CAS Internship Standards

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CAS Internship Standards

• Council for the Advancement of Standards in
  Higher Education

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About CAS(Council for the Advancement of
Standards in Higher Education)

• Founded in 1979
• Consortium of 36 professional orgs
• Consensus-oriented, collaborative
• Mission Promote improvement of programs and
  services to enhance quality of student learning
  and development

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CAS Purpose

• Beliefs about excellence require that all
  programs and services in institutions of higher
  ed function at optimum levels
• Beliefs about collaboration require that all
  programs and services be accomplished in concert
  by students educators

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CAS Purpose (2)

• Beliefs about ethics require that all programs
  services be carried out in an environment of
  integrity high ideals
• Beliefs about student development require that
  the student be considered a whole person in the
  context of a diverse population and a diversity
  of institutions, that outcomes of education be
  comprehensive and that the total environment be
  structured to create opportunities for student
  involvement and learning

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CAS Purpose (3)

• Beliefs about responsibility require that the
  institution recognize the rights and
  responsibilities of students as its citizens and
  that it provide an array of resources and
  learning opportunities that enable students to
  exercise their responsibility to take full
  advantage of them.

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CAS Approach to Self-Regulation and Self-
Assessment

• Institutional culture that values involvement of
  all its members in decision-making
• Quality indicators that are determined by the
  institution
• Use of standards and guidelines in quality
  assurance
• Collection and analysis of data on institutional
  performance
• Commitment to continuing improvement that
  presupposes freedom to explore and develop
  alternative future directions

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CAS Member Associations

• Amer Assoc for Collegiate Independent Study
  (AACIS)
• Amer Assoc for Employment in Education (AAEE)
• Amer Clg Counseling Assoc (ACCA)
• Amer Clg Health Assoc (ACHA)
• Amer Clg Personnel Assoc (ACPA)
• Amer Counseling Assoc (ACA)
• Assoc of Clg Univ Housing Ofcrs Intl
  (ACUHO-I)
• Assoc of Clg Unions Intl (ACUI)
• Assoc of Clgt Conf Events Directors Intl
  (ACCED-I)
• Assoc of Fraternity Advisors (AFA)
• Assoc for Student Judicial Affairs (ASJA)
• Assoc on Higher Ed Disability (AHEAD)
• Canadian Assoc of Clg Univ Student Svcs)
  CACUSS)

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CAS Member Assocs (2)

• Clg Reading Learning Assoc (CRLA)
• Clgt Info Visitor Svcs Assoc (CIVSA)
• Council for Opportunity in Ed (COE)
• NAFSA Assoc of Intl Educators (NAFSA-AIE)
• Natl Acad Advising Assoc (NACADA)
• Natl Assoc for Campus Activities (NACA)
• Natl Assoc for Clg Admission Cnslng (NACAC)
• Natl Assoc for Dvlpmntl Ed (NADE)
• Natl Assoc of Clg Aux Svcs (NACAS)
• Natl Assoc of Clgs Employers (NACE)
• Natl Assoc fo Student Fin Aid Admins (NASFAA)
• Natl Assoc of Student Personnel Admins (NASPA)
• Natl Clearinghouse for Commuter Progs (NCCP)
• Natl Consort of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
  Transgender Resources in Higher Ed

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CAS Members (3)

• National Cncl on Student Dvlpmt (NCSD)
• Natl Intramural and Recreational Sports Assoc
  (NIRSA)
• Natl Orientation Dirs Assoc (NODA)
• Natl Soc for Exp Ed (NSEE)
• The Network Addressing Clgt Alcohol Other
  Drug Issues (The Network)
• Southern Assoc for Clg Student Afrs (SACSA)

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What is experiential education?

• A systematic approach to applied learning whereby
  a student engages in professional, productive
  learning activities
• A process through which a learner constructs
  knowledge
• Learning by doing
• Incorporated strategy to increase understanding
• Formal integration of a students academic study
• Direct hands-on experience
• Active engagement in an experience expected to
  provide real learning consequences
• Provides for career and educational development

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Exp Ed Standardization Advancements in the U.S.

• 1998 NSEE Standards of Good Practice
• 2005 CAS Standards for Service Learning
• 2006 CAS Standards for Internship Programs
• 2007 CAS Standards for UGrad Research (new
  edition 09/09)

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NSEEs 8 Principles

• Intention
• Preparedness Planning
• Authenticity
• Reflection
• Orientation Training
• Monitoring Continuous Improvement
• Assessment Evaluation
• Acknowledgement

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Is there even a need for IP standards?

• What impact can standards and adherence to
  standards have on the actual experiential
  education learning experience?
• Are there standards that can impact the quality
  of the institution/office delivering the
  experience?

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CAS IP Mission

• Primary mission of Internship Programs (IP) is to
  engage students in planned, educationally-related
  work and learning experiences that integrate
  knowledge and theory with practical application
  and skill development in a professional setting.

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IP Mission (contd)

• IP must incorporate student learning and
  development in its mission. IP must enhance
  overall educational experiences. IP must
  develop, record, disseminate, implement and
  regularly review its mission and goals. Mission
  statements must be consistent with the mission
  and goals of the institution and with the
  standards in this document. IP must operate as
  an integral part of the institutions overall
  mission.

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Purpose of Standards

• Determine quality
• Determine whether activity is academic
  credit-worthy
• To protect the student
• To protect the faculty or staff member
• To protect the institution
• To protect the employer/site sponsor

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What does that mean?

• Determine program quality
• Set benchmarks to ensure program effectiveness
• Determine activitys academic credit-worthiness
• - Aligned w/ institutional mission?
• Protect the student
• Does program enhance overall educational
  experience?
• Assess risk mgmt and safety of students
• Protect the faculty or staff member
• - Due diligence in effective IP management
• Protect the institution
• Preparation for accreditation
• Protect the employer/site sponsor
• Credibility accountability

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CAS Standards

• CAS Standards represent best practices as
  formulated by representatives of multiple
  professional associations concerned with student
  learning and development in higher education

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CAS PrinciplesStudents Their Institutions

• Student is considered a unique, whole person
• Institutional environments shape learning
• Responsibility for learning rests with the
  student
• Institutions provide opportunities for learning
• Institutions reflect society its diversity

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CAS PrinciplesDiversity Multiculturalism

• Institutions embrace diversity and eliminate
  barriers that impede student learning
• Justice and respect for differences bond
  individuals to community

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CAS Principles Organization, Leadership Human
Resources

• Leadership is essential for institutional success
• Institutional success is related to clarity of
  mission
• Qualifications of staff members is tied directly
  to quality of educational programs and services
• Leaders possess sound educational preparation and
  experience

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CAS Principles Health Engendering Environments

• Educational programs and services prosper in
  benevolent environments that provide students
  with appropriate levels of challenge and support.

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CAS Principles Ethics

• Educational service providers provide impeccable
  ethical behavior in their professional and
  personal lives.

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Implementing the Self-Assessment Process

• Establish and prepare the self-study team
• Conduct the self-study
• Identify and summarize evidence
• Identify discrepancies
• Determine appropriate corrective action
• Recommend action for program enhancement
• Prepare an action plan

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Thirteen areas of assessment

• Mission
• Program
• Leadership
• Organization and
• Management
• Financial Resources
• Facilities, Technology and Equipment

• Legal Responsibilities
• Equity and Access
• Campus and External Relations
• Diversity
• Ethics
• Assessment and Evaluation

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The Assessment Process

• A) Establish Prepare Review Team
• Size of team
• Identify individual who will coordinate/lead
  self-assessment process
• Team composition (staff, faculty,
  students/internal-external)
• Establish ground rules
• Review and discuss meaning of each standard
  before beginning
• Interpret standards for purpose of this
  assessment

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Assessment Process (2)

• A contd
• How to initiate the rating process
• Select optimal rating strategy
• Encourage discussion/expect disagreements/commit
  to consensual resolution of differences before
  proceeding
• B Understanding Standards Gdlns
• Standards Best practices
• Guidelines are suggestions for practice

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Assessment Process (3)

• Compile and review documentary evidence
• Judging performance
• 4-point rating scale
• ND Not Done 1 Not Met 2 Minimally met
• 3 Well Met 4 Fully met NR Not Rated
  

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Assessment Process (4)

• Complete the assessment process
• 2-tiered judgment approach
• 1) self-assessment team and indi-
• vidual functional area staff members should
  rate each criterion
• 2) follow up with a collective review and
  analysis of the individual ratings

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• Understand the importance of assessing and
  reporting input data as well as student learning
  and development outcomes as strategies for
  improving learning and program quality

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Summary of assessment process

• Answer evaluation/assessment questions
• Identify areas of program strength
• Identify areas of program weakness
• Describe practices requiring follow-up
• Summarize actions required for the program to
  meet CAS standards
• Summarize program enhancement actions
• Write program action plan

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CAS Internship Standards

• Arleen Anderson
• Director, Internships Employer Relations
• University of New Haven
• Ph 203-932-7491
• AAnderson_at_newhaven.edu