By Douglas Franklin, Ph.D.

The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) was founded in 1979 and is a consortium of 41 professional associations affiliated with student service, student affairs, and student-development programs. As explained by the 2015 Council for the Advancement of Standards, the CAS associations works “collaboratively to develop and promulgate standards and guidelines and encourage self-assessment.”

NIRSA became a member of the consortium in 1981 and has taken an active part in the development of standards for all areas covered by the consortium. Since NIRSA’s first engagement with CAS, The Role of Recreational Sports Contextual Statement, Recreational Sports Program standards, and the Recreational Sports Self Assessment Guide (SAG) have been part of the CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education or “Blue Book” of standards, which is now in its 8th edition.

With the approval of the NIRSA executive committee, the NIRSA General and Specialty Standards for Collegiate Recreational Sports and Assessment Instruments and the CAS Recreational Sports Program standards were combined to create a unified and single set of standards that guide the collegiate recreational sports profession. Although the CAS “Blue Book” was revised in 2012 and will again be revised in 2015, the Recreational Sports Program standards have not been reviewed or revised since 2007.

The review and revision process of professional standards typically occurs every 8-9 years and involves members of the professional association working with a select committee of members of the CAS Board of Directors to develop a draft version of the revised standards. This step is followed by the solicitation of field experts—in this case experienced recreational sports professionals—to review and comment on the draft standards. After including the expert reviewers’ comments, the draft standards will be submitted to the CAS Executive Board and then to the CAS Board of Directors for final approval. The typical timing of the review process is approximately six months to one year.

Although not officially on the CAS review schedule, NIRSA anticipates a revision cycle for the Recreational Sports Program standards that will begin in the spring of 2015 with a final version of the revised standards adopted no later than the fall of 2016. NIRSA is attempting to get ahead of the curve by informing membership of the suspected schedule and seeking input for involvement in standards review through participation with the CAS Standards Review Task Force.

As the CAS Standards for Recreational Sports are a reflection of professional practice, the task force will reflect the complexity and depth of the field through its membership. The duties of the task force will include reviewing and revising the standards to meet the current needs of the profession and identifying potential expert reviewers to validate the revised standards. The task force will consist of 10-15 professionals with significant experience in the profession who represent academic, athletic, business, and student affairs-based programs from small, medium, and large colleges and universities.

Potential reviewers should have a working knowledge of CAS standards for recreational sports and other associated standards of practice. A record of validated participation in NIRSA through work on committees, events, or presentations at local, state, regional, and national conferences is also expected. Task force members must have a broad knowledge of the field of college recreation and a willingness to engage in the review process, which is likely a 9-month to 1-year commitment. Experience on a non-recreational sports CAS self-assessment and membership as a Registered Collegiate Recreational Sports Professional are preferred but not required. The application to serve on the CAS Standards Review Task Force is now available.

Additionally, I will likely end my tenure as the NIRSA CAS Director—a position I’ve held since 2007—at the end of 2016 when the Recreational Sports Program standards have been revised. During the standards revision period, a NIRSA Alternate Director will be identified and will take an active role in the task force and CAS—and perhaps ultimately replace me as the NIRSA CAS Director in 2017. The position descriptions for both the NIRSA CAS Director and Alternate Director will be presented at an informational session held at the 2015 NIRSA Annual Conference & Recreational Sports Expo. Interested parties are encouraged to attend.

 

For more information, or if would like to serve on the CAS Standards Review Task Force, please contact Douglas Franklin or NIRSA Membership.