Senior student affairs officers: Preparation for fiscal responsibility in higher education.

摘要

A review of available literature reveals a clear consensus that success within today's challenging economic environment mandates that senior student affairs officers (SSAOs) in higher education possess appropriate financial knowledge and skills (Barr & Albright, 1990; Barr & Desler, 2000; Gibbs, 1999; Schuh, 2003). Despite this consensus, the literature rarely addresses the avenues through which professionals might acquire the fiscal knowledge and skills required by leadership positions. Moreover, findings in the literature---from within the profession and by others in higher education---show that student affairs professionals continue to be labeled as lacking in fiscal ability (Barr, 1990; Gibbs, 1999; Johnson, 2002; Madson, 1995; Mamarchev, 1990; Williamson & Risacher, 2001). These themes serve as the foundation for this qualitative study which seeks to understand how one should best prepare for fiscal responsibility in the student affairs profession.;Nineteen senior student affairs officers across a five-state, Upper Midwest region explore the scope of their fiscal responsibility and their preparation experiences. Data from SSAO participants on the scope of fiscal responsibility show the importance of serving as "good fiscal stewards," keeping student needs/rights at the core of fiscal responsibility, connecting fiscal responsibility to the fulfillment of divisional and institutional mission, and establishing a productive relationship with the chief financial officer. Regarding avenues of preparation, on-the-job learning is, perhaps not surprisingly, shown to be the most common form of preparation experienced by participants. As the study was designed to consider multiple avenues of preparation, data on several other professional preparation opportunities was also collected and analyzed. These data inform my recommendations for future practice, which call for a shared approach to preparation for fiscal responsibility within the student affairs profession. Reasonable enhancements are offered in terms of doctoral program curricula, professional association offerings, and supervisory relationships.;Budgetary and financial management work has been shown in this study to be an integral aspect of the overall work in the student affairs profession. Student affairs professionals, and the students they serve, would benefit by preparing more systematically for fiscal responsibility---over the course of their careers and within several different venues.