from Inquiry, Volume 2, Number 1, Spring 1998, 62-67
© Copyright 1998 Virginia Community College System
Abstract
VCCS chief administrative officers and VCCS counseling personnel have different perceptions of the importance of counseling services related to recruitment and retention and of institutional priorities for counseling program outcomes.
Across the nation, community college counselors are challenged by dwindling resources, greater demands, and issues of accountability. In an era where "doing more with less" is an ever-present theme, community college administrators are faced with the challenge of balancing increased enrollments with decreased funding allocations. As a result, counseling personnel are challenged by providing more services with fewer personnel and resources (Leitzel, Morgan, Stalcup, 1993; Thurston, 1983). In addition, societal issues brought to campus by a diverse student population, the need for increased enrollment, and open access - the hallmark of the community college - have increased role confusion among community college counseling personnel. Even though counseling professionals can do little to overcome the demands of increased enrollments and decreased financial resources, they can focus on clearly defining and articulating the roles of the counseling professional within the community college arena (Cordova & Martens, 1986).
During the Spring 1997 semester, a study was conducted to examine Virginia Community College System (VCCS) counseling services programs and outcomes and to identify the similarities and differences of priorities that exist between VCCS counseling personnel and chief administrative officers. The study examined counseling services program offerings, the level of perceived importance of counseling services and program outcomes, and the level of perceived institutional priority for counseling services and programs.
Population
Two groups were surveyed: counseling personnel and chief administrative officers. Counseling personnel included non-grant funded professionals classified within the VCCS as coordinators of counseling (N=9), counselors (N=116), student services coordinators (N=1), and student services specialists (N=14) (Beaudry, 1996). Designated as chief administrative officers, VCCS presidents and campus provosts (N=34) were surveyed to determine the similarities and differences that exist between the perception of counseling personnel and of chief administrative officers. Campus provosts and community college presidents were selected as the chief administrative officers because they are directly responsible to the Chancellor for the overall operation of the institution: leadership, and supervision of the entire campus program, budgeting, campus development, and strategic planning (VCCS, 1996).
Instrumentation
The Counseling Program Survey was designed to determine what counseling services programs are provided by counseling and student services professionals within the Virginia Community College System, to identify priorities for counseling services and program outcomes, and to examine perceptions of institutional priority for counseling services.
The Counseling Program Survey was distributed to all individuals within the VCCS classified as a president, provost, coordinator of counseling, counselor, student services specialist, or student services coordinator (N=174). One hundred twenty-eight completed surveys were returned for a 73.6% completion rate. Completing the survey were 86.1% of VCCS chief administrative officers (presidents 100%, provosts 61.5%) and 70.3% of VCCS counseling professionals. Most respondents were between the ages of 40 and 60.
More than 70% of the individuals responding to the Counseling Program Survey had 10 to 29 years of experience within a community college setting.
Findings
The study resulted in several major findings: descriptions of the roles of VCCS counselors, contradictory priorities of chief administrative officers and counseling personnel regarding recruitment verses retention activities, and differing perceptions between the two study groups as to the institutional priority for counseling services and program outcomes.
The role of the VCCS counselor is best described as an "educational generalist." Although specific services delivered by VCCS counseling personnel differ from campus to campus because of institutional size, the role of counseling providers remains multifaceted. Consistent with national studies, community college counseling personnel within the VCCS provide comprehensive services to diverse student populations (Matson, 1972; Mattox & Creamer, 1996).
Survey results revealed contradictory priorities between chief administrative officers and counseling personnel regarding recruitment and retention activities and associated program outcomes. Services associated with the recruitment and intake of students (e.g., financial aid, admissions) were ranked as of greatest importance by chief administrative officers, while retention activities (e.g., counseling, advising, career planning) were ranked as of greatest importance by counseling personnel. In addition, even though campus leaders are faced with increased interest and demands in the areas of evaluation and assessment, both study groups rated research activities at relatively low priority levels. Survey results echoed the generally held belief that community college professionals focus on teaching as opposed to research activities (Mattox & Creamer, 1996). Responses concerning the importance of specific services provided by counseling professionals were ranked according to the mean response by each group. Results appear in Table 1, which lists services in the order of priority for both chief administrative officers and counseling personnel.
Program outcomes used in the Counseling Program Survey were developed by information generated by focus group responses and self-assessment criteria for specific functional areas. Survey respondents were asked to indicate the importance of program outcomes and to evaluate existing levels of institutional priority of program outcomes associated with the following five sentence stems:
1. "As a result of what counselors do, faculty will . . . "
2. "As a result of what counselors do, the institution benefits from . . ."
3. "As a result of what counselors do, students will develop . . . "
4. "As a result of what counselors do, students will receive information about . . ."
5. "As a result of what counselors do, students will learn . . ."
Survey respondents indicated similar levels of importance for most program outcomes. However, responses to levels of existing institutional priority for specific services and program outcomes generated significant differences between the two study groups: counseling personnel rated the level of existing institutional priority for program outcomes at much lower levels than did chief administrative officers. A sample of program outcome priorities appears in Table 2.
Discussion/Implications
These survey findings might serve as an impetus for System-wide and campus-wide changes in the delivery of counseling programs and services within the Virginia Community College System. Recommendations include the following:
1. Counseling personnel and campus administrators should work collaboratively to more clearly define and clarify the role of counselors on community college campuses.
2. Presidents, campus provosts, and counseling providers need to collaborate to achieve a realistic balance of expectations of services provided by counselors and institutional resource allocations.
3. Campus leaders should conduct annual reviews of and revise, as needed, counselor position descriptions to insure accurate reflection of job assignments and responsibilities.
4. Counseling personnel should embrace the ideals of assessment and develop a systematic model for a formal evaluation of services and establishment of measurable program outcomes.
5. VCCS counseling personnel should work with campus leaders to create a greater understanding of student development issues and support services.
6. With the impetus provided by accrediting associations and the standards developed by the Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS), regular assessment of counseling program outcomes should occur to ensure comprehensive institutional effectiveness. Annual VCCS assessment reports should require the reporting of counseling/student development outcomes.
7. VCCS personnel and campus leaders should promote professional development opportunities for counseling services personnel in the areas of research, assessment, program outcome development, and technology.
With increased collaboration between chief administrative officers and counseling personnel, counseling services, programs, and outcomes can continue to enhance student recruitment, retention, and ultimately -student success.
References
Beaudry, J. (1996). [State classifications]. Unpublished raw data.
Cordova, J., & Martens, K. (1986). Opportunities in challenge. Opportunities for student development in two-year colleges: Monograph Series Vol. 6, 55-71.
Leitzel, T. C., Morgan, S. D., & Stalcup, R. J. (1993). Declining revenues, increasing enrollments, and the open door. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 17(6), 489-495.
Matson, J. E. (1983). Primary roles for community college counselors. In A. Thurston & W. Robbins (Eds.), Counseling: A crucial function for the 1980s: New directions for community colleges, 43, pp. 19-28. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Mattox, R., & Creamer, D. (1996). Perceptions of the scope and quality of student personnel functions in the two-year college. Unpublished manuscript, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA.
Thurston, A. S. (1983). The decade ahead for community college counseling. In A. S. Thurston & W. A. Robbins (Eds.), Counseling: A crucial function for the 1980s: New directions for community colleges, 43, pp. 113-120. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Virginia Community College System. (1996). Policy Manual. Richmond, VA: VCCS.
Susan Eberly Short is a professor and Director of Student Support Services at Lord Fairfax Community College, Middletown campus. She earned her doctorate in Community College Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Funding for this project was provided by a professional development research grant from the Virginia Community College System.