| The purpose of this study is to identify and describe the role and functions of chief student affairs officers at community colleges in the State of Ohio. The focus of the study is the chief student affairs officer (CSAO, the administrative head in colleges and universities responsible for coordinating the student affairs division).;During the decades of 1970s through 1980s, community colleges in the USA reported an exponential growth.;The expansion of community colleges during the boom decades created numerous challenges for community college administrators. The emergence of community colleges raised concern about roles and, functions necessary for college administrators, especially the chief student affairs officer, to function effectively in their work. Colleges are expected to provide personal support and extensive services to students and all those efforts need to be coordinated by the chief student affairs officer.;In addition to identifying what chief student affairs officers were expected to do and what were their daily tasks, this study also explored the desirable skills or attributes needed by chief student affairs officers.;The primary unit of analysis was the chief student affairs officer, and the data sources were four chief student affairs officers selected from public community colleges in the State of Ohio. Case study methods were used, with the interview being the main means of collecting data.;Findings of this study revealed the following: (1) CSAOS performed the following functions regardless of the size, type of college: Records and Registration, Financial Aid, Campus Judiciaries, Enrollment Services (Admissions), Academic Advising, Student Life (Counseling and Advising). Among the functions, CSAOs reported that finical aid, judicial function, and athletics were the most difficult to supervise. (2) Other desirable skills or attributed CSAOs said were necessary were: Seeking and securing resources/fund raising, interpersonal communication, listening skills, sense of humor, staying focused, people-oriented, knowledge about computer technology and research skills/reading publications. |
