Council of Chief Student Affairs Officers

• Effective student affairs policies and program initiatives in SUNY stem from documented research on student learning and development, student persistence, and student success. Such policies and procedures should originate from the articulation of specific, mutually agreeable policy and program goals consistent with the basic tenets of student development and the student affairs profession.

• Effective student affairs policies and program initiatives are also rooted in institution specific data on the student experience. Policy and program initiatives are expected to reflect the documented needs of individual institutions and their students, and respect for the autonomy, missions, diverse strengths and resources of the individual institutions within the University.

• Effective student affairs policies and programs incorporate a current understanding of the legal rights of students, and a commensurate commitment to the development of student responsibility. The University is expected to regularly provide Council members with information on case law related to student life, and advice and guidance in order to mitigate potential risks and to enhance their capacity to address student legal issues on an ongoing basis. Institutional personnel are expected to demonstrate a commitment to ethical practice in the fulfillment of their administrative responsibilities.

• Effective student affairs policies and programs foster campus climates that are both inclusive and diverse. Council members are expected to demonstrate a commitment to promoting the twin values of access and excellence at their individual institutions. University policies and programs are expected to represent this commitment to egalitarianism and mutual respect.

• Effective Student affairs policies and programs require adequate funding and the allocation of other resources necessary for their effective implementation. It is expected that the University provide each institution with the funds and resources needed to implement University initiatives, and that Council members work proactively to advocate for program funding and to pursue external funding opportunities necessary for effectively implementing and sustaining institutional student affairs programs and services. Council members are also expected to serve as effective, principled stewards of all of the resources they manage.

• Effective student affairs policies and programs emerge through collaboration with faculty and other colleagues throughout the University that have a stake in the student experience. Effective policies and programs result from dialogue between the University and its member institutions. A concerted effort must be made to ensure that students and other stakeholders participate in discussions on University student affairs policies and program initiatives.

• Effectiveness of University student affairs policies and programs should be assessed on a routine basis by each institution in order to ensure that the impact of the policies and procedures is consistent with the expected outcomes. Council members should be expected to conduct such assessment activities and to take action based on the results.

• Effectiveness as an administrator of student affairs policies and programs is predicated upon the commitment to professional development of individual institutional personnel and the University as a whole. It is expected that individual administrators will pursue professional development opportunities that will enhance their skills and effectiveness, and that the University will sponsor professional development opportunities for its student affairs staff members.

Adopted 12/13/02