I’m a CAS fan! Recently the latest edition of the CAS Standards was released and there’s a lot in there to be fanatical about!

New standards include Services for Transfer Students, Campus Police and Security Programs, and Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Prevention Programs. Revised standards include the Fraternity and Sorority Advising Programs. More information on the 8th edition of the Standards can be found at: http://www.cas.edu/index.php/updates/

So why should higher education professionals, most notably student affairs educators, use these standards?

1. They provide a shared framework across functional areas. Because CAS has common general standards for ALL of its 41 sets of functional area standards, we have a starting point for collaboration.

2. They provide an assessment tool – do we know we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing well? And, of course, the learning domains kind of kick butt!

3. They provide a launching point for discussions about how our collective and distinct functions support goals of higher education: learning and retention in particular.

4. They’ve been tested time and again – we have had standards for over 30 years. It’s time we infuse these deeply into our work.

How do you use the CAS Standards? What have you found helpful about them? How have they improved your practice?