Patterns of upward mobility for administrators in student personnel work

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to discern some of the various patterns of upward mobility in student personnel work. In order to achieve this purpose, specific objectives were developed as guidelines for the study: 1. To determine the career patterns of selected chief student personnel administrators. 2. To determine the perceptions of selected chief student personnel administrators regarding implicit and explicit factors leading to upward mobility in student personnel work. 3. To determine if discrepancies exist between the actual career patterns of chief student personnel administrators and what they perceive to be the necessary educational and experiential requirements for upward mobility. 4. To determine the perceptions of selected entry-level student personnel professionals regarding implicit and explicit factors leading to upward mobility in student personnel work. 5. To determine if discrepancies exist between the perceptions of chief student personnel administrators and entry-level professionals regarding factors leading to upward mobility in student personnel work. Data were obtained through interviews conducted with 29 chief student personnel officers and 26 entry-level student personnel administrators. Each administrator was employed at a public, four-year institution within the regional boundaries of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The interviews were structured using interview schedules. Each interview was audiotaped, coded and transferred to data processing tabulation sheets in preparation for computer analysis. Frequency distributions were prepared and descriptive statistics were calculated. The data revealed that differences existed between the perceptions of chief student personnel officers and entry-level student personnel administrators with regard to factors facilitating upward mobility. This implies that the respondents view upward mobility differently as a result of varying experience, backgrounds and positions. The data revealed that there were similarities in the career patterns of chief student personnel administrators with regard to...