a worker, but this does not mean that such reduction either motivates the worker or leads to job satisfaction" (Owens, 1981, p. 120). Motivation to Herzberg was not the one dimensional concept that 33 Maslow proposed in the hierarchy of needs, but rather consisted of two separate and independent factors. Herzberg recognized these two factors as (l) motivational factors which could lead to job satisfaction and (2) hygiene or maintenance factors which must be present for motivational factors to have an effect (Herzberg, 1966). In the absence of hygiene factors motivation may be hindered and job dissatisfaction may result. Examples of hygiene factors include the salary-benefit package, working conditions, and administrative style. Job dissatisfaction can be reduced by improving each of these areas, thus creating' better hygiene, i.e. maintenance, conditions. Herzberg's research determined that motivational factors came from a separate set of conditions that were unrelated to job dissatisfaction. Examples of motivational factors included achievement, recognition, challenge, responsibility, promotion, and professional growth. To increase job satisfaction and encourage motivation of the employee Herzberg has suggested that the work be redesigned to create more interest and challenge (i.e. job enrichment), that autonomy be increased on the job, and that jobs, if appropriate, be expanded beyond their traditional emphasis of maintenance factors (i.e. job enlargement). Maslow's and Herzberg's theories of motivation provide insight on the question of job satisfaction. According to Vroom (1964), job satisfaction has a significant impact on the retention of employees. These theoretical frameworks provide a foundation upon which. an examination and understanding of the literature on attrition from the student affairs profession can be viewed. 34 £522 W is Mud Ai__i_§fa r The literature on job satisfaction of mid-level student affairs professionals is limited. Studies were first published in this area during the seventies (Bingham, 1974; Solmon & Tierney, 1977; Scott, 1978). These studies generally indicated that mid-level student affairs professionals were satisfied with their work. The conditional phrasing of this statement is important because all of the researchers determined that there were dissatisfiers present in this level of position. Scott (1978) noted the frustration that mid- level student affairs professionals encountered on their campuses due to the lack of recognition, authority, direction, respect, financial compensation, and opportunity for advancement. In addition to the above dissatisfiers, Solmon and Tierney (1977) determined that mid- level student affairs professionals found lower satisfaction in scholarly pursuit, family time and leisure time due to their position. Bingham's (1974) conclusions regarding job satisfaction in college placement counselors' careers provides the perspective needed to understand the dilemma of being satisfied yet frustrated. Bingham concluded that there is satisfaction about job content, i.e. functions and responsibilities of position, however dissatisfaction about job context, e.g. too many demands on time, inadequate budgets and facilities. A. more recent study concerning’ mid-level administrators in higher education noted that job content satisfaction may be decreasing however (Bossert, 1982). Job satisfaction has also been examined at the senior level administrative positions in student affairs. These studies have 3S principally centered on the chief student affairs officer, e.g. Dean of Students, Dean of Men, Dean of Women, (Scott, 1965; Foy, 1969; Dye, 1975; Haraway, 1977) or has included the chief student affairs officer as a member of the executive management team of an institution (Solmon & Tierney, 1977; Heming, 1982). The chief satisfiers that are revealed in these studies include: working with college students and dealing with their problems (Scott, 1965; Heming, 1982), the challenge, achievement, congenial relationships and responsibility in the position (Solmon & Tierney, 1977; Manning 1982), variety (Solmon & Tierney, 1977), and fulfilled security needs (Dye, 1975). The areas that provide little satisfaction or dissatisfaction include: lack of appreciation and support by faculty and other administrators (Scott, 1965; Foy, 1969; Dye, 1975; Heming, 1982), work load (Scott, 1965; Haunting, 1982), long hours (Scott, 1965; Solmon & Tierney, 1977), lack of status (Dye, 1975; Haraway, 1977) and lack of compensation (Haraway, 1977). The pursuit of greater job satisfaction for student affairs professionals, especially in mid-level positions, is essential given it is this group who ”keep their institutions functioning” (Scott, 1980, p. 387) especially in times of crisis. A high level of job satisfaction is also important in overcoming organizational barriers while fulfilling the institution's mission of student development (Strange, 1981) . Organizational programmatic innovation is heavily reliant upon the job satisfaction of the mid-level student affairs professional, for it is from this person's energy, enthusiasm, and direction that a successful program originates. "Job satisfaction 36 really suggests a pride in work which is reflected in the continued effort to improve the quality of work" (Hage, 1970, p. 53). ALEILSLQQ Lg thg Studgnt Affairs Profession The topic of attrition from the student affairs profession was first addressed in the literature by Grant and Foy (1972) in their 1969 study of institutions holding membership in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). One of the questions in this study examining the career patterns of student personnel administrators was "Where do they go?" upon leaving the profession. Grant and Foy collected data on this question by asking people currently in administrative positions questions about their predecessors. Due to the explosive growth of higher education at that time, the authors found that 28% of their sample had no predecessors since these positions were new. Of those who reported having predecessors in student affairs, 22% were promoted, 31% went to another position, 19% were unsuccessful and released, 8% undertook further schooling, 9% retired, 2% married, 1% went on leave, 4% left due to illness, and 2% died (Grant and Foy, 1972, p. 111). (The authors did not define the term ”went to another position” and how "married" relates to their predecessors departures.) Of those student personnel administrators who remained in the work force, 41% took on other student affairs positions through promotions (15%), demotions (4%), or lateral moves (22%). Thirty-seven percent (37%) moved into other areas of higher education, i.e. 22% in teaching and 15% in administration (Grant and Fay, 1972, pp. 111-112). In this 37 study 78% of those who left their position remained in higher education. Those who left higher education went into "the public schools (4%), business and industry (6%), government or military service (4%) or religious work (8%)" (Grant and Foy, 1972, p. 112). Shaw (1970) conducted the benchmark attrition study specifically aimed at student affairs professionals at the dean's, assistant dean's and director's levels. Shaw identified leavers from the student affairs profession through the voting delegates of NASPA. He found significance in the reasons for leaving in the categories of former position and the presence or absence of academic student affairs training. Furthermore, he found there was no significance in the reasons for leaving' by ‘the categories of gender or student enrollment of the former institution. The most frequent reasons cited for leaving the student affairs profession were internal politics, lack of appreciation by superiors, level of bureaucracy, level of decision-making, resistance of the institution to innovation and change, and perceived resistance of much of the institution to the goals of the student personnel department. Shaw concluded (1) that attrition from the student affairs profession is frequent and possibly increasing, (2) people in different positions tended to leave for different reasons, ( 3) people with significant academic training in student affairs tended to leave the profession for reasons different from those with no academic training in the field, and (4) reasons dealing with openness and interpersonal relations were the most frequently cited causes of attrition. After a decade's absence, the issue of attrition next appeared 38 in the literature in Bender’s (1980) study of job satisfaction in the student affairs profession. Bender's sample of NASPA Region II indicated that 43% of males and 28% of females intended to stay in student affairs for their entire career. Furthermore, the low percent of female professional persistence corresponded with the data reported by the younger age group in Bender's sample. "Both the women and the 23-36 year old group seem to perceive little opportunity for advancement, a factor affecting their intentions to remain in the field” (p. 7). The Bender study also demonstrated that the relatively large number of professionals with academic credentials in student affairs related areas were undecided about their longevity in the profession. With a sample of 77% holding masters degrees and 16% holding doctorates, of the 23-36 year odd respondents, 41% were undecided about staying in the profession. Forty-two percent (42%) of the entire female sample were also undecided about their persistence in student affairs. Bender concluded, that with a sample of this professional educational background one would expect these respondents to persistm However, given the significant number of the sample who intended to leave the profession and the large undecided group, indicated retention problems are not being addressed adequately. A retrospective study examining the work history of a group of student affairs professionals was conducted by Burns (1982). Burns studied the persistence of 372 graduates of two graduate programs in student affairs at two large eastern universities between June 1970 and December 1979. Of the 182 respondents (90 male and 92 female), 39 111 or 61% were still in the profession at the time of the survey. Burns reported that (1) women left the student affairs profession in significantly higher numbers than men, (2) the median age for those who stayed in the profession was 28, whereas for those who leave the median age was 33, and (3) in the first five year's from receiving the graduate degree there were more persisters than leavers (64% and 38%, respectively), while for those who received their degree more than five years ago there were more leavers than persisters (51% and 49%, respectively). Geographic relocation, lack of challenge and feeling bored, and returning to school were the primary reasons given for leaving student affairs. Burns found in her sample, that of those who left the student affairs profession, 33.8% work in business/industry, 28.2% work in government supported agencies, 22.5% work in the public schools, private foundations, or non-profit organizations, and 15.5% were unemployed, at the time of the survey. Lawing, Moore, and Groseth (1982) compared the results of the Burns study to that of a random sample of 150 chief student affairs officers in NASPA affiliated institutions. Not surprisingly, the authors found that the median age for attrition at the chief student affairs officer's level was considerably higher than that found in the Burn's study. Additionally, the authors reported that attrition from student affairs does not appear to be related to position. This conclusion was based on Burns' reporting that 16% of those currently in the field expect to leave, which compared favorably with the 16% of chief student affairs officers who anticipated within the next few years to move into teaching, a college presidency, or retirement. 40 This conclusion challenges the earlier finding of Shaw (1970) where attrition was found to be related to former position. Holmes, Verrier, and Chisholm (1983) confirmed that the rate of attrition in the student affairs profession for women was higher than that of men, and that in a ten year span the persistence rate for those with graduate degrees in student affairs related areas was greater than 60%. In this retrospective study of 170 graduates of a masters program in student affairs from 1971-1981, 66% of the graduates reported that they were working in the student affairs field. Almost 90% of the graduates were employed in higher education in the first year after graduation, with 80.9% employed in student personnel. The data reveal gradual attrition from the student personnel field as each year passes, reaching a 39% employment level by the sixth year. During the same span of time there was a gradual increase in the percentage of graduates employed in other higher education work and in business and industry... The rate of attrition for women was higher than for men, starting at a higher level of employment in the first year (84.5%), and falling to 42.9% by the fifth year (p. 440). As the authors noted, this study clearly raised questions about the long-term stability of staffing the student affairs field with professionally educated personnel. Attempting to find the factors that are predictive of graduates with. master's degrees in student personnel preparation programs remaining employed in the field after five years, Wood, Winston, and Polkosnik (1985) surveyed candidates from the 1978 graduating class of four nationally known student personnel programs. The authors reported that 68% of the 1978 graduates were still in the field after five years, which was similar to Burns' (1982) finding of 64% 41 remaining in the field but much higher than that of Holmes’ et al. (1983) finding of 39% persisting after six years. Contrasting markedly with Burns (1982) and Holmes et al. (1983), was the authors' finding that women were not leaving the field at higher rates than men. Gender contributed very little to predicting who remained in the field. The above studies indicate ‘that attrition from the student affairs profession is occurring. Given an approximate 40% to 60% attrition rate after being in the student affairs profession for five to six years (Wood et al., 1985; Burns, 1982; Holmes et al., 1983), it appears that attrition has a profound impact on the mid-level position. For it is at this position level that a qualified person has five to six years of experience. Studies tangentially related to the topic of attrition support the notion that professionals are leaving due to the lack of opportunity and mobility in the student affairs field (Sherburne, 1970; Armstrong, Campbell, & Ostroth, 1978; Ludewig, 1979; Harder, 1983; Ostroth, Efird, & Lerman 1984; Sandeen, 1984; Rickard, 1985b; Evans, 1988; Sangaria & Johnsrud, 1988). Additionally, other authors have noted that burnout (Arnold, 1982; Forney & Wiggers, 1984; Sandeen, 1984; Spicuzza, Baskind, & Woodside, 1984) and low salary (Badders & Sawyer, 1982; Badders & Sawyer, 1983) may also influence the decision to leave the profession. The literature also revealed that possibly the attrition rate in the student affairs profession may be specifically related to the nature of the individual person and have little bearing on the 42 policies of an institution of higher education or the functions of the field. Kuh, Greenlee, Faye, & Lardy (1978) found that recent graduates seeking entry-level positions were taking jobs in which they were not interested. This phenomena which may lead to leaving the profession was labeled by Hancock (1988) as a "need-environment mismatch". The young professional seeking an employment opportunity, not having personally clarified what is needed/wanted, accepts an opportunity that is offered. After a period of time, the young professional becomes disenchanted with the position and possibly with the profession due to the mismatch. Goodman (1984) found that those student affairs professionals who have not committed themselves to a specific area, i.e. function, in the field. will have a greater likelihood of leaving the profession. Goodman's findings supported the notion of Hancock's mismatch theory and emphasized the importance of functional. clarification/identification in 'the student affairs profession. Another view of the nature of the individual person as it related to attrition in the student affairs profession was the notion that the student affairs field attracts people who are in the process of discovering who they are and what they desire in life. Beyond the notion of mid-life change for those in the student affairs field (Arnold, 1982), Grant and Foy (1972) stated that student affairs administrators "appear to be people in transition. Although occupying relatively' key' administrative ;positions in higher education, few see themselves remaining in these positions until retirement" (p. 112). Bryan (1977) expressed a similar concept, by 43 stating that many people ”fall into" student affairs rather than make a long-term commitment. Bender (1980) commented: While academic programs exist to prepare individuals to do student affairs work, the lack of standardized credentialing provides job opportunities for many who see student affairs as a temporary phase in their lives. Therefore, the high rate of attrition from student affairs is not unexpected (p. 7). Bender's observation may be accurate, however only two published studies (Shaw, 1970; Sherburne, 1970) were found that compared student affairs professionals who had earned a graduate degree in a student affairs related curriculum to those who did not. Shaw (1970) found that those student affairs workers with no significant academic training in the profession tended to leave the field for reasons different from those who had studied a related curriculum (p. 86). In another study, Sherburne (1970) found that there was no relationship between professional mobility in student affairs and the type of formal academic preparation experienced by the respondents (p. 122). The ramifications on attrition of those without student affairs related curriculum degrees is not clear from the research literature. The literature on attrition from the student affairs profession suggests that certain programs may be successful in increasing the retention of current student affairs professionals. The authors (Bender, 1980; Burns, 1982; Lawing et al., 1982) have mainly recommended the organizational development strategies of job enlargement and job enrichment. Such strategies include: diversifying job tasks, increasing the number of tasks, more opportunity for planning, more opportunity for controlling, more 44 opportunity for working with others within student affairs or within the academic community, professional exchanges with other institutions, job sharing and job rotation (French, 1978, pp. 156- 157). Although these organizational develOpment strategies have been recommended in the literature as possible retention measures, there appears to be a void of publications on the topic of implementation or evaluation of such conceptualized programs in student affairs. Attrition studies in student affairs have ignored the mid-level student affairs professional. The literature on attrition from other levels of position suggest that most former professionals left for the structural reason of the lack of opportunity of advancement and mobility (Sherburne, 1970; Armstrong et al., 1978; Ludewig, 1979; Harder, 1983). Other identified reasons for leaving the profession include burnout (Arnold, 1982; Forney & Wiggers, 1984; Spicuzza et al., 1984), the lack of financial compensation (Badders & Sawyer, 1982; Badders & Sawyer, 1983), "need-environment mismatch" (Hancock, 1988) and the notion of student affairs attracting people in transition (Grant 5 Foy, 1972). Authors (Bender, 1980; Burns, 1982; Lawing et al., 1982) have suggested job enlargement and job enrichment programs which may assist in retaining student affairs professionals in the field, however it appears that these programs have not been evaluated, if in fact they have been implemented. 45 Summary Chapter Two contained a review of the available published literature related to the demographic composition of the student affairs profession and the study of mid-level attrition from the student affairs profession. With respect to the demographics of the student affairs profession, it was noted that fewer people were entering the professional preparation programs while those credentialed and skilled continue to leave in large numbers. Women, the largest group entering the profession, have also been identified as the largest group leaving. Finally, Chapter Two included a summary of the literature pertinent to attrition in the student affairs profession. Since few research projects have been directed at mid-level attrition, it was necessary to review related areas of study. Job satisfaction and motivation theory were reviewed as a theoretical framework. This framework provided a perspective for the descriptive studies conducted in the .student affairs profession regarding job satisfaction and attrition. The literature suggests that long-term stability in the development of student affairs as a profession becomes highly questionable as those credentialed and skilled leave the field from all levels. CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH DESIGN, METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES OF THE STUDY M22193 Chapter Three is a detailed presentation of the research design adopted and the methods employed in the study of the demographics of the student affairs profession and attrition of mid-level student affairs professionals. This chapter contains a review of the purpose, research questions and testable hypotheses which are central to this study. Chapter Three then includes an examination of the development of the instrument, the selection of a sample from the population, the data collection process, and the research design employed in the statistical analysis of the data. The chapter concludes with a sumary statement. We The purpose of this study is six-fold: 1) To describe the gender composition of the student affairs profession at all levels; 2) To describe the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession at all levels; 3) To identify the actual reasons mid- level student affairs professionals have left the profession; 4) To identify chief student affairs officers’ perceptions of the reasons for mid-level student affairs professionals' decisions to leave the profession; 5) To compare chief student affairs officers' perceptions of the reasons for attrition with the actual responses of 46 47 leavers; and 6) To determine what occupations former mid-level student affairs professionals enter once leaving the field. mm This study sought to answer the following questions: 1) What is the gender composition of the student affairs profession? 2) What is the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession? 3) Why do mid-level student affairs professionals leave the field? 4) Do females leave the student affairs profession for different reasons than males? (This question is responded to by Testable Hypothesis I.) 5) Do people of different racial/ethnic origins leave the student affairs profession for different reasons? (This question is responded to by Testable Hypothesis II.) 6) Do mid-level student affairs professionals leave different types of institutions for different reasons? (This question is responded to by Testable Hypothesis III.) 7) Are chief student affairs officers accurately perceiving the reasons which motivate mid-level student affairs professionals to leave the student affairs profession? (This question is responded to by Testable Hypothesis IV.) 8) What occupations do former’ mid-level student affairs professionals enter once leaving the field? 48 23mm 8122939.: The analysis of this study has ‘tested, the following null hypotheses: Null Hypothesis I: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by gender in response to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. Hull Hypothesis II: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by race or ethnic origin in response to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. Hull Hypothesis III: No difference in reasons for mid- level professionals leaving the student affairs profession will be found by the type of institution (public and private, two year and four year) in response to the mid- level student affairs attrition study instrument. Hull Hypothesis IV: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by comparing chief student affairs officers' and former mid-level student affairs professionals' responses to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. W 2: m2 Items; The search for applicable information through the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) and the subsequent review of the literature revealed that only one questionnaire was available that could be adapted for the purposes of this study. The questionnaire developed by Shaw (1970), in part, addressed job satisfaction and the reasons for attrition. This portion of Shaw's questionnaire was adapted for the purposes of this study. Shaw's (1970) questionnaire had a valid instrument design. The questionnaire's development began by Shaw conducting a literature review on unhappiness and dissatisfaction in student affairs work. 49 At the time Shaw wrote, "nothing in the literature of the profession was found which systematically investigated actual reasons for attrition" (Shaw, 1970, p. 13). A draft instrument based on the literature was reviewed by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators' (NASPA) Research and Publications Division and several student affairs workers and graduate students. The recommendations for revision were incorporated into the questionnaire. The survey was also examined using the rules delineated by Payne (1951) for bias in wording. Content validity of the questionnaire was established by consulting experts in the student affairs profession. Shaw concluded that the attrition instrument "proved to be an effective means of discriminating between categories in at least two sub-groups of former student personnel administrators" (1970, p. 98). Thus, given that Shaw's (1970) questionnaire is a proven instrument, provided a strong rationale for its use in this study. Shaw's (1970) attrition instrument was used as the base from which this study's attrition questionnaire was developed. To establish contemporary relevance a systematic evaluation of each item was conducted. Relevance was evaluated in relationship to the recent literature on attrition in the student affairs profession. Some items, e.g. student activism, were deleted and others were added, e.g. lack of opportunity for advancement, burnout. Other questions, e.g. like most about position, like least about position, major factors for leaving, were converted to closed-ended responses. The choices for these closed-ended response questions were established 50 from the literature and provided by experts in the student affairs profession, i.e. members of the American College Personnel Association's Commission One Task Force on the Demographics of the Profession (Appendix I). A question on the value of job enrichment and job enlargement programs as a tool for increasing retention was added. Also included was a section devoted to collecting demographic information. The demographic information section was included in the Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey to answer the relevant research questions as well as provide a brief profile of the institution. On the Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Survey this section was included to determine if the respondent met the established definitional criteria, provided information to answer the research questions and offered a profile of the former mid-level professional. The two surveys, i.e. the Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Survey and the Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey, were first reviewed by the student affairs professionals holding membership on the American College Personnel Association's Commission One Task Force on the Demographics of the Profession (Appendix I) and the investigator's doctoral dissertation committee (Appendix J). After incorporating their collective suggestions, the Former Mid- Level Student Affairs Professional's Survey and the Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey were pre-tested by a select group of former mid-level student affairs professionals and chief student affairs officers (Appendix K) respectively. Upon receipt of the completed 51 questionnaires and suggestions from these individuals, the instruments were again refined and prepared for printing. Warsaw The subjects for this study were selected through a three step process. The first step was to select a random sample of the nation's two year and four year, public and private, universities and colleges. Identification of that sample was sought from the most complete available listing of those institutions, i.e. the Higher W m], Igfigmation Survey 1284-85 (M). Using the m, lists of colleges and universities were grouped into National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Regions (Appendix L). Grouping by NASPA Regions was done to insure that the sampling was representative of all parts of the United States. NASPA Regions in particular were chosen because previous major demographic studies used this classification to assure representativeness. Within each NASPA Region the institutions were stratified by type, i.e. two year, four year, and then by affiliation/control, i.e. public, private. Due to the constraints of financial resources and time, the size of the sample was arbitrarily set at a ten percent minimum for each identified subgroup. In subgroups where a ten percent sample did not provide a minimum of sixty institutions (Borg & Gall, 1979, p. 195; Sudman, 1976, p. 30), a larger percent was selected. The size of the sample population for this study was 389 institutions out of a total population of 3,331, which was approximately twelve percent of the total population. If 52 an institution chosen for the sample was listed in the m but not in the m 1288 Highgr w W another institution within its stratified group was randomly chosen to replace it. The second step of this process was to identify the chief student affairs officers at the sample institutions through using the the 312 1.3.8.8. 3.1.9.1131. W W. Once identified, a demographic and attrition survey was mailed to each chief student affairs officer. Part of this survey requested that each chief student affairs officer identify by name, address, and telephone number two former mid-level student affairs professionals from their institution. Since it was the intention of this study to also survey former mid-level student affairs professionals and it was determined that there were no adequate lists available of former mid-level professionals, this information had to be obtained through referral. Each referred former mid-level student affairs professional was to meet the following criteria: (1) was awarded a graduate or professional degree in a student affairs related curriculum, (2) held an associate or assistant or director position responsible for direction, control, or supervision of one or more student affairs functions or staff, (3) was no longer carrying out a basic student affairs function, (4) left the student affairs profession in the past five years, and (5) had reasons for attrition that excluded death, retirement or temporary leave. The five year time frame was selected as part of the criteria for the former mid-level student affairs professional's definition so that the knowledge of the person's location would be relatively accurate. Utilization of a five year 53 time frame reduced the potential problem with the referral method where individuals who have moved away or broken off contact might be less likely to be nominated and located (Harris, 1985, p. 58). The surveying of former mid-level student affairs professionals constituted the third step of this process. Each of the former mid- level student affairs professionals, identified by the chief student affairs officers, were mailed a demographic and attrition survey. zrgcggurgs agd Collgctign 91 flat; Three-hundred-eighty-nine Chief Student Affairs Officer's Surveys (Appendix A) were bulk mailed to the chief student affairs officers of the institutions in the population sample on December 8, 1987. Included with the mailing of each survey was a transmittal letter explaining the study (Appendix C), a coding sheet (Appendix E) and a self-addressed business reply envelope (Appendix F). On January 8, 1988 a follow-up letter (Appendix G) was bulk mailed to two-hundred-thirty chief student affairs officers who had not yet responded. The transmittal and follow-up letters were signed by the investigators of this study. The investigators included the chair of this doctoral committee and ACPA Executive Board Member, the chair of the ACPA Commission. One Task Force on the Demographics of the Profession and the principal investigator/author of this study. The second mailing again included a questionnaire, a coding sheet and a business reply envelope. Each mailing' was given a code which identified the NASPA Region, institution type and affiliation/control, and an unique number for identification 54 purposes. The purpose of the coding procedure was to allow for the confidentiality of the participants; responses, while providing a mechanism for the investigators to evaluate participation. Respondents were given the option of receiving a detailed summary of the study's findings. As identified in the responses of the returned Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey instruments, the Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Surveys were mailed first-class to the individuals in this initial group on January 30, 1988. Included with the survey (Appendix B), were a transmittal letter (Appendix D), coding sheet (Appendix E) and business reply envelope (Appendix F). (The coding sheet and business reply envelope were identical to those used. with ‘the Chief Student Affairs Officer's Surveys.) Chief Student Affairs Officer's Surveys returned after January 30, 1988, and which identified former mid-level student affairs professionals' information, created a second pool of former mid-level professionals. Subsequently, each of these former mid-level professionals were sent a questionnaire and accompanying materials. If the questionnaire was not returned two weeks after the initial mailing, the former mid- level student affairs professional was sent a follow-up mailing. The follow-up mailing again included a transmittal letter (Appendix H), coding sheet (Appendix E), questionnaire (Appendix B), and business reply envelope (Appendix F). For both former mid-level student affairs professional mailings, the 'transmittal letters were personally prepared with the name and address at the top and individually signed by the three investigators. A code was assigned 55 to each mailing with the NASPA Region, institution type and affiliation/control of the institution of the chief student affairs officer who identified the leaver, and an unique number for identification purposes. As was the case with the Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey, the purpose of the coding procedure was to allow for the confidentiality of the participants' responses, while providing a mechanism for the investigators to evaluate participation. Respondents were given the option of receiving a detailed summary of the study's findings. Some chief student affairs officers were unable to provide complete and accurate information regarding the location of the former mid-level student affairs professional. For example, referrals sometimes lacked complete address information. Telephone books. Page; Ilene. LL- aerial Lie cm: 121355.922. and American Telephone and Telegraph Directory Assistance were consulted in order to ascertain the missing information. 9312889311111 As the Chief Student Affairs Officer's Surveys and the Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Surveys were returned, the information was coded. If a chief student affairs officer failed to include the information requested on the question concerning the number of full-time student affairs professionals in the demographic portion of the questionnaire, it was assumed that the institution had none for that category and a zero was entered, except for Caucasian/Other where any unidentified personnel were classified. 56 The final assumption made when coding the demographic data was the number of males plus the number of females equaled the total number of professionals. For all other questions in both surveys, a response was excluded from computation if it were left blank. Other responses to questions were excluded from computation and surveys were deemed unusable if the respondent noted on the instrument that the response included numbers or perceptions that were not within the definitional parameters of this study, e.g. the former mid-level student affairs professional failed to meet the defined criteria; the reported campus student affairs division full-time professional staff count included clerical and maintenance employees. These exclusions occurred in order to maintain the integrity of the findings of this study. Data from the returned questionnaires were transferred to Michigan State University's IBM 3090 VP Mainframe Computer. Using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version X (Nie, Hall Jenkins, Steinbrenner, & Bent, 1986), data analysis techniques were performed. Descriptive data, i.e. frequencies, percentage frequencies of responses, means, standard deviations, ranges, were compiled on all questionnaire items using the subprogram Frequencies. The independent sample t-test of statistical significance was computed for hypothesis testing by the subprogram T-Test Groups. The t-test was utilized in comparing the responses between the groups of chief student affairs officers and the former mid-level student affairs professionals. Additionally, the t-test was employed in testing for differences within the groups of chief student affairs 57 officers and former mid-level student affairs professionals. The t- test was the most powerful statistical analysis available given the nature of the data, and the most appropriate given the small sample size. Before considering the assumptions necessary to use the t- test, two important clarifications must be made. First, the ordinal- rank data, utilized in the attrition survey, may be conceived as continuous variables and assumed to be interval scales given their directional connotations (Blalock, 1964, pp. 34-35, 184-188). Second, although the former mid-level student affairs professionals were not selected through random sampling techniques, the t-test is still appropriate "Because [when] the nominators are representative groups located through random methods, ...[there is] confidence that the nominees are also a broadly representative sample” (Harris, 1985, p. 58). By using the t-test the following assumptions were made: (1) two random samples were selected, (2) the two random samples have the same population variance, and (3) the distribution of the means of each random sample is approximately normal (Norusis, 1986). The chi square statistic was utilized in testing for independent variables on survey questions soliciting discrete data responses. Discrete data precludes quantitative analysis, e.g. t-test, because the responses are not viewed as being continuous and having an interval scale. The chi square test was accessed through the SPSSX subprogram Statistics. For all hypothesis testing, the .05 level of significance was adopted as the criterion. It was concluded that a larger alpha level, e.g. .10, would have allowed for too great a probability of a 58 Type I error, while a smaller alpha, e.g. .01, would have been unnecessarily stringent and might possibly lend itself to Type II error (Borg & Gall, 1979, p. 424). Therefore, the conventional .05 level of significance was selected. §BEE§£¥ The research design, methodology and procedures employed in the study were presented in Chapter Three. This study was an effort to describe the idemographics of 'the student affairs profession and explore the reasons for mid-level student affairs professional attrition. Following a review of the literature, a questionnaire was identified from a previous study that had application to the central purpose of this study. Part of the questionnaire was adapted for use in this study. The questionnaire was further developed to include additional components given the research questions of this study and modified for use with two different populations. The questionnaires, one for each population, were then revised and refined based on the comments of student affairs professionals holding membership on the American College Personnel Association's Commission One Task Force on the Demographics of the Profession and the investigator's doctoral dissertation comittee, as well as pre-tested by two select groups from the populations. The questionnaires were then mailed to the two representative samples identified from the populations of all chief student affairs officers listed in the 522 1288 fiighg; Education Directory and the 59 names and addresses provided by the chief student affairs officers of former mid-level student affairs professionals. Follow-up mailings occurred with both groups. Descriptive data were compiled on all items using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version x. The four stated hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of significance, using the independent sample t-test. Chi square was utilized on items where quantitative analysis was precluded due to discrete data. Chapter Four will contain the analysis of data collected and analyzed through the above procedures. CHAPTER FOUR ANALYSIS OF DATA MM The data presented in this chapter were gathered through a nationwide survey of chief student affairs officers and selected former mid-level student affairs professionals. A mailed questionnaire was used to collect data concerning the demographics of the respondents within the student affairs profession and their perceptions regarding mid-level professional attrition. Wflmm The purpose of this study is six-fold: 1) To describe the gender composition of the student affairs profession at all levels; 2) To describe the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession at all levels; 3) To identify the actual reasons mid- level student affairs professionals have left the profession; 4) To identify chief student affairs officers' perceptions of the reasons for mid-level student affairs professionals' decisions to leave the profession; 5) To compare chief student affairs officers' perceptions of the reasons for attrition with the actual responses of leavers; and 6) To determine what occupations former mid-level student affairs professionals enter once leaving the field. The following is a presentation of the findings of the study. 60 61 Analysis. 9f __9.p_o_Qe_Re n nta W The purpose of this section is to (1) report the response rates of the respondents and (2) establish that the findings are representative and generalizable to the population. The discussion focuses on the groupings identified in the hypotheses. Therefore, the presentation related to chief student affairs officers relies on the groupings of all public, private, two, and four year institutions. mammmm mmmm The survey population of institutions included approximately a twelve percent stratified random sample of the nation's two year and four year, public and private, universities and colleges. The sampling frame was stratified by National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Regions and further grouped by institutional type and control to assure representativeness. The chief student affairs officers of each institution represented in the sample were asked to complete a questionnaire seeking demographic information about their institution, their perceptions regarding mid- level professional attrition from the student affairs field, and a referral to two former mid-level professionals from their institution. A total of 200 sample members returned usable survey responses, which could be included in statistical analysis, providing an overall sample (n) response rate of 51.4% or 6% of the total population (N). A fifty percent response rate of the sample 62 population was established as an acceptable return in the planning stage of the study. Table 2 provides a breakdown of usable survey responses for all responding chief student affairs officers of the sampled institutions. As is indicated in Table 2, response rates varied by NASPA Region such that Region V (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington) had a sample response rate of 72.2%, while Region I (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) had a sample response rate of 38.7%. The remaining NASPA Regions had sample response rates between 45.0% to 55.0% and were NASPA Regions II (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania), III (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia), IV-East (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, west Virginia, and Wisconsin), IV-West (Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wyoming), and.‘VI (Arizona, California, and Hawaii). The total response rate trends mirrored the sample response rates ranging from 4.6% for NASPA Region I to 8.1% for NASPA Region V. The aggregate response rate for the sum of all NASPA Regions was 6.0%. 63 Table 2 RESPONSE RATES OF ALL INSTITUTIONS SAMPLE TOTAL NASPA TOTAL SAMPLE RESPONSE RESPONSE RESPONSE 3:519! E B; 3; 22‘21 Lil 22L! Lil I 263 31 12 38.7 4.6 II 651 76 34 44.7 5.2 III 864 103 53 51.5 6.1 IV-E 689 79 44 55.7 6.4 IV-W 368 44 23 52.3 6.3 V 161 18 13 72.2 8.1 VI 335 38 21 55.3 6.3 COLUMN TOTALS 3331 389 200 51.4 6.0 Institutions were also grouped by affiliation/control and type in reviewing response rates to the survey. Table 3 contains the institutional response rates broken down by affiliation/control, i.e. public and private. One-hundred-four (104) public institution representatives returned the Chief Student Affairs Officer’s Survey out of a population of 1501. With the exception of NASPA Region I, the public institution representatives in the other NASPA Regions provided a sample response rate in excess of 60%, giving an aggregate total response of 6.9%. Private institution representatives provided a marginally smaller response rate. From a population of 1830 private institutions, a sample (of 222 institutions was randomly chosen yielding a response of 96 institutional representatives, i.e. a total response of 5.3%. The percent response of private institution representatives was similar across all NASPA Regions, with a variation noted in Region V where almost twice as many institutional representatives responded. However, although Region V 64’ c.o n.mm LN. m-w mwom ..m m.wv as c- oon~ ma _.o. o.om o c. an o.m o.om e a us > ~.o o.om c. m~ m- n.o ¢.~¢ a a. no. 3->_ ~.o ~.om - o. mm. o.o m._m s_ am can u->_ _.o ~.vm oN mm nee ~.o o.o¢ cw on man ___ o.m m.o¢ - Av eve o.m e.ge - o~ sou .— ¢.v _.~¢ m a. on. o.¢ «.mm c - no _ a a”. 3 a} m. a a 3 EN: 3 as“: as a a 53 omccammz oncoammz oucoamuz u—asam pauop emcoanmz masseuse umcoamez ope-am peach ~.o o.m~ m a no m.~ 9.9“ s o. ea > ~.m e.g. a - as. n.~ o.no ¢_ - ~o~ 3->_ ~.m a.ao aw Ne .9. «.5 o.mo .N um mom u->_ m.m ¢.nv nu mm ~_v ~.o c.oc em on so. ..— ~.n e._n o_ .m «N. ..a c.- a. mN -~ .— o.m o.~¢ o. _N as. ~.~ o.o~ N o_ co _ a as. a as“: «a a a a a} a may. “a a a and omeoamoz oneeamuz guacamoz mpg-am page» emeeauuz museums: museums: o—asam pause .ia .=°.=s_u_.=_ u._s=a . posacoU\ee.ae.—.ee< —ace.u:u.ume_ »a mean: emeoammz n «page 65 may be overrepresented in this sample, consideration must be given to the fact that only 6 institutions provided a response. Table 4 provides a break down of response rates by institutional type, i.e. two year and four year institutions. As is revealed in this table, the total percent response rates for’ both types of institutions were identical, i.e. 6%. The sample percent response rates were also similar, averaging 50%. One variation meriting coment occurred in NASPA Region V - Four Year Institutions. On a percentage basis almost twice as many institutional representatives of this type from this NASPA Region responded. However, the actual number of responding institutional representatives was 9. A response rate of 9 institutions for this category is relatively small compared with the number of institutions responding from other NASPA Regions. W at W Chief $299115 Affairs mo 9 8 To determine generalizability, further analysis was undertaken to establish the representativeness of the sampled and respondent institutions through chief student affairs officers responses. ‘The analysis was based upon determining (1) internal consistency of response rates and findings, and (2) consistency of the findings with other established studies (Sudman, 1983). The analysis to determine internal consistency initially focused on examining, by NASPA, Regions, the percent composition. of the sampled and respondent groups as compared to the population. As Table 5 reveals, when considering the population, approximately equal proportions of institutions were sampled and their representatives 66 responded. Although minor deviations occurred, the similarity of the percentage distribution of all institutions indicated that there was the appropriate weighting of responses, thus establishing that no bias existed in the respondent sample. Table 5 All Institutions Distribution by NASPA Regions (Percentage) NASPA Population Random Sample Respondents Region (N83331) (n=389) (n=200) I 7.90 7.97 6.00 II 19.54 19.54 17.00 III 25.94 26.48 26.50 IVE 20.68 20.31 22.00 IVW 11.05 11.31 11.50 V 4.83 4.63 6.50 VI 10.06 9.77 10.50 The above procedure was employed to test for generalizability at the institutional affiliation/control and type levels. Institutions were stratified by NASPA Regions and then grouped by affiliation/control and type. Tables 6 and 7 display these percentage distributions. The tables clearly demonstrate that the respondent percentage distributions were similar to those distributions of the population and random sample for each of the groupings. Although some deviations were present, i.e. Public Institutions-NASPA Region I, Private Institutions-NASPA Region II, Four Year Institutions-NASPA Region V, the effect was minor considering the similarities of the overall respondents, random ~o.a mm.o em.o an._~ o~.__ co... _> .4.“ ~m.o o... we.m Ls.¢ .m.m > Km._~ Ne... -.__ an.__ o~.__ ma.o_ :>_ ~m.- oc._~ an._~ Nm._~ “e.g. eo.o_ m:— sm.m~ o~.¢~ ov.m~ «n.9n ...ou an.o~ ___ m_.m_ me..~ mm..~ o_.m. co.~_ ma.m_ ~— _o.o mo.o ao.m oo.m oo.~ on.o _ ._~_.:. .o_~.=. Am~c-z. Aasuev Ace—ac. Amen—.2. =o_ue¢ mucopcoamua o—esum sevens eo.ua_=aoa mueoeeoamez ape-am sees-u ee.u~—:soa m~.o oo.n mm.n n~.o om.m oo.o > mm.m ~a.a ~o.u ov.n_ -.m_ on.~_ a>~ ma.m~ ~_._~ .o.- o_.c~ o—.a_ o_.o_ u>_ ea.n~ so.n~ a~.- mo.o~ vo.o~ c~.o~ ___ No.o_ no.- e¢.n~ ~n.~_ so... o~.o_ ~— ~v.c_ ov.o m¢.a «9.. aa.m co.» _ «om-c. .Nuwucv Acme—.2. Ave—ac. Ase—ac. A_om~n . eo.ao¢ «vagueness: o—esam sauce: cs.u-—=aoa uueeeeoauoz u-asaw sees-a ee.u-—= ¢5m.se nee.u=u.ume_ u.—n:a gnaw-acouseg. 228.. (ans. 3 38:83.. to 8333.3 .3..... a u..s=a .9iugoo\ge_s..__at< ..co.s=s.».=_ o spas» 68 sample, and jpopulation. The similarity' of the percentage distribution of the institutions in these groupings indicated that there was the appropriate weighting of responses, thus establishing that no bias existed in the respondent sample. The percentage distribution of the respondents provided support that the findings of this study may be generalizable to the population, i.e. postsecondary institutions contained in the Highor 3229:5193 gooogo; Lofiogmooioo Survey 1284-8 , given that it appeared that the self-weighting nature of the respondents allowed for the establishment of no bias. However, to validate that the responses were accurate, thus allowing for the conclusion that the sample was representative and the findings were generalizable, external validity must be established. This ad hoc procedure sought to establish that the findings of this study were consistent with other definitive studies, thereby legitimizing the findings (Sudman, 1983). The Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey requested information regarding the gender and racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs division of each of responding institutional representatives. 'Table 8 compares the gender and racial/ethnic data acquired in this survey with that of the 1980 United States Census of the Population. The most striking feature of Table 8 is the similarity of the data acquired from this survey to that of the US Census Population data. Considering the data acquired from All Institutions, the gender and racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession was a reflection of the total US population. The subgroups of Public Institutions, Two Year Institutions, and Four Year Institutions also 69 4H madam» dauduqdauuu and “a umdudduuuuquqnu duaduedauuu and «a uuuauu aqua es» sown sexes sueou .ocaecsou 0» ese coca asses you 06 socunsouu cqeuueo ca euceeuea no see era .e«e>weuca eucecaucoo eeoub ace eoceauee e643 ecu veosvoum aaeueaauus es: sous: .co«usu«uec« ecu no seas ea» :0 ucdvcenee enecOAeeeuoun suasuus asses». can 0» 6 Iowa eases s espoused saeaaecs shone ecu .esea .co«e«>«v ewdeuue assuage e as acquueue es» saw use: e>uuoemsew sud use cauussausca en» «0 ends es» escalueueo ceuuo useBAAowce acevsum .c0«usu«ue:« sea «0 aceeAAOwce acecsue es» :0 vessn uoc es: eae>~ece saga .c04ueosue segue: no escausuuuecq nesvubuvcu ea» an cemengle euecoaeeeuowa suaeuus acecsue no sense: es» :4 eucsaue> sea on ecu eeeeo heel ca venue xee» ewe eue>ueuca euceuqucoo emu oeueue ens ..ms .6 .usou sous-so use. casemeuclcoclxoean ocaen nosedaouce wuss» «o ewe! no aceuwen auudu oca>ez se Manuau auduufluauuu duuuauu adduduaua madman es» an veaudsseuu sue: escausuauecu ween eeena .eusv es» 0» veusvouuca escausuquscq sees» seen enu cons vesen es: eas>~ece ecu souu ceaseEHOuca see» no codesauxe ssh .eaehasce cadudeoasoo caccuexdeaosu ezu sown codesuoxe .eco«u:u«usc« seen 0» ese coduaeomaoo eqczue\ue«oeu es» no ends ennlee e3» Iowa seque> ceaudeoniou wevceo en» «0 seas eumeee ssh .mumma no.6 No.0 p.o No.6 m.o Hm.o m.o No.6 4.6 No.6 6.6 canes-s: s>eunz v.n Ho.q a.” up.n o.o “a.” v." Hm.o o.~ Ha.n m.o cease-«z «.mauo.co v.m«fln.vo 3.4«Ho.oo o.n~na.no n.a~uo.¢o u.op uozuoxcaduauaao n.n H~.o m.n H~.oH «.4 No.5 o.n «n.6H m.« «v.o m.- songs 5.6 Ha.” o.o No.6 a.” Ha.o p.o an.” o.o ««.~ 0.” cause Luau-aw «Hmuaq aumusq aaaauaq auuuuqq a.n~«o.um n.nuun.vm a.mswn.pm o.uuuw.~m o.o~«o.nm 4.Hm season n..~Mn.nv o.u Hm.mv ~.nnup.uv H.nnuv.ov o.odwo.pv o.ov can: Aaaauqq dufluaq saunas aqaauuq aaauunq ssoausueuscn scoeusuauucn scoausuau-cn scodusususcu scoduaueu-cn sued magnum use» use. use» use sun>3ua saunas see one: as com" oucsusxaauona no sauces .Heeosuceouen. «use coda-Assam assess sou-us assess scan on endogenous cud-ens unscsuu .co«u«eomsoo euczunxaeuosx use nevcee no coeauegsoo o CHAIR 70 provided a similar demographic composition comparing the student affairs profession with census data. The Private Institutions subgroup appeared to be an exception to the similarities found above. Given the unique nature and tradition of private institutions it was not surprising to find that their employee demographic composition differed from that of the general population. Table 9 provides a comparison of the racial/ethnic data found in this study to the data reported in the most recent national student affairs profession demographic study to date (Wilson, 1977). The Private Institutions subgroup racial/ethnic data found in this study appeared extremely consistent with that found in the Wilson study. Therefore, it appeared that the data acquired from the Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey was valid given its similarity with the 1980 US Census of the Population and the Wilson (1977) student affairs profession demographic study. Table 9 A Comparison of the Racial/Ethnic Composition of the Student Affairs Profession at Private Colleges and Universities 1988 and 1977 (Percentages) Private Private Racial/Ethnic Institutions Institutions §§o§o§ 1988 Study* (Wilson, 1977) in_§i=9 121-2213922111 Asian 0.9: 1.1 0.5 Black 7.6: 4.2 7.2 Caucasian/Other 89.8124.1 90.3 Hispanic 1.2: 0.8 1.6 Native American 0.51 0.5 0.4 *95% Confidence Interval The confidence intervals are broad due to the variance in each institutions' number of employed student affairs professionals. 71 mmmmmwrsen tvnsz 9212; Soodent Affairs Officers The findings of the Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey were generalizable to all public and private, two year and four year, institutions of higher education in the United States, i.e. the student affairs profession. The respondent sample size of 200 was satisfactory for generalization to a national population given that the population members were institutions and that optimum stratified sampling procedures were utilized (Sudman, 1983, p. 181). Furthermore, there was confidence that the subgroups of affiliation/control and type of institutions were also representative given that there was in excess of fifty individual institutions represented in. each subgroup (Sudman, 1983, p. 157). Internal consistency was also demonstrated in this study through the similar percentage distribution of all respondents. This finding established that the survey was self-weighting and lacked bias, i.e. allowed for the assumption of a random non-response rate. Finally, external validity of the findings was established through an examination of previous documented studies, i.e. 1980 US Census of the Population, and Wilson (1977). The consistency in the data supports that the findings of the Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey were reliable. Thus, the sample of chief student affairs officers was representative and the findings of this survey were generalizable to the student affairs profession. 72 mummmm Eogmo; Mid-Levol Student Affairs Professionals The former mid-level student affairs professionals identified by the chief student affairs officers were mailed a questionnaire seeking demographic information about their career paths and their reasons for leaving the student affairs profession. Forty-seven chief student affairs officers of the 200 usable survey respondents identified 69 former professionals. (The remaining 153 chief student affairs officers who did not identify any former mid-level student affairs professionals indicated that they were not aware of any meeting the stated criteria or preferred not to provide the information so as not to violate the former employee's privacy.) Of the 69 former student affairs professionals who were mailed a questionnaire, 49 provided usable responses for statistical analysis, 4 responses lacked the necessary information for meaningful statistical analysis, 5 letters were returned as undeliverable and 11 requests went unanswered. Of the 49 returned usable responses from the former professionals, only 22 met the criteria established to define former mid-level student affairs professional, i.e. (1) was awarded a graduate or professional degree in a student affairs related curriculum, (2) held an associate or assistant or director position responsible for direction, control, or supervision of one or more student affairs functions or staff, (3) was no longer carrying out a basic student affairs function, (4) left the student affairs profession in the past five years, and (5) had reasons for attrition that excluded.¢death, retirement or temporary leave. Thus, the following analysis was based on the responses of 22 former mid-level 73 student affairs professionals. Wfim—U ndentS: mwmmw There was confidence that the former mid-level student affairs professionals who responded by completing and returning a survey were a representative sample (given 'that their nominators, i.e. chief student affairs officers, were a .representative group identified through random methods (Harris, 1985). However, due to the limited number of referrals and the small number of respondents, i.e. 22, the findings of this study relevant to former mid-level student affairs professionals were only generalizable to the respondent sample. ELDQLBQE 91 SEE DSEQQIARBLE £2122! 9229:: 929mm 21 m M 85.41.12.115 Mien The first research question posed in this study was "What is the gender composition of the student affairs profession?” To answer this question, the chief student affairs officers were requested to provide the 'gender composition of their divisions. The number reported included. all full-time jprofessional staff. The gender differential, i.e. the number of males as compared with females, in the profession appears marginal. As shown in Table 10, females held approximately six percent more of all positions at all institutions in the student affairs profession. A greater percentage of females were employed at two year institutions and private institutions, i.e. approximately an 8% and 14% differential respectively. Public 74 .sas>weuc« eoceouucoo veouc one eoceuueb e643 ecu couscoum haeueEAuAs sec coucz .cOAusuuuecu ecu «0 ends ecu co oeuccemee e~ec04eeeuoum suqeuue uceosus emu ou 6 Bean emcee e sepsaocu eueaaece e>ocs ecu .esca .co«e4>uv suueuue ucevsue e no ocuuueue ecu use pee: e>4u0emeeu euu use cauusuuuscu ecu «0 ends ecu secueueuev ceuuo uceEHAOuce ucevsua .cOAusuuueca ecu no uceaauouce ucevsue ecu co veeec uoc es: sueauece such .cOuususve wecOuc uo ecOuusuuuecu Aesvu>uecu ecu kc peasamee edec04seeuoua euueuue uceesue uo senses ecu cu euceuue> ecu cu esp eeeeo aces cu veouc aue> ewe e~e>ueucu secevuucoo one veueue och. ooh «.mufln.pm\anv H.nnup.uv\pun om scouusuuuucu ouo>uum “mu“ c.uuuu.um\nonu H.nnuo.o¢\oo~n won scouuausuucn oceans mum n.«nuu.cn\m¢v o.o «o.mv\opn an acouuauuuacu use» use mama o.nuwo.«m\spnu n.4HHn.pc\omoH “Nu ucouusuuu-cn uuo» sacs omen o.cnuo.nm\~«on o.o~uo.pv\on¢~ oou .couuaueuucu Hue deemsmuq auseuuuauuucsaaq seqemueuuuuasauq use usmqmmuquuau Heuoa easieh one: unaccomeez mo Henfisz .c04u-ououm uuuuuue unsosun on» an couuuuonsoo usages on Odnea 75 institutions have a near equal gender balance with females holding approximately 3% more of the student affairs professional positions. W Mien 2f Lhe __Student m Lei saion The second research question posed in this study was "What is the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession?" To answer this question the chief student affairs officers were requested to provide the racial/ethnic composition of all full-time professional staff in their divisions. The racial/ethnic information from four public institutions (two, two year institutions and two, four year institutions) was excluded from the racial/ethnic demographic analysis due to the bias they introduced into the study (Sudman, 1983, p. 157). These four institutions were classified by the Higher 292952193 metal Infematien Sum! M). as having fifty percent or more of their enrollment being black-non-hispanic. The large number of minority professional staff at these institutions had a disproportionate effect on the data. For example, had the racial/ethnic demographic information of these four institutions been included, the percent of Black professional staff would have increased by approximately 5% for respondents of all institutions. Recognizing this bias, i.e. the effect of these institutions' information on the sample population information, the racial/ethnic data provided by these four respondents were excluded from the racial/ethnic demographic analysis. The racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession appears fairly consistent across the different types of institutions with some differences noted for private institutions (see Table 11). 76 .sae>ueucu eucevuucoe esouc ace eoceuus> ecu: ecu couscoua adeuseuuas sec cauca .cOuusuuuscu ecu no esue ecu co ocuucemee saecOAeeeuoua euueuus ucevsue can ou 6 Bone eoceu s seesaocu eusanecs e>oce ecu .esca .co«s«>uv euueuus ucevsue e we ocuuueue ecu use use: eeuuoemseu suu vce cauusuuuscu ecu «0 ends ecu seculueuev ceuuo uceauaowce uceusum .c04usuuuscu ecu no uceluuouce uceesue ecu co cesec uoc es: sue>~scs such .cOuusosve wecOAc «o secuusuuuecu Aeseu>uvcu ecu an vexedese suecOusseuoue swusuus uceesus uo uenasc ecu cu ecceuuee ecu ou esp seseo uses :4 teens auee sue e~s>ueucu secs—63:00 one usueue ecu. .ucuvcsou ou esp uood «save uoc See eeoeuceouem ecu no see ecac .uuuaz v.6 No.6 6.” Ho.n n.6afl6.66 m.u “6.6 6.6 Mu.“ .mmnuc. an: 6.6 “6.6 6.« ”6.6 n.m«flm.vo n.n Mu.a p.6 Ha." confine. sac» uaou p.6 “6.6 p.” up.n 6.mnwp.vo 6.n Hu.6u 6.6 No.6 cps-6. use» 639 m.6 No.6 6.6 ”a." H.v~wo.66 «.6 H6.~ a." “6.6. .66.:. ouu>3um m.6 “6.6 4." «6.6 6.n«H6.n6 6.n Ha.6~ v.6 H«.H .66uu6. occasm sequence wanna 2: a... an Fae-836 g 63.: gen cceeoeuceouee. ones 66. coda-uuuuucxuouucoo uncouuauuu-cn an codeeeuoue saueuuc ucevsue ecu no scuuueomloo eqccuuxaeuoem an Dania 77 Caucasians/Others hold the vast majority, i.e. approximately 85%, of the student affairs professional positions. Blacks hold approximately 9% of all full-time professional positions. Hispanics follow Blacks with approximately 4% of the positions, while Asians and Native Americans each make up approximately 1% of the full-time professionals. The break down of private institutions displays differences from the trends noted in the other categories. On a percentage basis, private institutions employ fewer racial/ethnic minority persons and more Caucasian/Others in full-time student affairs professional positions. It appears that the two most underrepresented racial/ethnic minority groups at private institutions are Blacks and Hispanics. mammm W This study sought to identify the actual and perceived reasons for mid-level student affairs professionals' attrition. Former mid- level student affairs professionals were asked to provide their actual reasons for leaving the student affairs field, while chief student affairs officers were solicited to provide their perceptions on this issue. Bach respondent evaluated the degree of importance attached to the twenty-eight statements on leaving the student affairs profession. The response range included evaluating the item as a major consideration (M), a contributing factor (C), having little influence (L), or being not applicable (N) (see Appendix M). The responses were coded as having a value of one to four, with one 78 equal to a major consideration, two equal to a contributing factor, three equal to little influence, and four equal to not applicable. To determine if significant differences existed between respondents, the t-test was selected as the appropriate statistical manipulation. One major assumption of the t-test is that the data must be of a continuous nature (Norusis, 1986). The not applicable response was eliminated from the statistical computations because it was not viewed as being on a continuum with the other responses. We of 32:12:19.: We; £2993; __f_iL_Af a a _L£P o gsgiggals: Basses: :2: We The third research question posed in this study was "Why do mid- level student affairs professionals leave the field?" This question was answered from the former mid-level student affairs professional perspective using two approaches. The first approach involved each respondent evaluating the degree of importance attached to the twenty-eight attritional statements in their decision to leave the student affairs profession. The second approach involved each respondent identifying the three major factors influencing their decision to leave the student affairs profession. Appendix M contains the former mid-level student affairs professionals' responses to the twenty-eight attritional statements. The statements identified by fifty percent or more of the respondents as being a major or contributing factor in their decision to leave the student affairs profession were (1) Lack of opportunity for advancement [68.2%], (2) Inadequate salary [63.6%] and (3) Internal politics [50.0%]. 79 Similar reasons for leaving the student affairs profession were identified by the respondents in their replies to the question "What were the three major factors influencing your decision to leave the student affairs profession?" As Table 12 reveals, the major factors influencing a mid-level professional to leave the student affairs field includes (1) greater career opportunity outside of student affairs, (2) low salary, (3) no opportunity for promotion, and (4) the lack of support from within the institution. This select group of former mid-level student affairs professionals left the profession primarily for reasons of career advancement and personal gain. It was their view that the student affairs profession did not offer the opportunities and quality of life they desired. mummwmw WWEM The fourth research question posed in this study was "Do females leave ‘the student affairs ‘profession for different reasons than males?” This question was responded to by Testable Hypothesis I: Null Hypothesis I: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by gender in response to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. As Table 13 reveals, male and female respondents generally ranked their consideration given to each of the twenty-eight attritional statements in similar fashion. Both groups identified that the lack of openness to change in their department, the lack of understanding and appreciation by their superiors, and the lack of congruence between their attitudes and the department's goals, were contributing Table The Three Major Factors 80 12 Influencing a Mid-Level Professional's Decision to Leave the Student Affairs Profession (Percentages, 1m Found greater career opportunity outside of student affairs Incompatible with immediate superiors Wanted to teach Opposition to the president or other executive officers Stale, just needed change Unable to influence policy Talents not compatible with department Philosophy not compatible with department Wanted to do graduate work Internal politics Physical health Too much work involved Marriage/Intimate relationship No opportunity for promotion Too much resistance from faculty Demands of family life Too much involvement with student discipline Lack of support from within the institution Burnout Incompetence Low salary Notes 2 Superscript pertains to overall rank of response MI I Most Important 2I - Second in Importance 31 - Third in Importance T - Sum (total) of three responses n=22) OOO-fi Ch (31500000in m H H (.0060 O U! H O) 0 00100 10.0 0100 O 5.0 10.0 15.0 H OU‘OO CO 0000 p... 0000101111000 It! 10.0 13.6 10.0 5.0 5.0 14.1 29.13 4.5 5.0 15.0 14.5 43.62 81 factors in their decision to leave the profession. The lack of prestige and non-student affairs duties had little influence in the decision to leave for both males and females. Although not a significant difference at the .05 level (see Chapter 3, pp. 57-58), some items provided an insight into the gender differences. Considering attritional statements with a mean difference in excess of .50 as an arbitrary measure, males indicated that direct involvement in student disciplinary matters and the demands of family life weighed heavier in their decision to leave the profession than these items did for females. Conversely, females reported that the lack of involvement in departmental decision making, a low level of involvement in the educational function of the institution and the lack of opportunity for advancement provided a greater impetus to leave the profession. Although both genders reported inadequate salaries played a major to contributing role in their decision to leave student affairs, this item was more consequential for males. T- tests were conducted to test for significant differences between groups based on gender. No significant difference at the .05 level was found for each of the twenty-eight items of the Attrition Survey. Thus, Null Hypothesis I was not rejected. 82 Table 13 Gender Comparison of Degree of Consideration Given to Attritional Reasons by Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals Jim The lack of openness to change in the department of the former professional. The lack of professional freedom. The lack of faculty status. The lack of prestige of the former professional's position in the eyes of the rest of the institution. The compatibility of the former professional's training with that of the new position. Non-student affairs duties. Bureaucracy. The lack of authority present in the former professional's position. The lack of understanding and appreciation superiors had for the problems inherent in the former professional‘s position. A high degree of direct involvement in student disciplinary matters. I IS Sig. Level 1.000 0.824 0.141 0.826 0.360 1.000 0.457 0.484 1.000 0.157 Table 13 (cont'd.) m Geographical location as a factor contributing to the change in position. The covert or overt resistance to the goals of the student affairs department by the institution. Lack of congruence between the former professional's attitude and the department's goals. The institutional resistance to innovation and change. Inadequate salary. The lack of involvement in departmental decision making. The lack of appropriate training and preparation for the position held. The lack of confidence as expressed by supervisors. A conflict between counseling and discipline. The demands of family life placed on the former professional. 83 3 ID 0" UI N .43 Sig. Level 0.684 0.403 0.946 0.408 0.295 0.123 0.541 0.207 0.374 0.219 Table 13 (cont'd.) use The demands of marriage/intimate relationship. Personal physical health. The low level of involvement in the educational function of the institution. The lack of clear objectives for the former professional's position. Internal politics. Personal mental health. Burnout. Lack of opportunity for advancement. Notes: M - Male F - Female s.D. - Standard Deviation Sig. Level - Significance Level 84 I: Sig. Level 0.387 0.798 0.068 0.407 0.476 0.879 0.247 0.142 85 Beemneee 2f mm: W Meet Affeiee gr.___e_ofesaion l_s_.: W Differeneee .ie ____Attrition The fifth research question posed in this study was "Do people of different racial/ethnic origins leave the student affairs profession for different reasons?" This question was responded to by Testable Hypothesis II: Null Hypothesis II: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by race or ethnic origin in response to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. Since all of the responding former mid-level student affairs professionals indicated 'that they'1were Caucasian/Other, t-tests could not be conducted based on race or ethnic origin. Thus, due to the lack of response, this research question remained unanswered in this study and Null Hypothesis II was not rejected. mgmwmmw mmmmmmm The sixth research question posed in this study was ”Do mid- level student affairs professionals leave different types of institutions for different reasons?" This question was responded to by Testable Hypothesis III: Null Hypothesis III: No difference in reasons for mid- level professionals leaving the student affairs profession will be found by the type of institution (public and private, two year and four year) in response to the mid- level student affairs attrition study instrument. Table 14 contains the responses of all former mid-level student affairs professionals stratified by institutional control and type. Institutional stratification. of responses was based on the most recent student affairs employment situation of the fermer mid-level 865 50m.0 500.0 000.H 00n.0 mvv.0 00N.0 050.0 N05.0 unwed «men 05.0 0m.0 50.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 «5.0 00.0 05.0 0m.0 0~.~ 0m.N Nv.n ov.n 00.n 00.n 50.N 00.n 00.N 0m.~ 0H.~ m~.~ 00mm ..u. use» unou\.a. uses 639. case 666 ..u. oua>uum\.m. Odessa. 6a. m «6.6 nn.~ v a "66.6 ”5.6 mm.” «A m 05.0 0N.~ m a omm.0 “5.0 0m.~ m m 00.0 00.n n a 000.a 00.0 00.n m m 00.0 00.N v a m05.0 00.0 5«.n m m 66.6 66.~ n a oom.o mn.o em.~ m e m6.o om.~ N a 000.n mv.0 00.~ 5 m 0m.0 m~.m v a mmv.0 05.0 5m.~ 0a m 00.~ 00.~ v a moo.0 no.0 ~N.N 0 405mm "new «mum 000” 0a m m .cOuuueom e.~ecouseeuoue uefiuOu ecu cu uceeeum auuuocuse 00 cued eca .aosuoseeusm .ueuuso euueuue ucepsueucoz .co«uueom sec ecu no uscu cue: ocucaeuu e.asco«sseuoum nosuou ecu «0 auuuunuu-esou one .cOuusuuuucu ecu uo uueu 0:0 00 eeae ecu cu cOuuueoa e.aec04eeeuOum ueEMOu ecu uo emuueeun no coed och .msueue auaaoeu uo coed eca .Eoveeuu decodeeeuoum uo coma eca .HecOAeseuoue ueBHOu ecu no uceauuemeo ecu cu eocecu ou eeeccemo we can" eca aflww douucoo necOuusuuuecH >0 vacuuuauum acacououououa sue-06¢ 0:06:06 ~o>oa:6ur nuance an ecoeeem ascOuuuuuuc ou ce>uc cauueweouscoo no eeuueo on Danna 87 MN0.0 000.0 nu0.0 00~.0 0Nv.0 0N0.0 5m~.0 000.0 Amumm 404w 60.0 00.0 n5.0 00.0 50.0 «0.0 00.0 00.0 n0.0 00.0 00.0 00.H 00.~ Mn.” NN.N 00.N 00.~ 00.n 00.N om.~ 00.a 00.N m5.« 00.0 «H.N 00.H 0a 0a 0a HOH.0 n0m.0 00H.0 500.0 00m.0 v00.0 v00.0 000.0 amwmd 404% 00.0 ~5.0 0m.0 05.0 00.0 00.0 Hv.H 00.0 90.0 00.0 00.0 nn.N 5m.~ 00." m5.n nn.N 0N.N 00.N 00.N 00.N m5.H 00.N 00.N 0N.N 0H .0cuxea codeuueu deuceauusmeo cu uceee>ao>cu «0 £060 eca .hweaee euesveuecn .e0ceco one cauue>occw ou eoceueueeu AeGOuusuuuecu eca .eaeou e.uceEuue0eo ecu ace eosuuuue e.ueco«66e00um weaken ecu cee3uen eocesw0coo no xueq .couuaueuucu 0:» >6 uceEuueQev euueuue uceosue ecu 00 60600 Gnu OU OOCIfiIdOOH HHO>O HO UNO>OO 02H. .cOuuueom cu e0ceco ecu ou 0cuusbuuucoo uouueu e we ecuueoo~ Aeoucmsuooeo .eueuuea >uecuamwoeuo uceosue cu uceae>ao>cu uoeuuv no eeumeo couc c .c04udsom e.~e:Oueeeuoum ueBHOu ecu cu uceuecca eaeanoua ecu new vac encasemse coaueaoeumns vce ocuoceueuevc: uo coed eca EMMH ..6.u:00. 6“ ounce 88 0N0.0 ~00.0 0N0.0 000.0 500.0 000.0 0~0.0 050.0 000.~ 005.0 «MMMJ 4040 00.0 00.0 05.0 00.0 00.0 H5.0 00.0 H5.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 N0.0 00.0 05.N 00.n 00.N 00.N ~5.N 00.0 A5.“ 00.N 00.N 00.0 5N.N 00.0 00.0 00.n 50.N 00.0 00.N 00.~ 00.N 00.n 0 050.0 050.0 500.0 000.0 0N~.0 «05.0 «00.0 000.0 000.~ 00.0 00.0 05.0 N0.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 00.0 05.N 00.N 0N.N 00.N 00.N 00.N 05.N 00.N 0N.N 00.N 00.N 00.N 05.N 50.N 00.0 00.N 50.N 00.0 00 On Q ' 00 0 .cuaeec deucea aecOswee .sOuuuaon Hecueucn .cOAuueom s.uec04eseuoun u06000 ecu wan eeeuuoeflco weeao 00 coed och .COuusuuuecu ecu no cauuucsu deceaueosve ecu nu uceae>ao>cu no ae>e~ 30H eca .cuaeec Aneueacm “ecceuec .mucecOAueaeu euefiaucheosuuweE 00 ecceeev eca .aecOAeeeuoua neauou ecu co oeoeum euuu 500540 00 eUceEeU och .ecuamuueuv oce ocuceecsoo cee3uec uneducoo c .euoeu>uease 5c veneeunxe ee euceoqucou 00 cued eca .oaec cauuusoe ecu wan cauusueeeue ace ocucueuu eueuumoumme no cuea ecu EMHH ..6.u:00. cu scans 89 000.0 000.0 ~0>mu "04.0 55.0 00.~ 50.0 00.0 ~0.H 50.“ 0n.~ 50.0 fiflMfl NON.0 000.H Amwmd 4040 05.0 50.0 00.0 05.0 0m.H N0.H n0.N n0.N HH accuusuuuecu wee» neon u occuusuuuecH use» 038 u accuusuuuecn eue>uum u ucoduauuuucu nuance u ce>eq eoceuauucmum I ~e>eq .000 "eeuoz “Ki-‘0: .ucmeeucm>0e 000 >uwcauuommo no x004 .usocusm mflmw ..6.ucoo. ca eases 90 professional. Stratification of the responses of the former mid-level student affairs professionals by institutional affiliation/control revealed similar patterns in the level of importance associated with each of the twenty-eight attritional statements. The former mid-level student affairs professionals, regardless of institutional affiliation/control, identified 'the lack. of opportunity' for advancement and inadequate salary as being the major considerations for their departure from the profession. Those respondents employed at private institutions indicated that the lack of advancement opportunities and salary played a greater role in their decision to leave the jprofession than these factors did for those formerly employed at public institutions. Furthermore, former private institution mid-level student affairs professionals indicated a greater concern. with institutional resistance to innovation and change. Former mid-level student affairs professionals’ responses stratified by institutional type, i.e. two year and four year, revealed similar patterns in the level of importance associated with each of the twenty-eight attritional statements. The former mid- level student affairs professionals, regardless of institutional type identified the lack of opportunity for advancement and inadequate salary as being the major considerations for their departure from the profession. Four year institution respondents identified direct involvement in student disciplinary matters, differences between personal attitude and department’s goals, and the demands of family 91 life, as carrying greater weight in their decision to leave the profession than these issues did for the two year respondents. T-tests were conducted to test for significant differences between groups based on institutional control/affiliation and type. In each of the twenty-eight attritional statements tested on the basis of institutional control (public/private) and type (two year/four year) no significant differences were found at the .05 level. Thus, Null Hypothesis III was not rejected. Former mid-level professionals from different types of institutions left the student affairs profession for similar reasons. mammmm 'cea: mmmm Chief student affairs officers were requested to provide their perceptions of mid-level student affairs professionals' attrition from the field. These perceptions contributed additional understanding to the third research question posed in this study, i.e. "Why do mid-level student affairs professionals leave the field?”, as well as provided the necessary information to answer the seventh research question posed in this study, i.e. ”Are chief student affairs officers accurately perceiving the reasons which motivate mid-level student affairs professionals to leave the student affairs profession?" Chief student affairs officers perceptions on attrition were collected using two approaches. The first approach involved each of the respondents identifying their perceived degree of importance attached to the twenty-eight attritional statements in a mid-level student affairs professional's decision to leave the 92 field. The second approach involved each of the respondents ranking their perceptions of the three major factors influencing a mid-level professional's decision to leave the student affairs profession. The findings of the first approach where chief student affairs officers' identified their perceived degree of importance to the twenty-eight attritional statements, are contained in Appendix M. The statements identified by fifty percent or more of the respondents as being a perceived major or contributing factor in the decision to leave the student affairs profession are (l) Inadequate salary [85.6%], (2) Lack of opportunity for advancement [82.9%], (3) Burnout [72.7%], (4) Bureaucracy [61.5%], (5) Resistance to the goals of student affairs by the institution [59.9%], (6) Lack of authority [59.7%], (7) Internal politics [58.6%], (8) Lack of understanding and appreciation by superiors [58.3%], (9) Lack of prestige in the eyes of the institution [56.3%], and (10) Institutional resistance to innovation and change [54.3%]. The second approach involved the chief student affairs officers ranking their perceptions of the three major factors influencing a mid-level professional's decision to leave the student affairs profession. As Table 15 reveals, the ’five highest ranked major factors influencing a mid-level professional to leave the student affairs field, as perceived by the chief student affairs officers, included (1) Found greater career opportunity outside of student affairs [57.3%], (2) Low salary [42.4%], (3) Burnout [36.6%], (4) No opportunity for promotion [36.0%], and (5) Lack of support from within the institution [17.2%]. 93 Table 15 Chief Student Affairs Officers' Perceptions of the Three Major Factors Influencing a Mid-Level Professional's Decision to Leave the Student Affairs Profession (Percentages, 150 Found greater career opportunity outside of student affairs Incompatible with immediate superiors Wanted to teach Opposition to the president or other executive officers Stale, just needed change Unable to influence policy Talents not compatible with department Philosophy not compatible with department Wanted to do graduate work Internal politics Physical health Too much work involved Marriage/Intimate relationship No opportunity for promotion Too much resistance from faculty Demands of family life Too much involvement with student discipline Lack of support from within the institution Burnout Incompetence Low salary Notes: 0 HODM HOOOHOHWO n=187) 0‘ H N ‘0 s e s s H \l 0‘ MOI-bk 0:000 k>C>O\HvN N b u w 0 e 00000»:qu H M O s.) 5.3 10.7 16.0 Superscript pertains to overall rank of response MI I Most Important 2I I Second in Importance 31 I Third in Importance T I Sum (total) of three responses 5.: NHwD-‘fiONJf-O O .0 w H O O (3me h) s U! H #0551 “0‘09 H 0000 m H 0.5 H O 0 & U H O‘NO‘UONGH-fi MOONQHHQN 0 N 17.25 36.63 1.6 42.42 94 Chief student affairs officers attributed mid-level student affairs professional attrition to factors related tn: (1) the institution, e.g. salary level, position availability, bureaucracy, and (2) the mid-level professional's personal issues, e.g. desire for career advancement, burnout, authority, support, prestige. Primary among the perceptions of chief student affairs officers was the fundamental realization that there is more opportunity for career advancement and increased income potential outside of the student affairs profession for the skilled mid-level student affairs professional. 8mm ef Ellie; mm; Ageig ___0fficera: 10.5.1110 Sim Team Having identified the perceptions of all responding chief student affairs officers with respect to mid-level professional attrition, it became evident that perceptual differences existed among the respondents. These perceptual differences of the responding chief student affairs officers appeared to be based upon their providing a response to the question requesting specific individual information on former mid-level professionals. Two groups of chief student affairs officers emerged: (1) those who provided the former mid-level student affairs professionals' names and addresses, and (2) those who did not list a response. Based upon these two groups of chief student affairs officer respondents, between group tests were conducted on their responses to the twenty-eight attritional statements. Table 16 contains this information. The purpose of the comparison of responses was to assess the degree of similarity of the 95 Table 16 Comparison of Responses of Chief Student Affairs Officers who identified former mid-level professionals (CSA01) to Chief Student Affairs Officers who provided no usable former mid-level professional information (CSA02) on the Reasons for Attrition 11811 c 009 o MEAN a go. LEI/EL The lack of faculty status. CSA01 26 2.65 .485 .033* CSA02 124 2.40 .709 Bureaucracy. CSA01 31 2.35 .755 .032* CSA02 141 2.04 .741 The covert or overt resistance to the goals of CSA01 32 2.47 .761 .002* the student affairs CSA02 137 2.03 .717 department by the institution. A conflict between counseling and discipline. CSA01 25 2.76 .436 .035* CSA02 115 2.53 .640 *Significant at the .05 level. CSA01 I chief student affairs officers who identified former mid- level student affairs professionals CSA02 I chief student affairs officers who provided no usable information on specific former mid-level student affairs professionals SD I Standard Deviation 96 two subgroups. The t-test was adopted as the tool for the comparison of the responses. Significant differences were found on four items. In each of the four items, i.e. lacking faculty status, bureaucracy, institutional resistance to student affairs goals, conflict between counseling and discipline, those chief student affairs officers who did not provide ‘usable formem' mid-level professional information assessed those items as having greater influence in the decision to leave the profession than those chief student affairs officers who provided usable former professional information. Chief student affairs officers who identified former mid-level student affairs professionals differed from those chief student affairs officers who provided no usable former mid-level professional information. The two groups of chief student affairs officers differed in their perceptions of the reasons for mid-level attrition. The group who identified former mid-level professionals did not have as extreme of view on the relative importance of four attritional statements. The chief student affairs officers who made the identification of former mid-level student affairs professionals also made finer distinctions in the relative importance of faculty status, bureaucracy, institutional resistance to student affairs goals, and conflict between counseling and discipline, as reasons for attrition. 92mm ef Beeeeneee 3.0 the new 53:191.; Affeire 01110;; The seventh research question posed in this study was ”Are chief student affairs officers accurately’ perceiving the reasons which motivated mid-level student affairs professionals to leave the 97 student affairs profession?" This question was responded to by Testable Hypothesis IV: Null Hypothesis IV: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by comparing chief student affairs officers’ and former mid-level student affairs professionals' responses to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. Appendix M. contains the responses of all former mid-level student affairs professionals and chief student affairs officers who participated in the attrition questionnaire. Four items were found to have significant differences existing at the .05 level between these two groups. Significant differences between the actual responses of the former professionals and the perceptions of chief student affairs officers were found to exist in the areas of prestige, non-student affairs duties, institutional resistance to the goals of student affairs, and burnout. As Table 17 reveals, chief student affairs officers perceived each of these four items as being nearer the contributing factor end of the continuum, while the former mid-level professionals viewed these reasons as possessing little influence upon their decision to leave the student affairs profession. Given these findings Null Hypothesis IV was rejected. Former mid-level student affairs professionals did not view the aspects of their positions, which appeared negative to chief student affairs officers, as reasons for attrition. Chief student affairs officers did not accurately perceive the reasons which motivated mid- level student affairs professionals to leave the student affairs profession. 98 Table 17 Comparison of Responses of All Responding Chief Student Affairs Officers (CSAO) to Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals (FMLP) on the Reasons for Attrition m @922 e MEAN SD £19.; 1:23;. The lack of prestige of _ the former professional's CSAO 169 2.14 .766 .008* position in the eyes of FMLP 12 2.75 .622 the rest of the institution. Non-student affairs duties. CSAO 144 2.51 .626 .028* FMLP 8 3.00 .000 The covert or overt resistance to the goals of CSAO 169 2.11 .743 .004* the student affairs FMLP 14 2.71 .611 department by the institution. Burnout. CSAO 171 1.88 .721 .006* - FMLP 14 2.43 .646 *Significant at the .05 level. CSAO I chief student affairs officers FMLP I former mid-level student affairs professionals SD I Standard Deviation The seventh research question posed in this study was "Are chief student affairs officers accurately' perceiving 'the reasons which motivated mid-level student affairs professionals to leave the student affairs profession?" The corresponding Testable Hypothesis IV was: Null Hypothesis IV: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by comparing chief student affairs officers' and former mid-level student affairs professionals' responses to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. Both research question seven and Null Hypothesis IV were responded to 99 by the attrition instrument's question regarding the three major factors influencing a mid-level student affairs professional's decision to leave the field. Each responding former mid-level student affairs professional and chief student affairs officer identified the three major factors influencing a mid-level student affairs professional's decision to leave the profession. The respondents indicated their choices by ranking the three major factors of the twenty-one listed. Since the items provided were discrete data, precluding quantitative analysis (e.g. t-tests), the chi square statistic was utilized. Results of the chi square analysis showed that there were not enough observations available in each cell to produce a correct significance level based on the chi- square distribution; thus rendering the test unreliable. Given the lack of observations, Null Hypothesis IV could not be rejected utilizing this statistical approach in answer to the question regarding the three major factors influencing a mid-level student affairs professional's decision to leave the field. However, a review of the rankings indicated some observable trends in the data. As Table 18 reveals, both chief student affairs officers and former mid-level student affairs professionals agreed that the two most prominent factors influencing one’s decision to leave the profession were greater career opportunity outside of student affairs, and low salary. Also cited by chief student affairs officers and former professionals as playing a major role in the decision to leave the profession was the lack of opportunity for promotion. Although consensus on the primary reasons for attrition was 6.60 6 6.60 6 «.6 m6 «.6 6.6 6 060556006 .303 00036.80 006 3006000.: 0 0 o 0 5 0 0 N c 6 6 6 6 6.6 6 2 0.0 6 0606006606 6003 03360.80 00: 606006... N 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 c 0.00 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 ~.n o u 500000 eucea00c0 Cu 0000:: m m 0 0 0m N0 0 0 c 0.00 0.00 o 0 0.00 0.0 0.0 n.0 u e0ceco fleeces uesn .e0eum 0 0 o 0 50 m 0 0 c 0.0 0 o 0.0 0.0 5.~ m.0 0.~ u eueO0000 e>0uauexe necuo uo uceO0eeu0 ecu Ou c00u0eoamo O O 11 0 0 o 0 0 0 N 0 c 0 0 0 0 0.0 m.m 0.0 0 a coeeu ou eeucez m o o m «0 N m 0 : 0.M0 o o 0.M0 0.0 0.0 5.~ 5.~ a eu00uemse eu60cese0 cu03 e0c0usmeooc0 00 0 m 0 500 M0 00 05 c 05.50 0.0m 0.0m 5.NN 00.50 0.5 0.0 0.00 a 0.00.6000 ucmunum 00 0000.050 >u0csuuommo ueeueo neueeuo ecsom H mm mm mm H mm MM mm eecoeeec 0ecO0eeeeuoum weapon encomeem oamo Seu0 c00eeeuoue eu0euu¢ uceesum ecu e>e00 ou c00e0oe0 n.0ec00seeuoum 0e>eqle0x e 0c0oces0wc0 euouueh wane: eeuca eca 00 00009 6.00 6.60 6.0 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 0 6 0 6 6.0 6 6.0 6 0 6 6 0 0.6 6 6 0.. 0 a a a 00.60 6.60 6.60 0.6 1. 0 0 6 a nu 0.00 6.0 6 0.0 1 0 0 6 6 6.0 6.0 6 6 0 0 6 6 6.0 6.0 6 6 0 6 a 6 6.60 6 6.60 6 0 6 6 n 0.00 6 6 0.00 H an an H: ocean-OI 0.300-IuOuoan uIIuOh mm «.50 50 0.0 «N 0.00 00 00 N0 v.0 co0usu0u-c0 6:» c0000: noun uuonnau no 0060 6600006606 acoosuu :00: acolo>0o>c0 30:! 009 .000 0001-0 «6 .vcaaoa >u0ao-u luau oocaun0uou none 009 c0000loua Han au0cauuoamo oz n0nucO0uI0ou ouqa0ucnxoo-0uuqx vo>0o>c0 xuo: none 009 zu0aoa 0660.0:0 00000009 0ccuouc0 sun: Cacao-nu 00 cu caucus IIHH 0.0.0600. an Odnih 102 a n m 00.00 6.00 6.00 6 6 6 6 6 6 n 6 0 0.00 6 6.60 0 0m 00 00000000 0100000000000 m.v Banach 05 «.mv m0 n0.0m 000000000 00080 00 0000000 530 8 00:0006090 :0 uu0ga a 00 0000000080 :0 000000 a 0n acauuo0e0 000: 0: 00000000 00 8:00 00uuo>o 00 00000000 00000000030 000000000 00 0006:: 0:0 00 00000000 : 000030 00000000 0:0 0000000000 0000000000 on» 0» 00000000 0 mm on 0.00 6.00 N 6 0.0 6 0m 60 «.00 0.60 mm 00 00000000 0‘00 vN 0.N0 n @0902 0 >uu0mm 300 o 00:0000eouc0 0 0300030 EQuH 0.0.U6000 00 O0nafi 103 evident, former mid-level professionals and chief student affairs officers differed on the role of burnout in relation to attrition. Chief student affairs officers cited burnout as being the third most important reason for attrition, whereas former mid-level professionals ranked this item as fifth. Lack of support from within the institution was a more critical factor in the decision to leave student affairs for the mid-level professional than was burnout. Burnout was the only attritional item in contention between the former mid-level student affairs professionals and the chief student affairs officers. Each of these groups recognized the critical role that financial compensation and career opportunities played in the attrition decision for mid-level student affairs professionals. mummmmm 29m: 003m W M WW :2 ammgm WWW Given that some significant differences at the .05 level were found on the responses to the attrition instrument between the chief student affairs officers who identified former' mid-level student affairs professionals and the chief student affairs officers who provided no usable former mid-level student affairs professional information, t-tests were also conducted between the chief student affairs officers who identified the former mid-level student affairs professionals and the former mid-level student affairs professionals. As Table 19 presents, these tests revealed significant differences at the .05 level in two items. First, the lack of openness to change in the department was cited as a contributing factor for leaving by the 104 former professionals, while the chief student affairs officers viewed it as carrying little influence. Second, former professionals identified non-student affairs duties as bearing little influence in their decision to leave the student affairs profession, while this select group of chief student affairs officers recognized this item as being a contributing factor in the decision to change fields. Table 19 Comparison of Responses of Select Chief Student Affairs Officers (CSAO) who identified the Former Mid-Level Professionals to Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals (FMLP) on the Reasons for Attrition 1m ERG—UR .11 5351! £12 110.. HEEL The lack of openness to change in the department CSAO 17 2.71 .588 .040* of the former professional. FMLP 14 2.14 .864 Non-student affairs duties. CSAO 13 2.54 .519 .022* FMLP 8 3.00 .000 *Significant at the .05 level. CSAO - chief student affairs officers FMLP - former mid-level student affairs professionals SD - Standard Deviation The seventh research question posed in this study was "Are chief student affairs officers accurately' perceiving 'the reasons which motivated mid-level student affairs professionals to leave the student affairs profession?” The corresponding Testable Hypothesis Iv was: 105 Null Hypothesis IV: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by comparing chief student affairs officers' and former mid-level student affairs professionals' responses to the uddrlevel student affairs attrition study instrument. Considering both research question seven and Null Hypothesis IV, it appeared that this select group of chief student affairs officers more accurately perceived the attritional reasons of former mid-level professionals, than did the chief student affairs officers who provided no usable former mid-level student affairs professional information. This observation was warranted given that significant differences at the .05 level were found on two items, i.e. the lack of openness and non-student affairs duties, in this test, as compared with the four items, i.e. prestige, non-student affairs duties, institutional resistance to the goals of student affairs, and burnout, which were found to be significantly different at the .05 level in the t-tests of former mid-level student affairs professionals to all chief student affairs officers. Null Hypothesis Iv was rejected. The select group of chief student affairs officers' perceptions and the former mid-level student affairs professionals' actual reasons were not absolutely consistent. Differences did exist between these two groups, however to a lesser degree than was the case with the chief student affairs officers who did not provided any former mid-level student affairs professional information. 106 W 91 gegpgnsgs Lg mg Attrition Survey ; 1193.: 03.29 59322 2: L__id-Level _____Student my; 000% 19109.: W Mden mm W 02 91119.1 Mat Affairs 21.112212 Each responding former mid-level student affairs professional and chief student affairs officer was asked to identify the three most liked aspects of a mid-level student affairs position by ranking the three most liked aspects of the nine listed in the instrument. Since the items provided were discrete data, precluding quantitative analysis (e.g. t-tests), the chi square statistic was utilized. Results of the chi square analysis showed that there were not enough observations available in each cell to produce a correct significance level based on the chi-square distribution; thus rendering the test unreliable. However, a review of the rankings indicated some observable trends in the data. As Table 20 reveals both chief student affairs officers and former mid-level student affairs professionals agreed that the two most prominent aspects enjoyed in a mid-level student affairs position were working with students, and gaining experience. Also cited by chief student affairs officers and former professionals as aspects most enjoyed in this level of position were co-workers, freedom offered by the position, and the opportunity to influence policy. Chief student affairs officers and former mid-level student affairs professionals shared similar opinions regarding the most liked aspects of a mid-level student affairs position. 107 Md MM 00 m.mv o 0 0” 00000000 0000000000000 000000 HQ 0.0N N.M0 NN $.00 0n n.00 000000000 00000 00 .00000. 000 I 9 0060000000 :0 00020 u 00 0000000000 00 000000 I 0N 0:000o000 000: u 0: 00000000 00 0000 00000>0 00 00000000 00000000030 000000000 00 000830 000 00 00000000 0 000000 00000000 000 0000000000 0000000000 000 00 00000000 0 on o.n0 an 0.00 mm N.N0 0N n.00 hm n.00 «.0 0M 00000000 0000 00000: 0 0000000 00000000\>00000 0 00003000000 00 0000000000 0 00000000 >0 0000uuo 8000000 0 000000 00000000000 0 00000000 000000000000 0 >00000 000030000 00 >000300000o o 000x003|00 0 00000300 0003 000x003 a 00300 00 00000000 500 60000660 6000000 0:00:00 00>00-60: 0 0o ON 00209 6000000 00000 060: 000:0 one 108 WQWQmJLL—At 'tioniLxu ve :: Legs; Liked Aspect; 9; gig-Level Student Affairs Positions: mm: Elsi-mg]. MM. Mfai 2..___L__rofess'onals t_o Qfligfi fitggggt Affairs Officers Each responding former mid-level student affairs professional and chief student affairs officer identified the three least liked aspects of a mid-level student affairs position. The respondents indicated their choices by ranking the three least liked items of the fourteen listed in the instrument. Since the items provided were discrete data, precluding quantitative analysis (e.g. t-tests), the chi square statistic was utilized. Results of the chi square analysis showed that there were not enough observations available in each cell to produce a correct significance level based on the chi- square distribution; thus rendering the test unreliable. However, a review of the rankings indicated some observable trends in the data. As Table 21 reveals, both chief student affairs officers and former mid-level student affairs professionals agreed that the one most least liked aspect of a audrlevel student affairs position was the lack of opportunities for advancement. The two groups differed on the selection of the second least liked aspect of a mid-level student affairs position. Comparing combined responses, 46’! of the chief student affairs officers cited too much to do as ranking second, whereas this item was ranked sixth by the former professionals. Former mid-level professionals identified greater concern with salary/benefit package issues by ranking this aspect second. Chief student affairs officers and former mid-level student affairs professionals' combined. responses ranked third the lack of understanding of student affairs work by top administrators as being 109 0.0 o m.v m.v m o N n o.mH o H.m m.v o m a N cm.hN n.vH m.v H.o N H o A m.m m.v o m.v h n N N mm.Nm m.vH a.m H.m N a o H m.m m.v o m.v o o O o o o o O N a H O m.@ o.v m.v o N H H o m.m m.v m.v o H MN HM mm omcoaawm unscauuuououm uoEHOh 0H nv O.MN coduquom uuuauu< acoosum ~o>oqnvax a ouooand vegan uaaoa oauna one Md N 0.5 H.” fin NH 0.5 v.0 N N H.a H.H ma He @.0 m.m 5N HN o.v~ N.Hfl M a o.“ m.o m N h.N H.H ma ma H.m o.m H v m.o n.N Mm MM mucomoom Odmo “N CHAIR mm o.mH noduauunwucoauou :owuanom Haau¢>o cocazo ou mucuuuauom eucaucmsm ocaamaoudc mucuouuuacasvd no» an xuoz acocaun uo undoccuouooc: uCOEuumaon no noduuouav >ua~anwocomoau Nuauozuau UQDHU NO acouaum ouauuum HO 806A Houmcoo no gong no gong no xouq E¢uH 110 m N o o.vH m.a o NH H o Hm.vm m.v m.hN m H o NN.H¢ 0.0 n.hN m N H mH.MN m.¢ m.v v H o wv.oH o.v O H Hm MN canon-Oz HacoHuouOuoum oH mN H.mH Hm noncomaou Gounu uo .Houou. saw I a ooccuuoman :H qu29 I Hm cocuuuoman CH vacuum a HN ucauuomau uuox u H: uncommon no xcau HHouo>o ou ucHnuuom unannouomzm noncomuau uo aches: on» 0» ucHauuoa c ooHozo uncommon on» ocHuoOHuCH oouucoouoa as» ou ocHauuom 0 mm h.mH mN Q.MH 0N m.NH MN oncomuoa ocmo ov M.HN uflOfioz o mcHusou OOu xuos o acoeooca>ua uOu moHuHcauuommo no xumq a mmuxoum nuHuocom\>uonm o uCOEuumaon onu uo ochuao onomm an oucououuoucH O ca 00 £035 OOH. QMMW ..u.u:oo. «w oHnna 111 a least liked aspect of a mid-level student affairs position. Former mid-level student affairs professionals were consistent in interpreting ‘their primary least liked aspects as the major reasons for their attrition. Although chief student affairs officers were consistent in listing their primary least liked aspect to their primary reason for attrition, the other items selected did not directly correspond (see Table 18, p. 99). 99.94am After £32m Affairs The final research question posed in this study was ”What occupations do former mid-level student affairs professionals enter once leaving the field?" This question was approached by requesting former mid-level student affairs professionals to indicate on the survey (1) their current economic sector of employment, and (2) their current position title. As Table 22 reveals, upon leaving the field most former mid-level student affairs professionals found employment in the Industry/Commerce economic sector with the next most frequent career paths in the Education and the Non-profit/Religious sectors. Table 22 Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals Current Economic Sector of Employment §££EQ£ EEQQEEEE! £21 2§££§2£1 Industry/Commerce 10 45.5 Education 5 22.7 Non-profit/Religious 5 22.7 Government 1 4.5 Agriculture 1 4.5 *Percent column does not equal 100 due to rounding. 112 The former mid-level student affairs professionals also listed their current position title. Table 23 reveals that most of these respondents acquired mid-level to senior management position titles. The majority of those who remained in education, i.e. attending school, planned to enter other fields, e.g. law. Table 23 Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional Current Position Title by Economic Sector Industry/Connerce: Commercial Lending Trainee Vice President Career Consultant & Staff Development Principal Owner Executive Vice President President . Assistant Director of Human Resources Training, Development 8 Education District Manager Realtor (One respondent title not reported) Education: Professional/Graduate School Student (3) Area Representative Assistant to the Director of Division of Evening & Summer Studies Mon-profit/Religious: Counselor/Teacher Pastoral Minister Meeting Events Planner Management, Events & Membership Coordinator Executive Director Govern-nut: Psychologist Agriculture: Farmer Former mid-level student affairs professionals have entered all sectors of the economy upon leaving the student affairs profession with the greatest percentage entering Industry/Commerce. The 113 position titles of former mid-level student affairs professionals indicated that they entered their new occupations in mid-to-senior level positions. gm: rigging; 2f the hitting m Lem: Mitten]. $5399.93; Affairs W W W95; 9am: Rain findings Former' mid-level student affairs professionals reported information regarding their career paths. The mean age of leaving the profession reported by the respondents was 36.9 years. The mean number of years as a full-time student affairs professional was 9.4 years. The mean number of full-time student affairs positions prior to leaving the profession was 3.2. As a full-time student affairs professional, the respondents were employed at an average of two different institutions of higher education before changing career paths. Table 24 displays the respondents' mean number of years worked in different types, i.e. public/private, two/four year, of higher education institutions. It appears that the respondents were relatively equally divided between public and private institutions, with some respondents having had work experience in both types of institutions. The total number of respondents in Table 24 exceeded 22, i.e. 29 respondents, due to the reported multiple work experiences of the respondents. Those respondents who worked in public institutions tended to have longer tenures as compared with those from private institutions. 114 Table 24 Mean Years Worked in Different Types of Higher Education Institutions Laggisggigg Type Number 9; Respggdents* Mean Years Public-Two Year 4 9.8 Public-Pour Year 12 7.5 Private-Two Year 3 4.0 6.3 Private-Four Year 10 *The total number of respondents exceeds an n=22 due to reported multiple work experiences Table 25 presents the respondents' mean number of years worked in institutions of higher' education by student population, i.e. headcount. It appears that the respondents were relatively equally divided among the student population groupings, with some respondents having had work experience in more than one size of institution. The total number of respondents in Table 25 exceeded 22, i.e. 34 respondents, due to the reported multiple work experiences of the respondents. The former mid-level student affairs professionals who responded to this survey indicated tenures longest at institutions with enrollments of 2,750 to 7,499 students (8.0 years). The remaining four student population groupings revealed briefer tenures for the responding former student affairs professionals. 115 Table 25 Mean Years Worked in Higher Education Institutions by Student Population (Headcount) mm 2929133223 M2; e: me nd nt * Mean Years Less than 1,500 students 1,500 to 2,749 students 2,750 to 7,499 students 7,500 to 20,000 students Over 20,000 students QOMQG 0%“!th mHOUQ *The total number of respondents exceeds an n=22 due to reported multiple work experiences The 821.: 21: £92 W122 ____Enrichment m in the W at We; __Student m L_s___rof saionals In. order* to glean additional insight into the question of attrition, the role of job enlargement and job enrichment programs as a tool for retention of mid-level student affairs professionals was included in this survey. Chief student affairs officers and former mid-level student affairs professionals were requested to evaluate if job enlargement and job enrichment programs would reduce mid-level student affairs jprofessional attrition. Each respondent indicated yes, no, or undecided to each of the nine programs listed. An examination of Table 26 reveals that in almost every job enlargement and job enrichment program listed, there was agreement between chief student affairs officers and former mid-level student affairs professionals that ‘the leffect. on retention of mid-level student affairs professionals was minimal. The only exceptions to this general observation were the responses of the chief student affairs officers with respect to the item a greater opportunity for more 116 o.oH o.mo o.mN H mH v o.m o.mh o.ON N vH v o.oH o.o> 0.0N o vH o o o.oh 0.6m N NH H o.oH o.mm o.m v NH 0 o.oN 0.00 0.0N m a N wmcommmm HecoHeummwoum usEuom uHecoHeeeuoum NM m.hH Om ¢.0H QN v.mH on m.HN 0N N.¢H Nm m.hH m 00 b.nv moH n.mm mo n.0m hh H.Nv Omsomncm Odmo Hh m.mm Om m.hN he o.om Ne o.MN fl .NUHssasoo OHBooeoe ecu cH eaeuooum use cheeses nonuo :qu sue: on NuHssuuommo umueoum t .uuHeuue accuses :Hnuaz eeoaonao uo yuan on» so :oHuemHOHuuem Essa muse uOu NUHcsuuommo Houeoum ¢ ..osHHHouucoo ouoe ~09 NuHssuuommo uoueouo a ..ochseHm mace uOm >uHcsuuommo newsman m .omxuo: u>mn OHsoo OONOHQEO 0:» son3 so oxen» no Manes: voweouocH cc .ooxuo3 o>ez OHsou 00>OHQE0 man noan so exec» no auoHue> usueoum t uuuuuuc acoosum ~o>uuunuz uo couucouom on» so eaeuuoum usoasoHucu\ucoaCouchu now no vacuum 059 ON CHOIR 117 m mH N o.mH o.mh o.oH m MH N o.mN o.mo 0.0H 0 HH n 0.0n O.mm o.mH m a N success: HeroHeeeOuoum unauOh .eHecoHeeOuoum uuHsuus usopsue He>oHtha unau0u «o soHucouou on» so vacuum eaduooum eng on so vovHuoosD I D .soHeeeuoum one s« cHeaeu ou HesoHnuOuoua uuHeuue arouses Ho>oHuvua uOBHOH s new sense coon Obs: so: vHsos EQHOOHQ ech .02 I z .coHeeOuoum on» c« caseou ou HecoHueOMOum euaeuus usovsue H0>0HIUHB nuance s new cases some o>en OHsoz aeumoum our» .eeu I » ~o>oa mo. as unaouuucmum. ”eeuoz mm em on c o.mN v.Hm b.0H a .coHueuou now am ooH Hm s v.mN o.vm a.oH a .ocHuezu non mv om av c N.oN o.pv m.oN a .ecoHusuHuesH nonuo :uHs eoosenoxo HesoHeeououm m a » uncommon demo EMMH ..p.ucoo. on cause 118 controlling. For this item a majority of chief student affairs officers perceived that a greater opportunity for more controlling by mid-level professionals would lead to increased retention of mid- level student affairs professionals in the field. The majority of responding former mid-level student affairs professionals disagreed with this perception. It was their contention that any job enlargement or job enrichment programs aimed at increasing control did little to increase retention. Since the responses to the job enlargement and job enrichment questions were discrete data, precluding quantitative analysis (e.g. t-tests), the chi square statistic was utilized. Contingency tables were created. whereby each of the nine job enlargement and job enrichment programs were tested for independence by the status of the respondent, i.e. chief student affairs officer or former mid-level student affairs professional. In two items, i.e. greater variety of tasks and increased number of tasks, it was inappropriate to use the chi square test since more than twenty percent of the cells had expected values of less than five (Norusis, 1986, p. 238). The chi square test was appropriately conducted on the remaining seven items. Table 27 presents the results of the chi square test. Significant relationships at the .05 level were found to exist in the items concerning a greater opportunity for more planning and a greater opportunity for more controlling. The low probability found in each item indicated that it was quite unlikely that the involved variables were independent in the population. Therefore in these two items, the status of the respondent is related to the perception of the role 119 Table 27 Chi Square Test of Job Enlargement and Job Enrichment Programs: A Comparison of the Responses of Chief Student Affairs Officers to the Responses of Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professionals 1% EMBLEM... Level A greater variety of tasks on which the employee could have worked. _ An increased number of tasks on which the employee could have worked. _ A greater opportunity for more planning. 7.618 2 0.022* A greater opportunity for more controlling. 8.711 2 0.013* A greater opportunity for more team participation on the part of employees within student affairs. 2.982 2 0.225 A greater opportunity to work with other members and programs in the academic community. 3.303 2 0.192 Professional exchanges with other institutions. 1.314 2 0.518 Job sharing. 0.956 2 0.620 Job rotation. 4.051 2 0.132 Notes: D.P. - degrees of freedom * Significant at the .05 level that more planning or more controlling may play in the retention of mid-level student affairs professionals. The chi square tests conducted on ‘the other five job 'enlargement and job enrichment program items failed to produce chi square values significant at the 120 .05 level: revealing no other significant relationships. Thus, it is likely that the job enlargement/job enrichment program items and the status of the respondents were independent variables. §2Efl§£¥ This chapter contained the presentation and analysis of the data collected for this study. The major purposes of the study were to (1) describe 'the student affairs profession at all levels with respect to gender and racial/ethnic composition, (2) identify the actual and perceived reasons for mid-level student affairs professional attrition from former mid—level professionals and chief student affairs officers, (3) compare former mid-level student affairs professionals' actual reasons for leaving the field with chief student affairs officers' perceptions regarding attrition, and (4) determine what occupations former mid-level student affairs professionals enter once leaving the field. A mailed questionnaire was used to gather the data. The survey sample included 389 chief student affairs officers and 69 former mid- level student affairs professionals. The Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey population was selected through a stratified random sample of higher education institutions based on geographical location, i.e. National Association of Student Personnel Administrators Regions, institutional type, i.e. two year and four year, and institutional control, i.e. public and private. The former mid-level student affairs professionals were identified by the chief student affairs officers who volunteered the information in the 121 completion of the survey. Approximately 51.4% of the chief student affairs officers surveyed returned usable questionnaire responses, while 31.8% of the former mid-level student affairs professionals returned usable survey responses. Chief student affairs officers reported that the gender composition of their student affairs divisions were similar, 47% male and 53% female. The similarity of the gender composition persisted when examining four year institutions and public institutions. However, there appeared to be greater imbalances in two year institutions, i.e. 46% male and 54% female, and private institutions, i.e. 43% male and 57% female. Chief student affairs officers reported a relatively consistent racial/ethnic composition across all institutions. While Caucasians/Other made up the vast majority of the profession (85%), the minority racial/ethnic composition was reported as 1% Asian, 9% Black, 4% Hispanic, and 1% Native American. A deviation was noted at private institutions where fewer racial/ethnic minorities were reported as being employed. Former mid-level student affairs professionals and chief student affairs officers fundamentally’ agreed on the major factors influencing mid-level attrition. Both groups identified greater career opportunity outside of student affairs, low salary, and the lack; of opportunity for promotion, as being the major factors. However, significant differences were found to exist between chief student affairs officers' perceptions and former mid-level professionals' actual reasons for leaving. Chief student affairs 122 officers identified the lack of prestige of the former professional's position in the eyes of the rest of the institution, non-student affairs duties, resistance to the goals of student affairs, and burnout as being significantly more important reasons for attrition than did the former professionals. The former mid-level student affairs professionals who responded to the questionnaire primarily entered the Industry/Commerce sector of the economy. The 45.5% of the former student affairs professionals who entered Industry/Commerce obtained mid-level to senior management positions. The remaining portion of this sample remained in Education as either students or full-time employees pursuing interests outside of student affairs, or are employed with Non-profit/Religious organizations. CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 122292292123 Chapter Five contains a review of the development of the study, i.e. problem, need, purpose, research questions, testable hypotheses, population, research design. Subsequently, the chapter then includes a sumary of the major findings, the derived conclusions for each research question, and concludes with implications of the findings for the field of student affairs and recommendations for further study. SUMMARY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDY The Emblem Given the reports of recent observers, the student affairs profession may be facing a future of long-term instability in recruiting qualified practitioners. The rate of attrition from the student affairs profession combined with the reduction of students entering professional preparation programs leads to the hypothesis that a shortage of professionally prepared student affairs workers may soon be present. Furthermore, staffing problems become more acute 'when. one considers the goals of affirmative action, e.g. representation of ethnic minorities and women at all organizational levels, and what appears to be a shortage of ethnic minority 123 124 candidates. Additionally, those institutions striving to provide student affairs role models that proportionately represent the diversity of their student population are not only finding difficulty in recruiting ethnic minorities, but also white male candidates. Recognizing the concern that a shortage of professionally prepared student affairs workers may be eminent and that this deficit is heightened as ethnic minority role models are sought, the profession must be knowledgeable of its gender and racial/ethnic composition. None of the studies to date provide a current and accurate assessment of the gender and the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession. Such an assessment was deemed needed and appropriate for evaluating the impact of contemporary ‘ attritional concerns regarding the composition of the student affairs profession. One of the student affairs profession's major concerns regarding attrition is the loss of its mid-level professionals. Recent studies have revealed that it is precisely at this level of position that many professionally trained and educated staff have left the student affairs profession. The issue of attrition of mid-level student affairs professionals becomes more complex when considering the gender and racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession. In this situation, the loss of a trained professional from the field may create a void in providing an available role model for a special student population, as well as produce a less diverse professional staff if recruitment efforts did not attain affirmative action goals. 125 The literature on attrition from the student affairs profession was limited. Studies conducted to determine the reasons for attrition have been of a limited regional, professional association, or institutional nature, and have not been directed at the mid-level professional. As well, these studies have lacked generalizability. In addition to the limited information provided in the literature regarding attrition of mid-level professionals, there was also a void regarding chief student affairs officers' perceptions of the reasons for attrition. A comparison of chief student affairs officers' perceptions with those who have left the profession could inform the profession of the similarities and disparities in their perceptions. This information could then be used to reduce attrition through the establishment of retention programs. 1 In conclusion, various authors have raised concerns regarding the future stability of the student affairs profession given an increasing attrition rate, especially at the mid-level position, and a reduction in matriculants of student affairs preparation programs. The current demographic, i.e. gender and racial/ethnic, composition of the student affairs profession is unclear given that a national study has not been conducted in the past fifteen years. Additionally, the student affairs literature was found to be lacking in. providing the reasons for and the perceptions of mid-level professional attrition. 126 31.9.8.4 .10.; m M! Given the field's high rate of attrition and the reduction of students entering professional preparation programs in student affairs, the information gleaned from this study could be used to increase the retention of current mid-level professionals in the field. The implications for the profession drawn from this study's findings could have long range effects in the areas of job satisfaction and motivation for mid—level professionals. Furthermore, a study of this nature was needed to test the following assumptions often verbalized by members of the profession and/or noted in the literature: 1) Females greatly outnumber males in the student affairs profession. In order to establish gender balance, more males are needed in the profession. ‘ 2) There is not enough racial/ethnic diversity in the profession. Institutions of higher education committed to affirmative action goals are finding it very difficult to recruit minority candidates into student affairs positions. 3) Student affairs professionals are generally leaving the field due to the lack of opportunity for advancement and the lack of financial remuneration. 4) Chief student affairs officers are accurately perceiving the reasons for attrition from the mid-level student affairs professional ranks. 5) Organizational development tools such as job enlargement and job enrichment strategies will motivate potential leavers from the 127 student affairs profession to remain in the field. Testing of the above assumptions could provide new information to the student affairs profession regarding the composition of the profession, attrition from the profession, applicability of organizational development and motivation theories relevant to the student affairs profession, and retention programs. Programs directed. at attaining' gender' and racial/ethnic diversity in the profession, as well as retaining mid-level student affairs professionals, could achieve higher levels of performance from the understandings derived from this study. Finally, this study was needed to strengthen the literature, given its inadequacy to address the questions related to nudrlevel attrition from the student affairs profession. The literature on ' attrition from the student affairs profession has addressed all position levels generically and has been drawn from limited samples and populations. These studies therefore have limited generalizability. A large scale representational study was needed to provide information from actual leavers which can then be applied to most types of public and private two-year and four-year institutions of higher education. National concern over the issues of nudrlevel student affairs professional attrition, as well as concern for the recruitment and retention of gender and racially/ethnically diverse student affairs professional staffs precipitated this study. As a reflection of this concern, the American College Personnel Association's (ACPA) Commission I initiated a task force to study the demographics of the 128 profession; ‘this task. force partially funded this study» The findings and the implications for the profession drawn from this study will be reported nationally to assist individual institutions of higher education and the profession as a whole in the pursuit of reducing mid-level student affairs professional attrition and making aware the current demographic composition of the student affairs profession. 22£RQ§§ The purpose of this study was six-fold: 1) To describe the gender composition of the student affairs profession at all levels; 2) To describe the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession at all levels; 3) To identify the actual reasons mid- level student affairs professionals have left the profession; 4) To identify chief student affairs officers' perceptions of the reasons for mid-level student affairs professionals' decisions to leave the profession; 5) To compare chief student affairs officers' perceptions of the reasons for attrition with the actual responses of leavers; and 6) To determine what occupations former mid—level student affairs professionals enter upon leaving the field. w meet ions This study sought to answer the following questions: 1) What is the gender composition of the student affairs profession? 2) What is the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession? 129 3) Why do mid-level student affairs professionals leave the field? 4) Do females leave the student affairs profession for different reasons than males? (This question is responded to by Testable Hypothesis I.) 5) Do people of different racial/ethnic origins leave the student affairs profession for different reasons? (This question is responded to by Testable Hypothesis II.) 6) Do mid-level student affairs professionals leave different types of institutions for different reasons? (This question is responded to by Testable Hypothesis III.) 7) Are chief student affairs officers accurately perceiving the reasons which motivate mid-level student affairs professionals to 'leave the student affairs profession? (This question is responded to by Testable Hypothesis Iv.) 8) What occupations do former mid—level student affairs professionals enter once leaving the field? 233539.12 Means The analysis of this study has tested the following null hypotheses: lull Hypothesis I: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by gender in response to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. Mull Hypothesis II: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by race or ethnic origin in response to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. 130 Null Hypothesis III: No difference in reasons for mid- level professionals leaving the student affairs profession will be found by the type of institution (public and private, two year and four year) in response to the mid- level student affairs attrition study instrument. Mull Hypothesis IV: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by comparing chief student affairs officers' and former mid-level student affairs professionals' responses to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. 2293123913 The subjects for this study were selected through a three step process. The first step was to select a random sample of the nation's two year and four year, public and private, universities and colleges. Identification of that sample was sought from the most complete available listing of those institutions, i.e. the Higher meeting general mass §__r_sxu v 13.14.15 (E515)- Using the @915, lists of colleges and universities were grouped into National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Regions. Within each NASPA Region the institutions were stratified by type, i.e. two year, four year, and then by affiliation/control, i.e. public, private. Due to the constraints of financial resources and time, the size of the random sample was arbitrarily set at a ten percent minimum for each identified subgroup. In subgroups where a ten percent sample did not provide a minimum of sixty institutions, a larger percent was selected. The size of the sample population for this study was 389 institutions, which was approximately twelve percent of the total population. If an institution chosen for the sample was listed in the HEELS but not in 131 the m 1188 Higher w My another institution within its stratified group was chosen to replace it utilizing a random selection process. The second step of this process was to identify the chief student affairs officers at the sample institutions through using the the m 1,183 3.131131. W W. Once identified, a demographic and attrition survey was mailed to each chief student affairs officer. Part of this survey requested that each chief student affairs officer identify by name, address, and telephone number two former mid-level student affairs professionals who met the following criteria: (1) was awarded a graduate or professional degree in a student affairs related curriculum, (2) held an associate or assistant or director position responsible for direction, control, or supervision of one or more student affairs functions or staff, (3) was no longer carrying out a basic student affairs function, (4) left the student affairs profession in the past five years, and (5) had reasons for attrition that excluded death, retirement or temporary leave. The surveying of former mid-level student affairs professionals constituted the third step of this process. Each former mid-level student affairs professional, identified by a chief student affairs officer, was mailed a demographic and attrition survey. The responses of the former mid-level student affairs professionals who did not meet the above defined criteria were discarded. Of the 49 returned usable responses from the former professionals, only 22 met the criteria established to define former mid-level student affairs 132 professional. sea wigs Procedurally, this study had four phases: 1) Based on the review of the literature, two questionnaires were developed by the author and pre-tested by a select group of current and former student affairs professionals. One questionnaire was completed by the chief student affairs officer, and the other completed by the former mid-level student affairs professionals The» questionnaires ‘were modified from the survey designed in the Shaw (1970) study. 2) A survey instrument was mailed to the chief student affairs officers of the institutions identified in the sample which requested demographic information about the institution's student affairs division, the chief student affairs officer's perceptions as to why mid-level personnel are leaving the student affairs profession, and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of former mid-level student affairs professionals. 3) Those former student affairs professionals identified by the chief student affairs officers were then solicited to complete a different survey instrument which sought to secure demographic data, their actual reasons for leaving the student affairs profession, and their present occupation. 4) The information collected in this study was initially analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics. Frequency distributions, means, and percentages were used for this analysis. 133 The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version x (SPSSX) was used. The t-test and the chi-square statistic were employed as the analytical statistical process whereby answers were derived for the research questions and support or non-support was determined for each hypothesis. MAJOR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS 81123193993521.2121; mummm—m tion.o_.__the_u_ex_1_etdt affairs profession? The findings of this study with respect to the gender composition of the student affairs profession further substantiates the literature (Harter, Moden, & Wilson, 1982; Keim, 1985; Rickard, 1985b; McEwen, Engstrom, & Williams, 1990). The findings of this study revealed that: 1. Females hold approximately 6% more of all student affairs positions at all institutions than males; 2. Two year institutions employ approximately 8.2% more females than males in student affairs professional positions; 3. Four year institutions employ approximately 5.2% more females than males in student affairs professional positions; 4. Public institutions employ approximately 3.0% more females than males in student affairs professional positions; 5. Private institutions employ approximately 14.6% more females than males in student affairs professional positions. 134 Cassiusiens From the review of the literature and the findings of this study, the following conclusions may be made. 1. A 6% gender differential at the all institution level does not merit the phrase "feminization of the profession" as found by Rickard (1985b). The studies in the literature appear to have limited themselves to either professional association rosters or graduate preparation programs (Myers & Sandeen, 1973; Wilson, 1977; McEwen et al., 1990). NASPA member institutions number 1,080 (NASPA, 1989, p. v), only 32% of the total 3,331 institutions. Clearly, by virtue of being' a NASPA. member institution, these institutions may be different and thus not representative of all institutions and the numbers employed in student affairs. 2. There is a relative gender balance of males and females at public institutions (see Table 10, p. 74). 3. There is a relative gender imbalance of males and females at private institutions (see Table 10, p. 74). 4. There is gender proportional representation in the student affairs profession. The current 'gender composition of the student affairs profession for all institutions, i.e. 47.0% male, 53.0% female, is a reflection of the gender composition of college student enrollments. This conclusion is based upon the Fall 1987 college enrollments of 46.5% male and 53.5% female for all institutions as reported by the Ehrenisie at Higher Esssatisn (June 28. 1989) (see Table 1. p- 28)- 135 5. The gender composition of the student affairs profession is a reflection of the national population, therefore indicating gender balance and representation. Given the United States' gender population of 48.6% male and 51.4% female (1280 m gf 3.2.133 W: volume I) it is apparent that the current gender composition of the student affairs profession for all institutions, i.e. 47.0% male, 53.0% female (see Table 8, p. 69), is a reflection of the national population. W 922951932; MEEWWQIM grgggpr affgfrs profggsion? The racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession appears consistent across all institutions when examined by control/affiliation and type, i.e. 1.1% Asian, 9.4% Black, 84.8% .Caucasian, 3.9% Hispanic, 0.8% Native American. The variations which exist are primarily noted in the private institution category, i.e. 0.9% Asian, 7.6% Black, 89.8% Caucasian, 1.2% Hispanic, 0.5% Native American. Private institutions employ fewer racial/ethnic minority student affairs professionals. W From the review of the literature and the findings of this study, the following conclusions may be made. 1. Little progress has been made in increasing the racial/ethnic diversity of the student affairs profession over the past two decades. Blacks continue to constitute approximately 10% of all In 136 student affairs professionals (see Table 11, p. 76). This has been the case since the first census conducted in 1970 (Appleton, 1971) (see Appendix P). The marginal increases noted in some racial/ethnic groups, e.g. Asian, Hispanic, may possibly be due to sample error. If these increases are true increases, the Caucasian population of student affairs professionals has experienced a minimal decrease in representation. 2. The racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession does reflect the racial/ethnic composition of the national population. Given the United States' racial/ethnic population data (1.219 93933; 9_f 3333 W, volume I) it is apparent that the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession for all institutions is a near reflection of the national population (see Table 8, p. 69). 3. The student affairs profession proportionately represents the students it serves in terms of racial/ethnic composition. Given Fall 1986 college enrollments, the most recent data available, (ghrgrfglg Qf fifghgr Eggggrfgn, July 6, 1988) (see Table 1, p. 28), the racial/ethnic composition. of the student affairs profession (see Table 11, p. 76) is a reflection of student enrollments. The one notable exception to this conclusion is the Asian subgroup. 4. The proportional racial/ethnic representation of the student affairs profession as compared with the national population may be only a short term phenomenon. 137 Hodgkinson (1985) noted, by the year 2000 the United States' population is likely to be 33% non-Caucasian. The demographic information collected in this study indicates a total racial/ethnic minority student affairs professional population for all institutions of approximately 16%. The forecast is not bright for increasing the minority proportion of student affairs professionals since minority enrollments in graduate school are not increasing at the same level (Hirschorn, 1988). Emma W33. meg—4m d-leve L._n_tudet__a_r_aff i 8W imagefisisl Fifty percent or more of the respondents to the Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Survey identified the following three reasons as being a major or contributing factor in their decision to leave the student affairs profession: (1) lack of opportunity for advancement; (2) inadequate salary; and (3) internal politics. The respondents provided a rank ordered list of the three major factors influencing their decision to leave the student affairs profession. The highest ranked factor influencing a mid-level professional to leave student affairs was finding greater career opportunity outside of the profession. Second ranked was the low salary found in student affairs work. The third ranked factor was no opportunity for promotion. The findings of the rank ordered list corroborated the major or contributing factor items identified above. 138 Censinsisss Although a major limitation of this study was the small respondent sample (n=22) of the former mid-level student affairs professionals, the findings substantiate the literature (Shaw, 1970; Bender, 1980; Burns 1982) and provide insight into the reasons for attrition. From the review of the literature and the findings of this study, the following conclusions may be made. 1. Vroom's (1964) holding that job satisfaction is directly related to the extent to which jobs provide rewarding outcomes, e.g. promotion, pay, social interaction, decision making, is supported by the responses of the former mid-level student affairs professionals. Since there is a consistent negative relationship between job satisfaction and the probability of resignation (Vroom, 1964) it follows then that these former mid-level professionals experienced a low level of job satisfaction given the primary reasons for resignation included the lack of opportunity for advancement, inadequate salary, and internal politics. 2. The findings from this study further substantiates that the primary causes for attrition, adopting Maslow’s (1970) model, were germane to issues related to physiological, safety and security, and social affiliation needs. The student affairs literature (Shaw, 1970; Bingham, 1974; Burns, 1982) provided reasons for attrition that pertained to the above levels of Maslow's Hierarchy-of-Needs configuration. 3. Former mid-level student affairs professionals lost their motivation to achieve in the profession because need fulfillment was 139 perceived as improbable. Maslow (1970) maintained that people were motivated to achieve by satisfying their needs. The primary reasons for attrition, i.e. ladk of opportunity for advancement and inadequate salary, are issues that mid-level professionals have little power to resolve. Resolution of these issues usually occur at the senior management level. 4. Utilizing a Herzberg (1966) conceptual framework of motivation theory, the primary cause of job dissatisfaction for this sample of former mid-level student affairs professionals, while in the profession, was the maintenance factor of inadequate salary. Herzberg (1966) argued that maintenance, i.e. hygiene, factors (see Chapter Two p. 33) must be present for motivational factors to have an effect. The inadequate nature of the maintenance factor of salary, according to Herzberg, would have prevented the motivational factors in the profession to have the desired effect. Other authors noting maintenance factors, i.e. salary, working conditions, having similar effects upon motivation include Bingham (1974) and Scott (1978). 5. The lack of Herzberg's motivational factors influenced former mid-level student affairs professionals to leave the profession. As other authors identified in the literature (Sherburne, 1970; Armstrong, Campbell, & Ostroth 1978; Ludewig, 1979; Harder, 1983; Ostroth, Efird, & Lerman, 1984; Sangaria & Johnsrud, 1988), and once again emerging in this study was the nearly absent primary 140 motivational factor of promotion. Without motivational factors, e.g. the perceived opportunity for advancement, mid-level student affairs professionals lose the motivation to persist in the field. 6. Expressed mid-level student affairs professionals' dissatisfaction is increasing with respect to materialistic concerns and the quality of individual lifestyle demands. Shaw's (1970) findings reflected less emphasis being placed on salary, geographic location, demands of family life, and the demands of marriage/intimate relationships, as being factors in the decision to leave the student affairs profession (see Appendix Q). However, in each of these items of the current study, the respondents identified these issues as having more influence in their decision to leave the student affairs profession (see Appendix M). m Misuse. mmmmmm WMMMMM Hull Hypothesis I: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by gender in response to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. Null Hypothesis I was not rejected. Although no significant differences in gender group responses were found for each of the twenty-eight items of the attrition survey, certain trends were observed (see Table 13, p. 82). In examining mean differences in excess of .5 as an arbitrary measure, males noted that student disciplinary matters and the demands of family life weighed heavier in their’ decision to leave the student affairs profession than females reported. However, females reported that the low level of 141 involvement in the educational function of the institution and the lack of opportunity for advancement provided a greater impetus to leave student affairs than did males. Both genders reported that inadequate salary’ played. a major to contributing role in their decision to leave the profession. Other contributing factors influencing the decision to leave for both genders included (1) the lack of openness to change in their department, (2) the lack of understanding and appreciation by superiors, and (3) the lack of congruence between attitudes and departmental goals. Gender consensus in factors having little influence in the decision to leave the student affairs profession included (1) the lack of prestige, and (2) the carrying out of non-student affairs duties. Finally, the gender rate of attrition from mid-level student affairs professional positions cannot be ascertained from this study. Given the small sample size and therefore the lack of generalizable results to a larger population, no inferences may be drawn from the nearly equal number of male and female respondents. Further study is needed to clarify the literature (Bender, 1980; Burns, 1982; Holmes, Verrier, & Chisholm, 1983; wood, Winston, Polkosnik, 1985). QQBELRELQDE From the review of the literature and the findings of this study, the following conclusions may be made. 1. Females and males leave the student affairs profession for similar reasons. No significant differences were found on the twenty-eight items of the attrition survey based on gender. The findings of this 142 study related to the reasons for attrition from the student affairs profession with respect to gender supports the conclusions of Shaw (1970). However, since some means of particular items of the attrition survey expressed a difference in excess of .5, more study is necessary given the small sample size. The items cited have a relationship to non-traditional sexist views of gender, i.e. males are less comfortable with confrontive roles (discipline) and value relationships (family life) more, while females have the greater need to achieve (promotion). Further study is necessary to clarify these relationships to gain a more comprehensive understanding of attrition, while also challenging the sexist stereotypes that exist in today's American culture. 2. Female and male former mid-level student affairs professionals could not achieve job satisfaction based on Herzberg's conceptual framework. Since the maintenance factor of adequate salary was not present for both male and female former mid-level student affairs professionals, motivational factors lacked effect. Inadequate salary played a prominent role in both genders decision to leave the student affairs profession. mmnmmammm mmmmmm WW Hull Hypothesis II: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by race or ethnic origin in response to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. There is a void of findings related to Research Question 5 given 143 that all responding former mid-level student affairs professionals indicated that they were Caucasian/Other. Due to the limitation of the responses all originating from one racial/ethnic group, valid comparisons for the establishment of findings were unavailable. Null Hypothesis II was not rejected. 39.11am mm .6..:. 92 M29191 Lenttud __§affair Wale lean different uses 9!. gamma: :2: d f nt ons Hull Hypothesis III: No difference in reasons for mid- level professionals leaving the student affairs profession will be found by the type of institution (public and private, two year and four year) in response to the mid- level student affairs attrition study instrument. Null Hypothesis III was not rejected. Although no significant differences were found in the responses of former mid-level student affairs professionals by institutional type groupings, i.e. public/private and two year/four year, for each of the attrition survey's twenty-eight items, certain trends were observed. In examining the responses grouped by institutional control/affiliation, i.e. public and private, having mean differences in excess of .5 as an arbitrary measure, the following trends were noted (see Table 14, p. 86). Former public institution mid-level student affairs professionals reported that the lack of involvement in departmental decision making played a greater role in their decision to leave the profession than it did for those previously employed at private institutions. Former private institution mid- level student affairs professionals reported that their personal physical health and the institution’s resistance to innovation and 144 change played a greater role in their decision to leave the profession than did these factors for those previously employed at public institutions. In examining the responses grouped by institutional type, i.e. two and four year, having mean differences in excess of .5 as an arbitrary measure, the following trends were noted (see Table 14, p. 86). Former four year institution mid-level student affairs professionals reported that a high degree of direct involvement in student disciplinary matters, a lack of congruence between their attitude and the department's goals, and the demands of family life, played a greater role in their decision to leave the profession than did these factors for those previously employed at two year institutions. No trends were evident from former two year institution mid-level student affairs professionals' responses since there were no items that had a mean difference in excess of .5 and that played a greater role in the decision to leave the profession as compared with the responses of those previously employed at four year institutions. Regardless of institutional control/affiliation or type, all former mid-level student affairs professional respondents were consistent with respect to the primary reasons for their departure from the profession. ‘The primary reasons noted as major considerations for departure were the lack of opportunity for advancement and inadequate salary. 145 Conglugiog From the review of the literature and the findings of this study, the following may be concluded. Mid-level student affairs professionals from different types of institutions, i.e. public/private, two ‘year/four year, leave the profession for similar reasons. The void in the literature on the 'topic of attrition of mid- level student affairs professionals based on former institutional control/affiliation and/or type, makes essential more study on this topic. The trends noted in the findings of this study raise question as to the relationship of institutional control/affiliation and factors of departmental decision making, physical health, and institutional resistance to innovation and change. Additional clarification is needed as to the relationship, if any, between institutional type and the factors of disciplinary matters, attitude and departmental goals, and family life. The small number of respondents to this survey requires that further testing be done to justify additional conclusions based on the above trends. Beesareh Qeeetien It Are thief etedent affaire effieere aeeerateix seteeizise the redeede which eetixate mid: lets; etedeet affairs erefeeeieeele te lease rhe student gffgfrg profeggion? Null Hypothesis IV: No difference in reasons for leaving the student affairs profession will be found by comparing chief student affairs officers' and former mid-level student affairs professionals' responses to the mid-level student affairs attrition study instrument. Fifty percent or more of the respondents to the Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey identified the following ten reasons as 146 being a perceived major or contributing factor in the mid-level student affairs professional’s decision to leave the student affairs profession (see Appendix M): (1) inadequate salary; (2) lack of opportunity for advancement; (3) burnout; (4 ) bureaucracy; (S) resistance to the goals of student affairs by the institution; (6) lack of authority present in the former professional's position; (7) internal politics; (8) lack of understanding and appreciation superiors had for the problems inherent in the former professional's position; (9) lack of prestige of the former professional's position in the eyes of the rest of the institution; and (10) institutional resistance to innovation and change. The respondents to the Chief Student Affairs Officer’s Survey provided a rank ordered list of the three perceived major factors influencing the decision of a mid-level student affairs professional to leave the student affairs profession (see Table 15, p. 93). The highest ranked perceived factor influencing a mid-level professional to leave student .affairs ‘was finding greater career opportunity outside of the profession. Second ranked was the low salary found in student affairs work. The third ranked factor was burnout followed closely by no opportunity for promotion. The findings of the rank ordered list corroborated the perceived major or contributing factor items identified above. Having identified the perceptions of all responding chief student affairs officers with respect to mid-level professional attrition, it became» evident that perceptual differences existed among the respondents. These perceptual differences of the responding 147 chief student affairs officers appeared to be based upon their providing a response to the question requesting specific individual information on former mid-level professionals. Two groups of chief student affairs officers emerged: (1) those who provided the former mid-level student affairs professionals' names and addresses, and (2) those who did not list a response. Based upon these two groups of chief student affairs officer respondents, between group tests were conducted on their responses to the twenty-eight attritional statements (see Table 16, p. 95). Significant differences were found on the responses to the items concerning (1) the lack of faculty status, (2) bureaucracy, (3) resistance to the goals of student affairs by the institution, and (4) the conflict between counseling and discipline. Chief student affairs officers who identified the former mid-level student affairs professionals perceived these items as having less influence in the decision to leave student affairs by mid-level professionals, than did the group of chief student affairs officers who did not identify any former mid-level student affairs professionals. The perceptions of attrition 'given by all responding chief student affairs officers were compared to the actual reasons for attrition given by the responding former mid-level student affairs professionals. Of the twenty-eight items listed in the attrition survey, significant differences were found to exist between these two groups on four of the items (see Table 17, p. 98). Chief student affairs officers consistently perceived that (1) the lack of prestige of the former professional's position in the eyes of the rest of the 148 institution, (2) non-student affairs duties, (3) the covert or overt resistance to the goals of the student affairs department by the institution, and (4) burnout, bore more consideration in the decision to leave student affairs than the former mid-level professionals maintained. There was agreement between these two groups as to the relative importance of the other items. In identifying the three major factors influencing a former mid-level student affairs professional to leave the profession, both chief student affairs officers and former mid-level student affairs professionals agreed that the two most prominent factors were greater career opportunity outside of student affairs and low salary (see Table 18, p. 100). They also recognized the important, but less prominent, factor of the lack of opportunity for promotion. Further testing between groups was conducted utilizing the responses of those chief student affairs officers who identified former mid-level student affairs professionals to the responses of the former' mid-level student affairs professionals. Significant differences were found to exist on two items of the attrition survey (see Table 19, p. 104). Former mid-level student affairs professionals maintained. the lack of openness to change in the department was a contributing factor in their decision to leave the profession while this select group of chief student affairs officers perceived this factor as having little influence. The second item of significant difference between these two groups was non-student affairs duties. Former mid-level student affairs professionals maintained that non-student affairs duties bore little influence in 149 their decision to leave the student affairs profession. The select group of chief student affairs officers, however, perceived non- student affairs duties as playing a greater role in the decision to leave the student affairs profession. Null Hypothesis IV was rejected. Qeneieeiene From the review of the literature and the findings of this study, the following conclusions may be made. 1. Chief student affairs officers are not accurately perceiving the actual reasons for attrition of mid-level student affairs professionals. Significant. differences for leaving the student affairs profession were found in comparing chief student affairs officers' with those of former mid-level student affairs professionals' responses to the student affairs attrition study instrument. Chief student affairs officers identified a broader range of factors leading to attrition and attributed a much higher level of dissatisfaction with the characteristics of a mid-level position than did the former mid-level student affairs professionals. Of the ten major or contributing factors of attrition that were cited by 50% or more of the chief student affairs officers, only 3 of these items were identified by a majority of the former mid-level student affairs professionals. Identified by a majority of chief student affairs officers as major or contributing factors for attrition were burnout, bureaucracy, resistance ‘to the goals of student affairs by the institution, lack of authority present in the former professional's 150 position, lack of understanding and appreciation superiors had fer the problems inherent in the former professional's position, lack of prestige of the former professional's position in the eyes of the rest of the institution, and institutional resistance to innovation and change. The majority of former mid-level student affairs professionals only cited inadequate salary, lack of opportunity for advancement, and internal politics as major or contributing factors for their attrition. In each of the attritional factors listed, chief student affairs officers perceived them as having greater influence in the decision to leave the profession than did the former mid-level student affairs professionals. 2. Former mid-level student affairs professionals are far more focused in their reasons for leaving the profession, than chief student affairs officers perceive them to be. Former mid-level student affairs professionals focus their reasons for attrition on the issues of remuneration, career advancement, and internal politics. Once these issues are addressed and resolved, mid-level attrition may decline. 3. Those chief student affairs officers who identified former mid-level student affairs professionals for the purposes of surveying their responses to the attrition survey, had a more accurate perception of the reasons for attrition than did the chief student affairs officers who failed to identify any former mid-level student affairs professional. The select group of chief student affairs officers who identified former mid-level student affairs professionals were found 151 to have fewer significant differences in their responses to the attrition instrument compared with the former professionals, than did those chief student affairs officers who did not identify former mid- level student affairs professionals. Beeeareh deeetien d; that W de Lerner nidzleeel student dffdire W enter ends. leer—ins the field? The respondents to the Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Survey identified that the Industry/Commerce sector of the economy offered the greatest opportunity to the former mid-level student affairs professional. These findings were consistent with previous authors (Burns, 1982; Holmes et al., 1983). Approximately 46% of the responding former mid-level professionals are currently working in Industry/Commerce (see Table 22, p. 111). Other opportunities for post-student affairs employment included other areas of Education (23%), Non-profit/Religious work (23%), Government service (5%) and Agriculture (5%). Specific positions of the respondents varied, however most former mid-level student affairs professionals acquired titles indicating mid-level to senior management positions (see Table 23, p. 112). The majority of the respondents who lentered. other’ areas of education were attending school to gain qualifications for other professions. tenemeiene From the review of the literature and the findings of this study based on this sample of former mid-level student affairs professionals, the following conclusions may be made. 152 1. Industry/Commerce is the largest employer of former mid- level student affairs professionals. This study' has revealed that almost half of those 'who attrited entered the Industry/Commerce sector of the economy. Similar findings were presented by Burns (1982) and Holmes et al. (1983). 2. Opportunities in Industry/Commerce meet the needs of former mid-level student affairs professionals in terms of salary and opportunities for advancement. Given that former mid-level professionals attrited from student affairs primarily due to the lack of opportunity for promotion and inadequate salary, it may be deduced that these two factors were of paramount importance in the former professional's position selection. 3. The skills that are developed in achieving and maintaining mid-level student affairs positions are transferable to other careers. Skill development is a necessary component in achieving and successfully maintaining a mid-level student affairs position. Former mid-level student affairs professionals are acquiring employment outside of the profession at similar or higher organizational levels. It may be deduced that the skills utilized as a mid-level student affairs professional are being used in the these new occupations. 4. The skills that are developed in achieving and maintaining mid-level student affairs positions are viewed as desirable by 153 employers in other occupations. Former mid-level student affairs professionals have earned mid to senior level positions in non-student affairs related careers. It may be deduced that employers have viewed these former mid-level student affairs professionals as being desirable due to the skills that they possess. dtnsrzindineei WWQMM The major findings of this study with respect to the career path of the fermer mid-level student affairs professional further substantiates the literature. This study found that: 1. The mean age of leaving the student affairs profession for this sample of former mid-level student affairs professionals was 36.9 years. This finding was consistent with Bender's (1980) research. 2. The mean number of years as a full-time student affairs professional for this sample of former mid-level student affairs professionals was 9.4 years. The findings of this study exceeded the estimates found by Burns (1982) and Holmes et al. (1983). In these studies it was found that by the fifth to sixth year after completing graduate school, the leavers from the student affairs profession outnumbered the persisters. 3. The mean number of full-time student affairs positions for this sample of former mid-level student affairs professionals was 3.2 positions. 4. Prior to leaving the student affairs profession, the mean 154 number of colleges/universities this sample of former mid-level student affairs professionals worked at was two institutions. 5. Respondents to the Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Survey who worked in public institutions tended to have longer tenures as compared to those from pmivate institutions (see Table 24, p. 114). 6. Respondents to the Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Survey had the longest tenures in the student affairs profession at institutions with student headcount enrollments of 2,750 to 7,499 (see Table 25, p. 115). densieeiene From the review of the literature and the findings of this study based on this sample of former mid-level student affairs professionals, the following conclusions may be made. 1. Former mid-level student affairs professionals did not view their initial career choice of student affairs as a temporary endeavor. Former mid-level student affairs professionals invested approximately one or more years in graduate school and another ten years in student affairs work before leaving the profession. Substantial resources, e.g. money, time, were directed to this career endeavor by the individual. The individual's commitment of these resources indicates that former mid-level student affairs professionals viewed extended involvement in the profession as an important life decision, yet a decision that they were willing to change. The experience of the former mid-level student affairs 155 professional is contrary to Grant and Foy's (1972), Bryan's (1977) and Bender's (1980) contention that student affairs administrators view this career choice as temporary. 2. There is adequate opportunity for advancement in the student affairs profession in the initial stages of a career path. This conclusion was substantiated in this study by career mobility as demonstrated by the mean number of positions held, i.e. 3.2, and the mean number of formerly employed at institutions, i.e. 2. mundane; MIMI anobEntiennentz nn__rneti_hlte vein mm The respondents to the- Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey and the Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Survey agreed that in almost every job enlargement and job enrichment program listed, the effect on the retention of mid-level student affairs professionals would be minimal (see Table 26, p. 116). A majority of the responding chief student affairs officers offered one exception in the area of to mid-level student affairs professionals. It was their perception that such a job enlargement/job enrichment program would lead to increased retention of mid-level student affairs professionals. However, a majority of the responding former mid- level student affairs professionals disagreed with this perception. It was their contention that any job enlargement or job enrichment programs aimed at providing "A greater opportunity for more controlling” did little to increase retention. A significant relationship was found to exist in the items ”A 156 greater opportunity for more controlling," and "A greater opportunity for more planning." This indicated that the status of the respondent was related to the perception of the role that more controlling and more planning may play in the retention of mid-level student affairs professionals. destinies: From the review of the literature and the findings of this study, the following conclusions may be made. 1. Job enlargement/job enrichment programs are of no value as tools of retention for mid-level student affairs professionals. 2. "A greater opportunity for more controlling" of resources, decision making, etc., is no substitute for the lack of opportunity for advancement and inadequate salary in attriting mid-level student affairs professionals. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION As a result of this study's major findings and conclusions, the following recommendations are offered: 1. Demographic surveys of all student affairs professionals must be done at regular intervals. These studies must be based on a sampling frame of all institutions of higher education, not the membership list of a single professional association. As the United States becomes more ethnically and racially diverse, ix: is critical that the student affairs profession maintains pressure on itself to mirror this national diversity. Such demographic studies assist in documenting the progress made while making clear future challenges. 157 2. Two year and private institutions need to evaluate the gender balance of their student affairs staffs. The findings of this study with respect to two year and private institutions indicates that there is a gender imbalance. Such an imbalance impedes the success of those institutions striving to provide student affairs role models that proportionately represent their student population. 3. Increased racial/ethnic diversity is needed in the student affairs profession for the future. Given that little progress has been made in the racial/ethnic diversity of the student affairs profession since the first demographic study in 1970 (Appleton, 1971) and considering the minority population's growth forecast by the year 2000 (Hodgkinson, 1985), it is imperative that current student affairs professionals recruit and nurture prospective student affairs professionals of different races and ethnicities. Without such active recruitment it is unlikely that the student affairs profession will be able to maintain a proportional racial/ethnic profile. Proportionality, or at the very least racial/ethnic diversity, in a student affairs division is appropriate and necessary given the need of role models for racial/ethnic minority students. For role modeling to be effective, the student needs to be able to initially identify with the role model. For racial/ethnic minority students originating from areas where there is little identification with the Caucasian population, a role model who has similar physical attributes may provide the necessary initial identification for the process to occur. 4. The findings of this study have demonstrated that one of 158 the major factors leading to the attrition of mid-level student affairs professionals is inadequate salary. Insufficient compensation has a powerful effect on the job satisfaction and motivation of the worker. Without appropriate compensation levels, job satisfaction and motivation will decline ultimately leading to attrition. If institutions of higher education value the maintenance of mid-level student affairs professionals, compensation packages must be enhanced. 5. The findings of this study have demonstrated that one of the major factors leading to the attrition of mid-level student affairs professionals is the lack of opportunity for advancement within student affairs, while there is the perception that there is greater career opportunity elsewhere. Opportunity for advancement has a powerful effect on the job satisfaction and motivation of the worker. Without promotion opportunities, job satisfaction and motivation will decline ultimately leading to attrition. If institutions of higher education value the services of mid-level student affairs professionals, these organizations must create new opportunities for advancement, e.g. promotion from within, restructuring the student affairs divisions to accommodate different levels of promotion. 6. Job enlargement and/or job enrichment programs are not effective tools in the reduction of attrition from mid-level positions in the student affairs profession, contrary to some of the advocacies of Herzberg (1966). 7. To encourage the retention of mid-level student affairs 159 professionals at public institutions, direct involvement in decision making must be increased. To accomplish this goal, chief student affairs officers could (1) adopt team decision making models where mid-level student affairs professionals are active members of the team, (2) provide broad policy statements allowing for mid-level professionals to develop the specific objectives, and/or (3) schedule regular meetings with mid-level professionals to promote communication, i.e. the free exchange of ideas. Furthermore, mid- level student affairs professionals should be encouraged to serve on all-university comittees thus providing an opportunity for their involvement and ownership in broader campus issues. 8. To encourage the retention of mid-level student affairs professionals at private institutions, the institution must become less resistant to innovation and change. If private institutions value continuity in student affairs staffs, the organizational leadership must be open to having traditions and practices altered to meet today's needs. The first step in this process is to involve mid-level student affairs professionals in conducting annual assessments of the campus's needs. The institution's leadership must be committed to acting upon such need assessments appropriate to the institution, and support those changes as they occur. 9. Chief student affairs officers should conduct exit interviews with departing mid-level student affairs professionals. This contact would make the chief student affairs officer knowledgeable of the current critical issues facing mid-level professionals that are cause for attrition. The chief student 160 affairs officer would then have first hand information regarding reasons for mid-level attrition from his/her particular institution. If the problem of mid-level attrition merited attention, action could then be taken based on accurate information. Furthermore, the action to be taken would be supported by the credibility and authority of the chief student affairs officer. 10. Life stage and age theories need to be applied more directly to student affairs professionals. The literature (Bender, 1980; Burns, 1982) and the findings of this study confirm that attrition from the student affairs profession generally occurs for mid-level professionals from the mid-to—late-thirties. Furthermore, authors (Grant & Foy, 1972) suggest that people enter the student affairs profession in a transitional stage of life. An applied understanding of stage and age theories to the members of the student affairs profession would assist in clarifying career path and career expectations for' both. current and. aspiring professionals. Professional conferences as well as further study shouLd be devoted to these topics. 11. A student affairs professional association, e.g. American College Personnel Association, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, should sponsor a broad based study of all institutions of higher education every five years to determine and assess professional compensation, job satisfaction, and career satisfaction of all position levels within the student affairs profession. The purpose of such a longitudinal study is to develop a knowledge base, determine success and problem areas, be able to make 161 comparisons and projections, anticipate needs and trends, and to affect association programming as well as professional preparation. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY This study was successful in describing the gender and racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession, as well as, identifying chief student affairs officers perceptions of the reasons for mid-level professional attrition. This study's major limitation. was the small sample of identified former mid—level student affairs professionals. As a result of the literature reviewed in Chapter Two and the findings of this study, a number of questions were raised. which jpoint. to 'the need for further investigation. 1. This study's approach in identifying former mid-level student affairs professionals proved to be inadequate for generating enough respondents' names and addresses to make generalizations to the entire jpopulation. Speculation is that some chief student affairs officers used restraint in providing this information to the investigator primarily due to the legal ramifications of making public personnel information and issues associated.‘with privacy. Shaw's (1970) success with a similar approach preceded such laws regulating this information. It is recomended that further study relating to former student affairs professionals utilize another approach for identification of a sample population. One approach is to contact current professionals and ask them to provide the relevant information, e.g. names, addresses, telephone numbers, regarding 162 former student affairs professionals. The difference in this approach is that the relationship between current and former student affairs professional is not necessarily one of employer-employee. 2. This study employed a macro approach to the gender proportional representation question. From a review of the data collected, it is apparent that all institutions did not employ a male:female ratio reflective of the national population or the 1987 fall student enrollments in American higher education. Given this assessment, it is recommended that future study on this question employ a micro approach whereby the gender ratio of student affairs professionals of a specific campus be evaluated against the student gender composition of that same specific campus. Such an approach to the question of gender representation on the campus level would yield specific data for the institution to achieve, if desired, proportional staff representation. Furthermore, a micro approach to this question would yield national data on an institutional basis with respect to gender' balance, thus eliminating the moderating effect of a large population. 3. It is recomended that additional study be given to the question of the organizational level attained, i.e. position, and that of the gender composition of the student affairs profession. The literature has suggested that women have been making gains in acquiring chief student affairs officers positions, have been entering student affairs professional preparation programs in larger numbers, and have been leaving the profession in larger numbers. Although it is apparent that the gender ratio is in near-balance and 163 is reflective of the nation's college student gender population, it is unclear as to what organizational level and type of position males and females currently hold. 4. This study employed a macro approach to the racial/ethnic proportional representation question. From a review of the data collected it is apparent that all institutions did not employ a racial/ethnic composition reflective of the national population or the 1986 fall student enrollments in American higher education. Given this assessment, it is recommended that future study on this question employ a micro approach whereby the racial/ethnic composition of student affairs professionals of a specific campus be evaluated against the student racial/ethnic composition of that same specific campus. Such an approach to the question of racial/ethnic composition on the campus level would yield specific data for the institution to achieve, if it desired proportional staff representation. Furthermore, a micro approach to this question would yield national data on an institutional basis with respect to racial/ethnic composition, thus eliminating the moderating effect of a large population. 5. It is recomended that additional study be given to the question of the organizational level attained, i.e. position, and that of the racial/ethnic composition of the student affairs profession. Utilizing a micro, i.e. institutional, approach to assess the current status of racial/ethnic diversity in student affairs organizations would provide meaningful information regarding the progress of incorporating diversity in the various position 164 levels of the organization. 6. Additional investigation must be conducted in the area of reasons for attrition from the student affairs profession as related to gender. To date, only two studies have addressed this issue, i.e. this study and that of Shaw (1970). Although this study found no significant differences in the reasons for attrition based on gender, the sample was too small to make generalizations with respect to the population. This study did find some trends based on gender that do merit further study. 7. The literature revealed 'that females are leaving ‘the student affairs profession in greater numbers than males. This study found that private institutions employ a greater percentage of women than men and that a major reason for mid-level student affairs professional attrition is inadequate salary. Given the above conditions, it is recommended that a gender equity salary study he conducted at private institutions to determine if the salary issue is related to the profession or related to gender. 8. Further study is recommended on the question of attritional reasons from the student affairs profession as related to racial/ethnic classifications. There is a void in the literature on this topic. This study was unable to provide any information on this question since all former mid-level student affairs professional respondents were Caucasian/Other. 9. Chief student affairs officers identified a far broader range of reasons for mid-level staff members leaving the student affairs profession and attributed a much higher level of 165 dissatisfaction than did the former mid-level student affairs professionals. This observation raises the question, ”Are chief student affairs officers unhappy themselves and projecting their own dissatisfaction on those who attrited?" Study relating to chief student affairs officers' job satisfaction and. motivation. merits review. 10. This study found ‘that the average mid-level student affairs professional who attrited, left the profession in their mid- thirties. Mid-life re-examination, a prelude to mid-life crisis, also takes place in this age range (McCoy, 1977). Further investigation may be appropriate on the topic of mid-life's effects on professional commitment to the student affairs profession. 11. This study has confirmed the major reasons cited in the literature for attrition. It comes as no surprise that the lack of opportunity for advancement and inadequate salary are major considerations in the decision to leave the profession. Given that this is not new knowledge and that the problem remains, the question meriting future study is ”Do chief student affairs officers have the authority/control to improve salary and organizational structure issues?" 12. Student affairs organizations need to examine other professions' models for organizational development in order to determine and apply applicable tools to stem the tide of attrition. It is apparent from the findings of this study that Herzberg's (1966) job enlargement/job enrichment programs are ineffectual tools for retention. Maslow's hierarchical conception of needs as motivators 166 do little, if the most basic of needs are not being fulfilled. Therefore, perhaps a new perspective on the problem may provide alternatives heretofore not considered that may be within an institution's and/or the profession's resource base. One such area, which shares some similarities with student affairs, is human services or volunteer organizations. An examination of motivational strategies for human service organizations may provide the new approaches needed in student affairs (Bunker & Wijnberg, 1988). 13. Although job enlargement/job enrichment programs are ineffectual tools for retention of nudrlevel student affairs professionals, further experimentation must be conducted on the implementation and evaluation of these organizational development strategies to identify if job enlargement/job enrichment programs offer student affairs professionals other benefits not examined in this study. APPENDICES APPENDIX A APPENDIX A CHIEF STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICER’S SURVEY Please complete and return this survey by DECEMBER 31. 1987. To assist you in the coaplation of this survey, the following definition of turns are offered: student affairs - a major adsinistrative subdivision, e.g. Vice President for Student Affairs, within postsecondary education institutions concerned with the provision of student programs and services which complement and supplement the classrooe-taaching sission of these institutions. and-level student affairs professional - an individual in an associate or assistant or director position responsible for the direction, control, or supervision of one or more student affairs functions and staff, who has been awarded a graduate or professional degree in a student affairs related curriculum. DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION O-l Please identify the type of your institution by placing a check next to the appropriate descriptors: Public Four year Private Two year 0-2 Please identify the head count anrollaent of your institution: 0-3 Please identify the number of all full-ties student affairs professionals esployed in your institution’s student affairs unit for each of the following categories: (If none, write '0') Wm Males Fasalas Black Asian Aserican/Pacific Islander ’Hispanic Aserican Indian/Alaska Native Other/Caucasian IIIIIIIIEE Total: All full-time student affairs staff in professional positions 60 T0 NEXT PAGE .1€F7 168 ATTRITION SURVEY In this section, your general perceptions are sought as to why professionally prepared student affairs workers are leaving the field after achieving a mld- level position. Please circle the appropriate letter in the answer column which reflects your perception of the degree of importance each item may have in a mid-level student affairs professional’s decision to leave the field. N- MAJOR CONSIDERATION: This item is a major consideration in the decision to leave the student affairs profession. C - CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: .This item is a contributing factor in the decision to leave the student affairs profession. L - LITTLE INFLUENCE: This item bears little influence in the decision to leave the student affairs profession. N - NOT APPLICABLE: This item is not applicable in the decision to leave the student affairs profession. ANSNER COLUNN 0-4 The lack of openness to change in the department of the former professional. (0-4) N C L N 0-5 The lack of professional freedom. (0-5) N C L N O-B The lack of faculty status. (0-6) N C L N 0-7 The lack of prestige of the former professional’s position in the eyes of the rest of the institution. (0-7) N C L N 0-8 The compatibility of the former professional’s training with that of the new position. (O-B) N C L N O-D Non-student affairs duties. (0-9) N C L N O-IO Bureaucracy. (D-IO) N C L N 0-11 The lack of authority present in the former professional’s position. (D-ll) N C L N Q-lz The lack of understanding and appreciation superiors had for the problems inherent in the former professional’s position. (D-lZ) M C L N O-13 A high degree of direct involvement in student disciplinary matters. (0-13) N C L N 60 T0 NEXT PABE 169 N - NAJOR CONSIDERATION C - CONTRIBUTING FACTOR L - LITTLE INFLUENCE N - NOT APPLICABLE ANSNER COLUNN O-14 Geographical location as a factor contributing to the change in position. (0-14) N C L N O-IS The covert or overt resistance to the goals of the student affairs department by the institution. (0-15) N C L N Q-IG Lack of con ruence between the former professiona 's attitude and the department’s goals. (0-16) N C L N 0-17 The institutional resistance to innovation and change. (0-17) N C L N D-IB Inadequate salary. (Q-IB) N C L N 0-19 The lack of involvement in departmental decision making. ‘ (0-19) N C L N Q-ZO The lack of appropriate training and preparation for the position held. (Q-ZO) N C L N 0-21 The lack of confidence as expressed by supervisors. (D-Zl) N C L N 0-22 A conffiict between counseling and discipline. (D-ZZ) N C L N 0-23 The demands of family life placed on the former professional. (0-23) N C L N 0-24 The demands of marriage. (0-24) N C L N O-ZS Personal physical health. (O-ZS) N C L N 0-26 The low level of involvement in the educational function of the institution. (0-26) N C L N D-27 The lack of clear objectives for the former professional’s position. (0-27) N C L N D-ZB Internal politics. (O-ZB) N C L N 0-29 Personal mental health. (0-29) N C L N D-BO Burnout. (Q-30) N C L N O-3l Lack of opportunity for advancement. (0-31) N C L N GO TO NEXT PAGE 1‘70 ANSNER COLUMN 0-32 Are there any other factors meriting a major consideration in one’s decision to leave the student affairs profession that have not already been mentioned? (Please circle response) (0—32) YES NO If yes, please list-in the answer column.—~ ——-; For questions 33. 34. and 35. choose only three responses and rank the responses in order of their importance. Please place the letter of the item of choice for each level of importance in the answer column to the right. ANSHER COLUMN O-33 Hhat do you perceive mid-level professionals like most about their position? (O-33) (Please rank your top three choices.) (A) Prestige or power NOST IMPORTANT ____ (B) Norking with students (C) Co-workers SECOND IN (D) Opportunity to influence policy IMPORTANCE (E) Geographical location THIRD IN (F) Experienced gained IMPORTANCE (a) Freedom offered by position (H) Reputation of institution (1) Salary/Benefits package (J) Other 60 TD NEXT PAGE 171 ANSWER COLUMN Q-34 Hhat do you perceive mid-level professionals like least about their positions? (Q-34) (Please rank your top three choices.) (A) Lack of trust MOST IMPORTANT (B) Lack of authority SECOND IN (C) Lack of responsibility IMPORTANCE (D) General direction of department THIRD IN (E) Lack of understanding of student IMPORTANCE affairs work by top administrators (F) Student discipline (G) Superior: (H) Resistance to change (I) Overall position responsibilities (J) Too much to do (K) Interference by people outside of the department (L) Salary/Benefits package (N) Lack of opportunities for advancement (N) Hork too routine (0) Other 60 T0 NEXT PAGE 172 ANSHER COLUMN 0-35 Hhat do you perceive are the three major factors influencing a mid-level professional’s decision to leave the student affairs profession? (0-35) (Please rank your top three choices.) (A) Found greater career opportunity MOST IMPORTANT outside of student affairs (B) Incompatible with immediate superiors SECOND IN IMPORTANCE (C) Nanted to teach (D) Opposition to the president or other THIRD IN executive officers IMPORTANCE (E) Stale, just needed change (F) Unable to influence policy (G) Talents not compatible with department (H) Philosophy not compatible with department (I) Nanted to do graduate work (J) Internal politics (K) Physical health (L) Too much work involved (M) Narri age (N) No opportunity for promotion (0) Too much resistance from faculty (P) Demands of family life (0) Too much involvement with student discipline (R) Lack of support from within the institution (S) Burnout (T) Incompetence (U) Low salary (V) Other GO TO NEXT PAGE 173 For question 36. please circle the appropriate letter in the answer column to the right of the item. Y I YES N I N0 U I UNCERTAIN ANSHER COLUMN 0-36 Do you believe a former mid-level student affairs professional would have stayed in the field if your institution had offered: (A) A greater variety of tasks on which the employee could have worked. (A) Y N U (B) An increased number of tasks on which the employee could have worked. (8) Y N U (C) A greater opportunity for more planning. (C) Y N U (D) A greater opportunity for more controlling. - (D) Y N U (E) A greater opportunity for more team participation on the part of employees within student affairs. (E) Y N U (F) A greater opportunity to work with other members and programs in the academic community. (F) Y N U (G) Professional exchanges with other institutions. (G) Y N U (H) Job sharing. (H) Y N U (I) Job rotation. (I) Y N D (J) Other (J) Y N U PLEASE TURN TD LAST PAGE 174 Please assist us in this study by identifying two (2) former mid-level student affairs professionals of your institution who have left the profession during the past five (5) years. A former mid-level student affairs professional is defined as one who has (1) been awarded a graduate or professional degree in a student affairs related curriculum, (2) held an associate or assistant or director position responsible for the direction, control, or supervision of one or more student affairs functions or staff, (3) is no longer carrying out a basic student affairs function, and (4) had reasons for leaving that excluded death, retirement or temporary leave. I am not aware of any former student affairs professionals fitting the above stated criteria. (Please check here.) It is our intent to contact the individuals that are identified below and ask them to complete a survey similar to this one. Your responses will not be revealed to your former staff members. (PLEASE PRINT) NAME: ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: [ ] ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: [ 1 Thank you for the time and effort you invested in this study. Please return this survey by DECEMBER 31, 1987 in the enclosed pre-paid envelope to: Michigan State University Vice President for Student Affairs and Services 153 Student Services Building East Lansing, Michigan 48824-9983 APPENDIX B APPENDIX B FORNER HID-LEVEL STUDENT AFFAIRS PROFESSIONAL'S SURVEY Please complete and return this survey by FEBRUARY 12, I988. DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION Please answer the following questions by circling the appropriate letter or providing the requested information in the answer column. This survey assumes that you are no longer employed in the student affairs profession. All responses will be held confidential. ANSHER COLUMN O-I Have you earned a graduate or professional degree in a student affairs related curriculum? (O-l) YES NO O-Z In your last student affairs employment situation did you hold an associate or assistant or director position responsible for the direction, control, or supervision of one or more student affairs functions or staff? (O-Z) YES NO 0-3 Are you currently working in a division/department which is responsible to the chief student affairs officer of an institution? (O-3) YES NO 0-4 Have you left the student affairs profession in the past five years? (O-4) YES NO O-S Did you leave the student affairs profession due to retirement or temporary leave? (0-5) YES NO 0-6 Your gender. (A) MALE (0-6) A (B) FEMALE 3 O-7 Your race. (A) BLACK (0-7) A (3) ASIAN AMERICAN/PACIFIC {smote e (C) AMERICAN INDIAN/ALASKAN NATIVE C (D) HISPANIC D (E) OTHER/CAUCASIAN E O-B Your age when you left the student affairs profession. (O-B) YEARS 0-9 How many years did you work in student affairs as a full-time professional? (0-9) YEARS GO TO NEXT PAGE 1575 176 ANSHER COLUMN O-lO Hhat was your most recent former position title in Student Affairs? (Q-lO) O-II Hhile you were in the student affairs profession, how many different full-time positions did you hold? (O-Il) POSITIONS 0-12 Hhile you were in the student affairs field as a full-time professional, how many different higher education institutions employed you? (O-IZ) O-l3 As a full-time student affairs professional how many years, if any, did you work at each of the following types of higher education institutions? (If none, write '0') (A) Public - two year (0-13) A ___ YEARS (B) Public - four year B ___ YEARS (C) Private - two year C ___ YEARS (D) Private - four year D ___ YEARS (E) Headcount enrollment less than 1,500 E ___ YEARS (F) Headcount enrollment 1,500 to 2,749 F ___ YEARS (G) Headcount enrollment 2,750 to 7,499 G ___ YEARS (H) Headcount enrollment 7,500 to 20,000 M ___ YEARS (I) Headcount enrollment over 20,000 I YEARS 0-14 Uhat job title do you currently hold? (O-I4) O-IS The sector of the economy that you are currently emloyed in is: (A) Education (O-IS) A (B) Industry/Commerce B (C) Government C D (D) Non-profit/Religious (E) Other, please list E GO TO NEXT PAGE 177 ATTRITION SURVEY In the following section, please circle the appropriate letter in the answer column reflecting your perception of the item’s degree of importance in your decision to leave the profession. N I MAJOR CONSIDERATION: This item was a major consideration in your decision to leave the student affairs profession. C I CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: This item was a contributing factor in your decision to leave the student affairs profession. L I LITTLE INFLUENCE: This item bore little influence in your decision to leave the student affairs profession. N I NOT APPLICABLE: This item was not applicable in your decision to leave the student affairs profession. ANSHER COLUMN O-IG The lack of openness to change in my former department. (O-16) N C L N O-I7 The lack of professional freedom. (0-17) N C L N O-IB The lack of faculty status. (O-IB) M C L N 0-19 The lack of prestige in my former position in the eyes of the rest of the institution. (0-19) M C L N O-ZO The compatibility of my training with that of the new position. (O-ZO) M C L N Q-ZI Non-student affairs duties. (O-Zl) M C L N O-ZZ Bureaucracy. (O-ZZ) N C L N O-23 The lack of authority present in my former position. (0-23) N C L N O-24 The lack of understanding and appreciation superiors had for the problems inherent in my former position. (0-24) M C L M 0-25 A high degree of direct involvement in student disciplinary matters. (O-ZS) M C L N GO TO NEXT PAGE 178 0-26 Geographical location as a factor contributing to the change in position. O-27 The covert or overt resistance to the goals of the student affairs department by the institution. O-ZB Lack of congruence between my attitude and the department’s goals. O-29 The institutional resistance to innovation and change. Q-3O Inadequate salary. 0-31 The lack of involvement in departmental decision making. 0-32 The lack of appropriate training and preparation for the position held. 0-33 The lack of confidence as expressed by supervisors. Q-34 A conflict between counseling and discipline. O-35 The demands of family life. O-36 The demands of marriage/intimate relationship. 0-37 Personal physical health. O-BB The low level of involvement in the educational function of the institution. O-39 The lack of clear objectives in my former position. O-QO Internal politics. 0-41 Personal mental health. O-QR Burnout. O-43 Lack of opportunity for advancement. GO TO NEXT PAGE zr-nz MAJOR CONSIDERATION CONTRIBUTING FACTOR LITTLE INFLUENCE NOT APPLICABLE ANSNER COLUMN (q-zs) M c L (0-27) N C L (0-28) M C L (0-29) N C L (0-30) N C L (0-31) N C L (0-32) N C L (0'33) N (0-34) M (0-35) U (0'35) H (0-37) H r: :5 r: :5 r: r- r- r- r- :- (0-38) H n P (0'39) H (0'40) M (0-41) M (0-42) M (0-43) N to re r: em (5 r- r- r- r- r- 179 0-44 Here there any other factors meriting a major consideration in your decision to leave the student affairs profession that have not already been mentioned? (Please circle response) ANSHER COLUMN (0.44) YES NO If yes, please list in the answer column. I For questions 45, 46, and 47, choose only three responses and rank the responses in order of their importance. Please place the letter of the item of choice for each level of importance in the answer column to the right. O-45 Hhat did you like most about your former iii;1::°l.::"3::: 2551;333:223.) (A) Prestige or power (B) Horking with students (C) Co-workers (D) Opportunity to influence policy (E) Geographical location (F) Experiences gained (G) Freedom offered by position (H) Reputation of institution (I) Salary/Benefits package (J) Other GO TO NEXT PAGE THIRD IN ANSHER COLUMN (0-45) MOST IMPORTANT SECOND IN IMPORTANCE IMPORTANCE 180 ANSHER COLUMN 0-46 Hhat did you like least about your former mid-level student affairs position? (0-46) (Please rank your top three choices.) (A) Lack of trust MOST IMPORTANT (B) Lack of authority SECOND IN (C) Lack of responsibility IMPORTANCE (D) General direction of department THIRD IN (E) Lack of understanding of student IMPORTANCE affairs work by top administrators (F) Student discipline (G) Superiors (H) Resistance to change (I) Overall position responsibilities (J) Too much to do (K) Interference by people outside of the department (L) Salary/Benefits package (N) Lack of opportunities for advancement (N) Nork too routine (0) Other GO TO NEXT PAGE 181 ANSHER COLUMN Q-47 Hhat were the three major factors influencing your decision to leave the student affairs profession? (0-47) (Please rank your top three choices.) (A) Found greater career opportunity MOST IMPORTANT outside of student affairs (B) Incompatible with immediate superiors SECOND IN . IMPORTANCE ____ (C) Hanted to teach (D) Opposition to the president or other THIRD IN executive officers IMPORTANCE (E) Stale, just needed change (F) Unable to influence policy (G) Talents not compatible with department (H) Philosophy not compatible with department (I) Hanted to do graduate work (J) Internal politics (K) Physical health (L) Too much work involved (M) Marriage/Intimate relationship (N) No opportunity for promotion (0) Too much resistance from faculty (P) Demands of family life (O) Too much involvement with student discipline (R) Lack of support from within the institution (S) Burnout (T) Incompetence (U) Low salary (V) Other PLEASE TURN TO THE LAST PAGE 182 For question 48, please circle the appropriate letter in the answer column to the right of the item. Y I YES N I NO U I UNCERTAIN ANSHER COLUMN. 0—48 Hould you have stayed in the student affairs profession had your former employer offered: (A) A greater variety of tasks on which you could have worked. (A) Y N U (B) An increased number of tasks on which you could have worked. (8) Y N U (C) A greater opportunity for more planning. (C) Y N U (D) A greater opportunity for more controlling. (D) Y N U (E) A greater opportunity for more team participation on the part of employees within student affairs. (E) Y N U (F) A greater opportunity to work with other members and programs in the academic community. (F) Y N U (G) Professional exchanges with other institutions. (6) Y N U (H) Job sharing. (H) Y N U (I) Job rotation. (I) Y‘ N U (J) Other (J) Y N U Thank you for the time and effort you invested in this study. Please return this survey by FEBRUARY 12, 1988 in the enclosed pre-paid envelope to: Michigan State University Vice President for Student Affairs and Services ATTN: T. E. Borg 153 Student Services Building East Lansing, Michigan 48824-9983 APPENDIX C APPENDIX C CHIEF STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICER'S TRANSMITTAL LETTER AMERICAN COLLEGE Apia—deem reesomua. assocmnom W‘“"““‘“°"“""‘ December 8. 1987 Dear Colleague: Co—ission I of the American College Personnel Association is sponsoring a survey to study the demographics of the student affairs profession and find- level professional attrition. Both are critical areas when considering the recruitment and retention of professionally prepared student affairs workers. You were selected to be a participant of this national study by our taking a random sale of higher education institutions from the Higher Education General Information Survey and referring to the 19.8.8. mm Eguggtign 01mm As yo u may be aware. there are only a few studies related to attrition in student affair rs work. none of which have been directed at the mid- level professional. Additionally, the last demographic study of the profession with respect to gender and race was conductedi n19 7‘. Through your participation we can contribute to this literature by providing the profession with important information about its current composition, identifying why professionals choose to leave the field. and where they go once leaving. Completion of this survey should take only about fifteen minutes. You and your institution will not be identified by name in the study and all information collected will be kept in the strictest confidence. The page attached to the questionnaire will be discarded before any tabulation or mfg: is begun. It is included to act only as a control on the surveys re u . It is our hope that you will comlete this brief questionnaire and return it in the enclosed ore-paid envelope by Dec-her 31.1907. Through your participation. we hope to offer you and our colleagues in student affairs a more thorough understanding of attrition from the profession and knowledge about the current racial/gender cowosition. Thank you for your assistance. Si ncerely, Louis C. Stamatakos. Ed ..D s O. fifessor of Higher Education ame Studer. Ph.D. Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Services anState University Michigan State University L-Zfllfam Principal Director of Student Affairs Lyman Briggs School/Holmes Hall Michigan State University ”99mm I Min-imi- 1130‘ 183 APPENDIX D PUPPERHDIDI D FORMER MID-LEVEL STUDENT AFFAIRS PROPESSIONAL’S TRANSMITTAL LETTER ANIIICAAICINAEGE «II-qgr-Es'a._as PEISDIN'I.A§!DIINRKNM ‘ “’ February 9, 1988 Dear Re need your help. He are interested in why you left the student affairs profession. By taking only about fifteen minutes you can provide the information which may help others make sound career decisions. aid higher education institutions retain professionally qualified student affairs practioners, and assist the American College Personnel Association in responding to the needs of its members and the profession. He are concerned about the great loss of talent the student affairs profession is currently experiencing through attrition. You can provide the anwers to HHY? You are one of a small number of individuals to whom we are writing. without your response, our study may lack the validity necessay to generalize results. He were referred to you by a former employer who knew of your decision to leave the student affairs profession. This employer believed that although you have left the field you would be willing to help the profession gain a better understanding of itself. You will not be identified by name in the study and all information collected will be kept in the strictest confidence. The page attached to the questionnaire will be discarded before any tabulation ortana.ldysis is begun. It is included to act as a control on the surveys re urn . Please take the fifteen minutes needed to complete this brief questionnaire and return it in the enclosed pre-paid envelope by February 19, 1988. Through your generous participation, we hope to provide the student affairs profession with factual information that will aid in the retention of current employees, as well as make the profession more attractive for newcomers and those who may wish to re-enter. Thank you for your help. Since y, i ' ' Louis C. Stamatakos, Ed.D. ames D. Studer. Ph.D. Professor of Higher Education Assistant Vice President for Michigan State University Student Affairs and Services Michigan State University by? Terry E. Borg Principal Inves ator Director of Student Affairs Lyman Briggs School/Holmes Hall Michigan State University ”Q’s-”Mum- e mini-a 2230a 1£34i APPENDIX E APPENDIX E CODING SHEET CODE The information on this sheet will be kept separate from your responses to the attached survey. Since this is an anonymous questionnaire, the number in the upper right hand corner will be used only to insure that a second questionnaire is not sent to you. If you would like to receive a summary of the results of this study, please provide the information requested below. Your name. Address Please return this sheet and the questionnaire in the enclosed, pre-paid envelope by December 31. 1987. Upon receipt, we will separate this sheet from your responses to the survey. Thank you for your assistance. 1135 APPENDIX F APPENDIX 1? BUSINESS REPLY ENVELOP 153 Student Services Building Michigan State University Vice President for Student Affairs and Services Eeet Lansing, Michigan 68.26-9983 v-zm BUSINESS REPLY MAIL mum». In small-It'll roetaeewueemoevm Michigan State ihiversity Vice Presidmlt for Stud-It Affairs and Services I” sum-e Services Isilding East Lansing. Michip cease-sees ATTN: T. BORG 186 APPENDIX G APPENDIX G CHIEF STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICER'S FOLLOW-UP LETTER AMERICAN COLLEGE PRSONNE. ASSOCIATION aouu— nun—deem w bum-Um January 8. 1988 Dear Colleague: Hithin the past four weeks you were sent a questionnaire seeking your expert opinion on the demographics of the student affairs profession and mid-level professional attrition. As of this date, your reply has not been received. Unless more colleagues respond, the study cannot reach its potential for va 1 ity. Commission I of the American College Personnel Association, the sponsor of this study, has identified the recruitment and retention of professionally prepared student affairs workers as a critical area deserving study. Through your participation in this study we can provide the student affairs profession with important information about its current composition, identifying why professionals choose to leave the field, and where they go once leaving. Another copy of the questionnaire is enclosed for your convenience. Completion of this survey should take only about fifteen minutes. You and your institution will not identified by name in the study and all information collected will be kept in the strictest confidence. The page attached to the questionnaire will be discarded before any tabulation or analysi: is begun. It is included to act only as a control on the surveys return . Hill you please complete this brief questionnaire and return it in the enclosed pre-paid envelope by January 25. 1988? If by some chance our letters have crossed in the mail, disregard this letter and accept our thanks for participating in this study. Sincer ouis C. tamatakos, Ed.D. Profe r of Higher Education Mich n State University Student Affairs and Services Michigan State University T rry . or Principal Investig or Director of Stude Affairs Lyman Briggs School/Holmes Hall Michigan State University ”99mm e m.V'Iv'lil 2230‘ 187 APPENDIX H APPENDIX B FORMER HID-LEVEL STUDENT AFFAIRS PROFESSIONAL'S FOLLOW-UP LETTER m m ”(HAL E PEISDIUOI.ASSDCIAINJN "' February 20, 1988 Dear Ne continue to need your help. Several weeks ago you were sent a questionnaire seeking your reasons for leaving the student affairs profession. As of this date, we have not received your reply. He need your response because you are one of a small number of individuals to whom we are writing. Hithout your response, our study may lack the validity necessary to generalize results. By taking only about fifteen minutes you can provide the information which may help others make sound career decisions and aid higher education institutions retain professionally qualified student affairs practitioners. Only you can provide the answers as to why people leave the profession? Another copy of the questionnaire is enclosed for your convenience. As you will recall, we were referred to you by a former employer who knew of your decision to leave the student affairs profession. This employer believed that although you have left the field you would be willing to help the profession gain a better understanding of itself. You will not be identified by name in the study and all information collected will be kept in the strictest confidence. The page attached to the questionnaire will be discarded before any tabulation or analysis is begun. It is included to act as a control on the surveys returned. Hill you please complete this brief’ questionnaire and return it in the enclosed pro-paid envelope by March 4, 1988? If by some chance our letters have crossed in the mail, disregard this letter and accept our thanks for participating in this study. Thank you for your help. Sincerel \ ’ I [’5‘ Louis C. Stamatakos, Ed.D. James D. Studer. Ph.D. Professor of Higher Education Assistant Vice President for Nichi State University Student Affairs and Services Michigan State University § Terry'E. Borg Principal Investi or Director of Student Affairs Lyman Briggs School/Holmes Hall Michigan State University Immanuel-we I WV“ 2230‘ 11£L8 APPENDIX I Dr. Dr. MB. Dr. MB. Dr. Dr. Dr. “8. APPENDIX I MEMBERSHIP OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE PERSONNEL ASSOCIATION COMMISSION I TASK FORCE ON THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE PROFESSION Louis C. Stamatakos, Michigan State University, Co-chairman James D. Studer, Michigan State University, Co-chairman Terry 3. Borg, Michigan State University Anne E. Cocks, Michigan State University Suzanne E. Gordon, University of Arkansas Mike Stevens, University of Georgia Jane Thompson, Georgia Southern University Ralph Ford, Delhi State University Agricultural and Technical College Narboth Emmanuel, University of Vermont Joan Apple Lamoine, Western Connecticut State University 189 APPENDIX J APPENDIX J DOCTORAL DISSERTATION COMMITTEE Dr. Louis Stamatakos, Chairman Dr. Keith Anderson Dr. Cassandra Book Dr. James Studer 190 APPENDIX K Ms. Dr. Dr. MB. Dr. Dr. Dr. APPENDIX K PRE-TEST GROUPS Former Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional's Survey Instrument Reviewers Sandy Anderson, Training Consultant Zenger Miller Corporation William Latta, Assistant Budget Officer Michigan State University Lee Meadows, Organizational Consultant General Motors Corporation Nancy Stiller, Director, Internship Program James Madison College Michigan State University Chief Student Affairs Officer's Survey Instrument Reviewers William Schaar, Lansing Community College Shirley Erickson, Olivet College Ruth Renaud, Michigan State University Pete Marvin, Michigan State University 191 APPENDIX L APPENDIX L NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATOR'S REGIONS-STATES LIST Region I: Region II: Region III: Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire Rhode Island Vermont Delaware District of Columbia Maryland New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Alabama Florida Georgia Kentucky Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia Region IV-East: Region IV-West: Region V: Region VI: 192 Illinois Indiana Iowa Michigan Minnesota Ohio West Virginia Wisconsin Arkansas Colorado Kansas Missouri Nebraska New Mexico North Dakota Oklahoma South Dakota Wyoming Alaska Idaho Montana Nevada Oregon Utah Washington Arizona California Hawaii APPENDIX M «a o.mo OH m.mv on m.mv v.0n cocoa-om decode-snout usluOh cu m.mv a u an H.0n on N.ON on o.nn ha «.0 no o.vv no m.nn no n.vv and O.mm Om m.Om a no o.mn av Q.nu no a.vn u cocoa-em ciao On mu @.0 on 5.0“ On m.o Ga 0d v.m ..ssdusu unwound acousuaucoz .:04u«aom so: as» no ads» :04: acacaouu s.~sco«ao0uoum ulna... 2.» no 53333.80 2:. ..co«u:uauac« 0:» «0 anon on» no sous on» ad sauna-on s.~sc0a000uoum uoIHOu or» no soda-sum no good one .asusuo huasosu no road are .lovoouu decode-snoun no road are .nocoaassuoum usIHOu or» no acosuuamoo or» :4 soc-go ou assessmo «0 road och Edda access: Assauuuuuu¢ o» co>uo cadusuOOAacoo no souooo on Odndh S ”Haiihfi‘ 1J93 194 Cu m.mv an h.~h v.0n v.0n h.NN cocoa-om decode-snows nelson h.NN n.9fl ¢.Ov a n.9N o n.5u N «.0 MN v.NH on 9N ¢.vn Mn 0.5n 5H mu n.o an 6.0 hm m.on co O.Nv om u.mv on n.an hm n.0n a. on o.mn vh o.an hm n.0n up n.0n v0 «.mc vb o.an .u cocoa-oz oamo (A an n.0u «a u.«« an o.nn ha m.v« «v O.HN .susou a.ucsluusnoo on» pc- oosuauue a.~s:04soououm nelson ecu assayed oocosuucoo no song ..coquauau-ca 0:» an woolen-asp suasuuo accusa- ocu no canon .83 08 OOBCUIdIOH UHO>O HO 8HO>OO 0&9 .cOuuasom :4 occurs ecu o» ucausnauucou nouosu s as coda-con Asodrnsuoooo .ousuusl >uscdnnuosqu assoc»: ca ucsls>~o>cu uosuao no cosmos rod: c .co«uaaoa s.usco«sosuoun ussuou era :4 answered slinnoaa are non our eucauomsa codusuosueas use coupe-ususvcs no mood Ira .co«udsoa a.~scoas-0uoum uQIuOu era :4 ucsasun auuuogusa no song are .xusuosoousm luau ..v.ucoo. on auras 195 m.ov h.NN n.5N n.m m.HN n.0n 0.0n 5.0 o .GdSOCOdUGHOH onslau:«\oos«uusl no coconut era a“ p m n ov on mm on c o.om m.~n «.o ~.m o.- v.~n «.mn a.vu a .asc04aasuoum uOEuOu Gnu so coosua swag haul-u uo uchEOp one mu m a o co am «v o c «.mo p.- ~.o c m.n~ c.ov o.~« o.¢ . .ocadado-au can mafia-acaou coozuoa unaducoo 4 ca v v o on no he on c o.mo ~.on “.0" o o.NH v.«m «.mu o.o a .quo«>uomso >2 cos-sumac as oucsouusoo no good one On m a c an no so a : h.mb p.NN m.v o m.on b.mv “.mm n.v o .vdon COduasoa 0:» uOu cadususmoum pas ocdcasuu susauaougno no run” one a a a a on pm on ea c m.ov m.oo «.o «.0 m.- m.o¢ u.nn 0.0 o .ocuxss cod-«000 Asucsluusaso c4 ucslseuo>cu no good 039 m n h a m mu no vo : p.n~ o.n~ o.nn o.~n n.v n.o~ «.mn n.om a . .ausaoa sussvooscn a v p N «a no as on c o.ov «.0H m.nn n.a m.au o.nn p.mn o.mn a .oussro use nodus>occu ou cocoa-anon decodusuauucu are a , A a I a a u a cocoa-om Assad-usuoum usIHOh oacomsoz Otuo EGAN ..u.ucoo. on sunny 196 an ~.am cocoa-Ia decode-snout usluoh «.0m n.hN m h.an a «.6n u. a« 0.0m m.v o o OH h.a mu h.m~ on o.mn av o.mu #N o.NA on h.nn Mm n.om oh N.Nv 00 o.hv a no m.nv on Q.Nv hp v.~v mm b.0N Nb n.0n «v 0.NN u cocoa-oz Ciao canuoauauc uoz oosssuucn snuuua wounds ocuuanuucoo :Oaususoaosoo acne: season-cu uo usnlsc Ina ou acasuuom oodoso cocoa-ow zoos anacondvca sosucoousn on» o» acaauuom ~o>oa no. an unauduacoqa. IIII #680938 .asuoz as c O.an o .OCOIIucI>vs uOu auucsuuommo uo soon on c 0.9« v c.usocusm mu 9 o.p o .nuass: «canoe Harassed an s «.sn a .aOAuauom ascuoucu a c n.v o .so«u«uon s.doc0asasuoun assuOu or» wan asaquosnno unsuu no good era a c n.v o .cOausuuuasa ecu uo coduocsu asco«usospo Isa cu acoll>~o>ca no ~o>o~ 30a era 6 c o.n o .zuass: aqua-ham deco-nod _z HIHH ..s.ucoo. ow canny APPENDIX N APPENDIX N LETTER OF PERMISSION FOR USE OF SHAW'S SURVEY INSTRUMENT ELIZABETHTOWN COLLEGE ELIZABETHTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA 1'7022 Iquidquhp July 25. 1988 Mr. Terry E. Borg Director of Student Affairs Lyman Briggs/Homes Hall Michigan State University East Lansing. Michigan 48825-1107 Dear Mr. Borg: You have my permission to use any or all parts of the survey instrument I developed in my 1970 study of attrition of former student personnel administrators. Best wishes for a successful study. Cordially. \ Walter 3. Shaw Dean of the College NS/np 197 APPENDIX 0 APPENDIX O GENDER COMPOSITION OF THE STUDENT AFFAIRS PROFESSION 1972 & 1974 Table 29 Gender Composition of the Student Affairs Profession Male Female 1972 5 1974 (Percentages) I972 1975 (Myers & Sandeen, 1973) (Wilson, 1977) n-473 n=480 61.0 58.0 39.0 42.0 Table 30 Gender Composition of the Student Affairs Profession by Institutional Control/Affiliation and Type Institution Public Private Two Year Four Year Four Year Plus 1974 (Wilson, 1977) (Percentages) Hale lanai: 58.0 42.0 58.0 42 0 66.0 34.0 55.4 44.6 57.3 42.7 198 APPENDIX P APPENDIX P RACIAL/ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF THE STUDENT AFFAIRS PROFESSION 1970, 1972, & 1974 Table 31 Racial/Ethnic Composition of the Student Affairs Profession 1970, 1972, & 1974 (Percentages) Bust m 1.912 1L.” Ethnicity (Appleton, (Myers 5 (Wilson, 1971)1 Sandeen, 1973)2 1977) n=537 n=473 n-480 Asian * * 0.8 Black 9.2 9.3 9.1 Caucasian/Other 88.2 86.3 87.0 Hispanic 1.4 * 2.3 Native American * * 0.8 Total Minority 11.8 13.7 13.0 *sData not reported. 1Appleton (1971) specifically reported the number of Blacks and Hispanics, however he noted as "Other Minorities" 1.2% predominantly composed of Asians and Native Americans. This additional 1.2% is reflected in the sum of Total Minority. Myers and Sandeen (1973) did not report the data in a format consistent for comparison. The authors only included a specific number for Blacks and Total Minority. Table 32 Racial/Ethnic Composition of the Student Affairs Profession by Institutional Control/Affiliation and Type - 1974 (Wilson, 1977; Percentages) Institutinn Aninn Blank tnntnninn ‘ninnnnin Hating Amati Public 0.9 9.7 85.9 2.6 0.9 Private 0.5 7.2 90.3 1.6 0.4 Two Year 0.1 9.6 87.7 1.7 0.9 Four Year 0.2 6.1 92.4 0.5 0.8 Four Year Plus 1.0 9.6 85.9 2.7 0.8 199 APPEND IX Q APPENDIX Q ATTRITIONAL DATA FROM SHAW'S (1970) STUDY Table 33 Reasons for Attrition Among Selected Former Student Personnel Workers (Shaw, 1970; n-377*) (Percentages) 1m 59 The lack of openness to change in the department of the former professional. 16.4 The lack of professional freedom. 11.5 The lack of faculty status. 3.1 The lack of prestige of the former professional's position in the eyes of the rest of the institution. 6.2 The compatibility of the former professional's training with that of the new position. 12.4 Non-student affairs duties. 5.1 Bureaucracy. 22.3 The lack of authority present in the former professional's position. 9.6 The lack of understanding and appreciation superiors had for the problems inherent in the former professional's position. 24.5 A high degree of direct involvement in student disciplinary matters. 10.7 Geographical location as a factor contributing to the change in position. 4.5 The covert or overt resistance to the goals of the student affairs department by the institution. 15.6 200 23.4 22.8 19.4 20.6 18.6 30.4' 18.6 26.8 23.7 29.5 60.2 65.7 87.3 74.4 67.0 76.3 47.3 71.8 48.7 65.6 86.7 54.9 201 Table 33 (cont'd) Item Lack of congruence between the former professional's attitude and the department's goals. The institutional resistance to innovation and change. Inadequate salary. The lack of involvement in departmental decision making. The lack of appropriate training and preparation for the position held. The lack of confidence as expressed by supervisors. A conflict between counseling and discipline. The demands of family life placed on the former professional. The demands of marriage/intimate relationship. Personal physical health. The low level of involvement in the educational function of the institution. The lack of clear objectives for the former professional's position. Internal politics. Notes: *Not all of the respondents answered all of the questions: the total 'n' varies from question to question. 15.7 11.2 16.3 4.2 14.3 5.6 9.8 5.1 5.9 10.4 28.7 91 112 20.0 71.8 28.9 55.4 20.8 68.0 25.3 58.4 11.5 84.3 17.4 68.3 21.3 70.6 9.8 84.6 11.2 79.0 12.1 82.8 18.3 75.8 25.4 64.2 22.8 48.5 therefore MC 2 A major consideration in the decision to leave the student affairs profession. CF I A contributing factor in the decision to leave the student affairs profession. NF 8 Not a factor in the decision to leave the student affairs profession. LIST OF REFERENCES LIST OF REFERENCES Appleton, James R. Survey of minority group persons employed in student affairs positions at NASPA member institutions. m JQEIHILI 1971' 2 (2)! 96'105- Armstrong, Michael R., Campbell, Thomas J., 5 Ostroth D. David. The employment situation in college and university student personnel. 215525 My 1978, 1.6. (1): 531-58. Arnold, Kitty. Career development for the experienced student affairs professional. m m 1982, 252 (2), 3-8. Aronson, Judith, Bennett, Dorothy, Moore, William, & Moore, Leila. Placement of college student personnel graduates, 1976-1983. innrnal 2: 9911293 Student Rernnnnnl. 1935: 2Q (2): 173'174- Ayers, Archie R., Tripp. Phillip A., & Russel, John H. W mitts administrating in night: Mim- Waahinqton. 0.0.: 0.8. Government Printing Office, 1966. Badders, Fred T., & Sawyer, Jesse C. The fourth annual SACSA salary BurVBY- saline Student Ageing m. 1983. 5. (1). 29-39- Badders, Fred T., & Sawyer, Jesse C. More bricks with less straw: the third annual SACSA salary survey. @1133; W m JQMKDQLI 1982: i (1): 52'60- Bell & Howell Co. W. Wooster, Ohio: Micro Photo Division, 1988. (Microform) Bender, Barbara 3. Job satisfaction in student affairs. m m 1980 19. (2). 2-9- Bingham, William C. Are placement counselors satisfied? gggtngl 91 921.139! 2.1M: 1974 3.4. ('4). 56-61. Blalock. nubert 14- m1 intestate: in nnnnmninentnl renumb- Chappel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1964. Borg, Walter, & Gall, Meredith. W W. New York: Longman, Inc., 1979. 202 203 Bosaert. Ronald- Queer mniiitx 9.: ninzlexnl LAM—M a r o a in My; 9939.432!!- Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The Pennsylvania State University, 1982. Boyer, Ernest L. 993493; t9; ugdgtgrgdugtg eggrtegcg tn fletica. New York: Harper 8 Row, Publishers, 1987. Bryan. J- nmummw nn_nl_n_in_ex ant nin mummwmwu ro mmmammmamm new): mmmgmnmawm'h' their mm; 31131:; 5111111281- Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Columbia University, 1977. Bunker, Douglas R., & Wijnberg, Marion H. W m W managing Minna]. neck in Man 5.211452 thgnttgttgng. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1988. Bureau of the Census. 1289 m g: thg M1911 volume I. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, May, 1983. Bureau of the Censua- urgent. nnnnlttinn sums: ensign non W (Technical paper #40). Washington D.C.: U. S. Government Printing Office, January 1978 edition. Burns, Martha A. Who leaves the student affairs field? m ML. 1982. 2.9 (2). 9-12- Council for the Advancement of Standards for Student Services/Development 930933133- SEAS standards £29 9119211113! 1.21 £33922}; WM nmmn- 000303-111“!!! 0f 5111149311 Affairs Professional Organizations, April 1986. Delworth, Ursula, & Hanson, Gary R. M W. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1980. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. 2199.93: 91 992235.128 W. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1987. ' Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. m 91 992283.129 W. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1988. Dye.L1nda0. nmxmmmmm mum mane]. ndninintrntnu in state nnimnitins Ann land: mgt £211.93!!- Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Florida State University, 1975. Evans, Nancy J. Attrition of student affairs professionals: a review of the literature. 9.93mi 91 921.129.: Meat W. 1988, 22 (1), 19-24. 204 Fact file: fall 1987 enrollment in U.S. colleges and universities. th'enieie 9.1 Higher Beneatien. June 28, 1989, p- A24. Forney, Dea, & Wiggers, T. Thorne. The saga continues: stress, strain, and burnout among career development professionals. 31931811 21 M W: 1934: 5.5. (1). 34-39- FOYoJmOR-mmaiMWW- Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Michigan State University, 1969 . French, 91- the me]. was 2:29.911- BOOtOM Houghton Mifflin Company, 1978. Goodmnn. Alan Paul- Engineienel eneiee. eeeieiizetien... and enter 19111223185. 21. mm mm in was. 29.129.288.11 £935- Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University, 1984 . Grant, Harold W., 8 Foy, James E. Career patterns of student personnel administrators. m 2129:1111: ‘1972, .19 (2), 106-113. Gross, Stanley J. Characteristics of student personnel workers: a review of the research- learn]. 2: sense: fitneent Bergennel. 1978, u (3), 231-237. Huge. Jerald. 8 Aiken. Michael. Seeinl. ebenee in tenelen W- New York: Random House, 1970. Hancock, John E. Needs and reinforcers in student affairs: implications for attrition. m 91 93.11133, mm; Wt. 1988. 22 (1). 25-30. Harder, Martha 8. Career patterns of chief student personnel administrators. Jeanna]. ef Fallen fitment Pemnnel. 1983. 21 Harris, Lou. m; tmnm jg m New York: Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1985. Harter, Carol, Moden, Gary, 8 Wilson, Peter. Women and minority professional staff in student personnel: a census and analysis. m m 1982 20 (2), 42-50. Harway, Michele. Management style and philosophy of the student personnel administrator--a profile. M 91 M W W! 19770 19 (4): 255-262- Heming, Ruth M. Women in comunity college administration: a Frost-8! report. lenrnai e: me. 1982 5.6 (1). 3-8. Herzberg, Frederick. 39:3 gag ttg ggtgtg gt mtg. Cleveland: Werld Publishing Co., Inc., 1966. 205 Hester. Linda Hunt- Eiffenntiei attentiene ef m M in thenieetieneffindentneaennelflinietnanzeteinnineeetern ggiggtgittgg. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Michigan State University, 1971. Higher Beneatien General iniennatm earner m. 1984-85. Hirschorn, Michael W. Doctorates earned by blacks decline 26.5 pct. in decade- entenieie e: Higher mneetien. February 3. 1988. pp- Hodgkinson, Harold L. All 931 gxttgm. Washington D.C.: Institute for Educational Leadership, Inc., 1985. Holmes, David, Verrier, David, & Chisholm, Pamela. Persistence in student affairs work: attitudes and job shifts among master's program graduates- genteel ef Qeiieee fitneent Bergennei, 1983. Hoslett, Schuyler D. (ed.). figmgn figttgtg in mgngggggnt. New York: Harper and Brothers, Publishers, 1951. Kane. Nancy Bllen- A Wine stile! 21 student affairs ni_d- 1m]. prefeeeienalni ehnnaetetittiee. mined still attainment and need fer tentinned melenmto Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The Florida State University, 1982. Keim, Marybelle C. Rockey. Student affairs preparation programs: progressive, paralyzed or perishing? Unpublished manuscript, American College Personnel Association, 1985. (Available from Marybelle C. Rockey Keim, Visiting Professor of Higher Education, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.) Kuh, George D., Greenlee, Faye E., & Lardy, Brenda A. A profile of graduate students in college student personnel. 9.9312031 91 91.9.1199! mm W: 1978: 1.2 (5): 531-537- Lawing, M. A., Moore, L. V., & Groseth R. Enhancement and advancement: professional development for student affairs staff. m m 1932 29 (2), 22-26. Ludewig, Larry Honroa- Batten; e1 mend neeiiitx fer administrators in meent neuennel mile Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University, 1979. March, J., 5 Simon, H. thgnttgttgng. New York: John Wiley 8 Sons, Ines ' 1958. Maslow, Abraham H. Mgttggttgn tag pgtggnttitx (2nd ed.). New York: Harper 5 Row Publishers, Inc., 1970. 206 McCoy, Vivian R. Adult life cycle change. LLfQ ngg ngtntgg: :he hdnit Xena, 1977. 1 (2). 14-18- McEwen, Marylu K., Engstrom, Cathy M., 5 Williams, Terry E. Gender diversity within the student affairs profession. M]. gf 95211.99! ms. W: 1990: 3.1 (1): 47-53- McGraoor, Douglas H- The human aide ef entereniee. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1960. Meyers, Edward M., & Sandeen, Arthur. Survey of miniority and women student affairs staff members employed in NASPA member institutions. m 319311111: 1973, 11 (1), 2-14. Miller, Theodore K., a Prince, Judith K. 11;; m gt M 3tjgttt. San Francisco: Jossey-Baes Publishers, 1976. Miller, Theodore K., Winston, Roger B., & Mendenhall, William R. Administratien and ieaderehin in attdent. attains. Muncie: Accelerated Development Inc., 1983. 1986 Minority enrollment at 3,200 institutions of higher education. entenieie of. higher Edutatien. July 6. 1988. pp. 320-1529- National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. 121222 W W. Washington 0.0.: Author, 1989. Nie, Hall, Jenkins, Steinbrenner, & Bent. 5333, 2319.19.31 g mg; mg; (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw Hill, 1986. Norusis, Marija J. Eng 3231 931g; tg ggtg gnglxgtg. Chicago: SPSS Inc., 1986. Ostroth, D. David, Efird, Frances D., & Lerman, Lewis 8. Career patterns of chief student affairs officers. M gfi gguggg Student Enamel. 1984. 2.5 (5). 443-448- Owana. Robert 6- emaintienal Maxie: in edneatien (2nd ed.)- Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1981. Payne. Stanley 1» The art ef. asking sentient. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1951. Rickard, Scott T. The chief student affairs officer: progress toward equity- Journal at £91139! etndent Personnel. 1985a. 2e (1), 5-10. . Rickard, Scott T. Vital signs of the profession. Unpublished manuscript, American College Personnel Association, 1985b. (Available from Scott Rickard, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, University of Maryland Baltimore County.) 207 Rudolph. 1"- i‘he mniean eelim and nnineneityt a histeu- New York: Random House, 1962. Sangaria, Mary A., 8: Johnsrud, Linda K. Mobility within the student affairs profession: career advancement through position change. Metal ef Selim Sttdent Denim. 1988. 2.2 (l). 30-40. Sandeen, Arthur. A perspective on student affairs: a statement issued on the fiftieth anniversary of the student personnel point 0f ViW- m MEDAL. 1937- Sandeen, Arthur A. In Alan F. Kirby & Dudley Woodard (Eds.), 93:93.: Wine: in atadent attain... NASPA Monograph Series Volume 1, 1934. Scott. Gloria R- ending... ieb aatieiattiena and Jet netinatiene ef W 82311.! gt 93.3%. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University, 1965. Scott. Robert A- lends... mites... and Lenses; tellmiate niddlt managers. and their. Wien- Washinoton D-C-: ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education and American Association of Higher Education Research Report No. 7 (1978). Scott, Robert A. Lords, squires, and yeomen: collegiate middle- managers in the U. 8. 11.19112: W, 1980 2 (4), 385-398. Shaw. Walter B. A £53.12. 21 attritien amend selected Lerner M mg]. m. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Michigan State University, 1970. Sherburne, Paul R. Rates and patterns of professional mobility in student personnel work. m m, 1970, g (2), 119-123. Solmon, Lewis C., a Tierney, Michael L. Determinants of job satisfaction among college administrators. m 1931:1111 gt flight; Edneatien. 1977 Ad (4). 412-431- Spicuzza, Frank J., Baskind, Frank R., & Woodside, Marianne R. A continuing dialogue on burnout- eternal ef telltee 21m. Strange, C. Carney. Organizational barriers to student development. manna m1. 1981. 1.2 (1). 12-20. Sudman, Seymour. m m. New York: Academic Press, 1976. Sudman, Seymour. In Peter H. Rossi, James D. Wright, & Andy 8. Anderson (3684- 331199298 91 921291 reeeateh- New York: Academic Press, 1983. 208 Torregrosa, Constance H. (Ed.). 111g 3.3.2 1918 mm gdggattgg W. Falls Church, VA: Higher Education Publications, Inc., 1988. United States Post Office. Zip Qodg Qiregtoty. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1988. Vroom, Victor. Egg; gag mgttggttgg. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1964. Wei-bore. H. 3., 5- Bowen. 3. D- An intLechtien te anger m ms! gut: mm. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman and Company, 1977. Welty, John D. Minorities in housing administration in higher education- eternal ef tellede and Uniteteitx ancient fleecing. 1982 12 (1), 31-33. Wiggers, T. T., Forney, D. S., 8 Wallace-Schutzman, F. Burnout is not necessary: prevention and recovery. NA§EA gtgtnat, 1982 29 (2), 13-21. Wills, Penelope Hornschemeier. A gtgdg 91 W tggtgtg which inflnente the career. dwent ef fennel: ehiet student gttgttg administrateree Unpublished dissertation, Mighigan State University, 1983. Wilson, Shirley J. Survey of minority and women student affairs staff members employed in NASPA member institutions in 1974. m Mai. 1977. it (3), 57-73. Wood, Linda, Winston, Roger B., & Polkosnik, Mark C. Career orientations and professional development of young student affairs professionala- flannel 9t tallest my. Bertennei. 1985. 2e