By Ann Roebuck
The foodservice contractor that manages your dining operations seems to be doing OK. They are abiding by the contract that is in place and seem to be responsive to your comments and/or concerns, but are they really doing a good job?
The best way to answer this question is to examine their KPI or Key Performance Indicators. KPI are performance measures that are a benchmark for the contractors’ level of performance. The figures allow a contract administrator to flag any areas of the operation that may not be performing at an optimal level. The KPI scores also allow the contract administrator and the contractor to have meaningful discussions about the operation and a definitive understanding of how the operation is doing in comparison to performance projections and the budget. Some KPI can be tracked monthly, while others would be tracked quarterly or on a semester basis depending upon what performance indicators are being tracked or how closely the operation is being monitored.
KPI are often tied to an ‘at risk’ portion of the contractor’s fee. If the contractor does not meet their KPI, they do not receive an agreed portion of their fee. But if they meet their KPI, they receive that portion of their fee plus a bonus.
The KPI that are utilized in monitoring a contract can be from a wide area range and should be derived based on the contract in place as well as the areas that are of most importance to the success of the dining program/organization. It is important to also limit the KPI that will help your dining program/organization to achieve its goals. KPI should be set for each dining operation as well as for the entire dining program. Without setting standards or boundaries, some examples of basic KPI include:
Sales
Daily Sales – Measures daily sales
Average Check – Measures sales divided by customer count
Revenue per Employee/Student – Measures sales divided by building population or student population
Revenue per Square Feet – Measures sales divided by facility square footage
Participation
Daily Transactions – Measures daily number of transactions for comparison by day, week, month, year
Capture Rate – Customer count divided by building/student population
Productivity
Transactions per Labor Hour – Measures transactions divided by total labor hours
Labor Cost Percentage – Labor cost as a percentage of sales
Cost Management
Food & Beverage Cost Percentage – Food & beverage cost as a percentage of sales
Food & Beverage Cost per Meal Served – Food & beverage cost divided by the numbers of meals served
Subsidy per Employee/Student – Subsidy divided by building/student population
Customer Satisfaction
Food Quality – Food quality survey score
Price/Value – Price/value survey score
Food Variety – Food variety survey score
Speed of Service – Speed of service survey score
Queue Times – Time customer spends in line
Equipment – No equipment failure that affects the customer for more than 24 hours
Marketing
Implementation of Marketing Plan Action Item (this would be a specific marking imitative)
Implementation of Marketing Plan Action Item (this would be a specific marking imitative)
Secret Shopper – positive report (or minimum rating score) from secret shopper
Website Matches Menus 100%
Operations
Managers Visible – Managers visible to customers during meal periods
Daily Special – Daily special advertised description with cost
Daily Healthy Item – daily healthy item advertised description with cost
Once an area of measurement has been identified, the KPI goal must be set. When setting the goal, it is important to clearly define the goal and any parameters for measurement. For example:
A poorly defined goal: Decrease the customer wait time.
A better defined goal: Decrease the customer wait time at the cashier station to less than 60 seconds. Time records to be taken during peak half hour for lunch and dinner. A five-day average for lunch and a five-day average for dinner will be taken to obtain the measurement. Averages to be calculated and reported weekly.
Once you have identified and limited the KPI that will contribute to the goals of your dining program/organization, you’ve developed clearly defined Key Performance Indicators and their measurements. What do you do now? You use the measurements from the KPI as a management tool and as an incentive.
The KPI give everyone involved a clear picture of the goals and how near or far the contractor is from those goals. It is important to establish a timeframe to obtain these goals, and it is now the contractor’s responsibility to meet those goals. Offering an incentive is a great motivator for any operator. It would be ideal if the incentive could be built into the contract as either a true incentive or as an "at risk" portion of the contractor’s fee. When using an "at risk" portion of the fee, each KPI should represent a percentage of that total "at risk" fee and a defined timeframe must be determined. If there are five KPI identified and each KPI is equally weighted, then each KPI would be worth 20 percent of the "at risk" fee for the determined timeframe, which could be quarterly as an example.
Once you obtain the KPI data, what do you do with it? Place each KPI and the results from multiple dates on a line and see if there is a trend, either positive or negative. If it is a positive trend then the contractor is going a good job. If they have met their KPI goal, then they should be rewarded with a predetermined incentive or obtain a percentage of the "at risk" fee. If the trend is negative, then it would be appropriate to have a direct discussion with your contractor on how they plan to address the problem and the timeframe for action and results.
Having the KPI data will also allow you to benchmark your contractor’s performance against industry averages and other dining programs. This will be particularly important if you are new to KPI and do not have much historical data.
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May 5-9, 2012
Hyatt Regency Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is known for being "The Live Music Capital of the World" and being weird...but in a good way. All this you’ll find out when you take a stroll down Sixth Street located just blocks from the hotel. The conference hotel is Hyatt Austin, located right on Lady Bird Lake with beautiful views of the city and a lovely walking path just steps away.
The theme for the 2012 conference is "No Limits with Auxiliary Services." Connie Davis of Southeastern Louisiana University has put together a great program that is providing members the opportunity to enjoy sessions even earlier than usual! Charlie Salas of Texas State University – San Marcos is this year’s Host Chair. Charlie has put together some great activities, including campus tours that you are sure to enjoy.
Registration opens Monday, January 9, 2012.
Read More.
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The NACAS staff is both sad and excited to say farewell to Anne Munson, who is moving to Tallahassee, Florida, to fill the position of Senior Director of Education for the Association of Institutional Research, a sister association in the Council of Higher Education Management Associations.
Anne has worked with our staff and members for more than four years, and we wish her the best of luck in her new position!
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Congratulations to the 2011 Student Author Article Contest winners! This article contest was generously sponsored by Sodexo. And the winners are...
1st place
Rachel Dutton
University of Massachusetts
2nd place
Kacy Navarrette
University of Arizona
3rd place
Martina Selker
Ashland University
Articles will be published in future issues of the NACAS Quarterly and future issues of College Services. Congratulations to the winners and to all 25 authors who participated this year!
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The Ladson Diversity Scholarship was established in 2005 in honor of the late Mereese Ladson, Controller at Brooklyn College (CUNY).
This scholarship program is intended to further her work to promote the advancement of diverse, career-minded higher education professionals and to enhance their auxiliary services skill and knowledge base through NACAS professional development programs.
Deadline: February 29, 2012
To Apply: Complete a statement of no more than 200 words about why you meet the criteria for this scholarship.
For more information about the application process, contact:
Pam Grove
NACAS Professional Development
3 Boars Head Lane, Suite B, Charlottesville, VA 22903
434-245-8425 x 237
Read More.
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Advanced Institute for Managers (AIM)
March 4 – 7, 2012
San Diego, California
Registration deadline: February 24, 2012
Searching for a hands-on, interactive, small-group experience to take your auxiliary management skills to the next level? The NACAS Advanced Institute for Managers (AIM) is designed to guide participants through a logical flow of decision-making processes and issues common to auxiliary management. Experience a memorable "roadmap" to customize and use in your own campus support responsibilities.
For those of you who have participated in the NACAS Institute for Managers, this program is the next step in your professional development. Though Institute I is not a prerequisite to AIM, we do ask that attendees have two to three years experience in a generalist auxiliary position.
To maximize this learning opportunity, each attendee will be asked to complete work ahead of time through an online networking community. For lasting impact, it will remain open to allow future sharing of ideas and resources within your cohort. Our goal is to help you create a long-lasting support network of colleagues invested in each other’s success.
Gain a more comprehensive understanding of the cycle of auxiliary management through the AIM curriculum. Each topic will be complemented by the use of an actual case study from our host institution.
The AIM curriculum includes:
• Keynote: Breaking News in Higher Education Finance
• Auxiliaries in Campus Culture and Politics
• Creating a Leadership Vision: Within Yourself and Within Your Team
• Planning and Decision-Making for your Auxiliary Enterprise: Informed Financial Decision-Making
• The Contract Management Cycle: Execute, Implement, and Evaluate
• Project Management and Maintaining Momentum
• Becoming an Entrepreneur: Making the Most of Relationships
• Strategic Marketing in Auxiliaries
Our distinguished faculty include:
• Nick Adamakis, Director of Student Affairs Marketing, University of Arizona
• Bob Brown, VP, Business & Administration, Texas A&M University-Commerce
• Rob Hailey, Sr. Assoc. VP, University Services, Tulane University
• Faye Silverman, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services and Programs, Kennesaw State University
• Dr. Gerry Starsia, Senior Associate Dean for Administration, McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia
• Sam Wheeler, Executive Director, Auxiliary Business Services, Arizona State University
The Advanced Institute for Managers alternates yearly with our Institute for Managers and is generously supported by the NACAS Education Foundation.
Reviews from Past Participants
"My ID Card Office Manager attended the Advanced institute for Managers in January in Atlanta. Although I was pleased with her nightly e-mails to me regarding how much she was learning, I was even more impressed when she returned to the office. Not only has she expanded her global perspective on auxiliary services functions, but she has shown marked improvement in her project management skills. From a director's perspective, it was well worth the money spent for her to have this educational experience."
Read more or to register, click here.
Thursday, January 19, 2012: 1-2 pm ET / 12-1 pm CT / 11 am-12 pm MT / 10-11 am PT
Presenter: Bill Ballard, Associate VP for Administrative and Facilities Services, The University of Vermont
Joining Information:
Call 712-432-0111
Participant Code 492544#
Description: A shooting on campus is a devastating event for both the school and surrounding community. And behind the scenes, it can be a major disruption to your auxiliary operations. As an auxiliary manager, do you find yourself asking: how adequately are we prepared to deal with an unexpected tragedy?
In light of the recent Virginia Tech shooting, the NACAS Professional Development Committee has arranged for a virtual roundtable on January 19, 2012, facilitated by Bill Ballard, Associate VP for Administrative and Facilities Services from the University of Vermont. Bill is an internationally Certified Emergency Manager and NACAS has frequently turned to him for his expertise in managing crises on campus. Bill will illustrate how advanced planning is key to managing any type of rapidly unfolding incident resulting in serious injury or death: emergency response, communications to campus and media, and more.
This hour-long roundtable will provide an opportunity for those participating to share their own plans and experiences in dealing with a campus crisis involving faculty, staff, students or guests.
Read more.
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Time/Date: Wednesday, February 1, 2012
12-1 pm ET / 11 am-12 pm CT / 10-11 am MT / 9-10 am PT
Presenters: Steve Bushue, CEO, Bushue Human Resources, Inc.; Brad McCormick, VP for Business Services & College Facilities, John A. Logan College
Learn about the key components of the Affordable Care Act and how they will impact your health insurance plan. In addition, this program will cover some key ways to manage healthcare costs, including an overview on incorporating HSA (Health Savings Accounts) into your plan designs. There are significant changes occurring in the health care marketplace, you will not want to miss out on the opportunity to learn how to best manage health care and costs into the future.
To read more or REGISTER for the event, click here.
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Make plans to join us October 28-31, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia, for the 44th Annual Conference.
More information regarding conference registration, hotel, Call for Programs, and General Session speakers will be posted later this month.
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This year's exhibit hall promises to connect our institutional members and business partners in an unparalleled fashion. Please contact Heather Brown, Director of Business Partner Services, if you are a business partner who would like to discuss exhibiting, sponsorship or advertising. We hope to see you next October in Atlanta!
See how it is all shaping up! View the 2012 Exhibit Hall Floorplan here. Nearly 100 companies are already committed to participate.
Reserve your 2012 Exhibit Hall booth here on the Exhibitor Contract Information web page.
Sponsorship opportunities for 2012 are also available.
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Seminole State introduces Blue & Gold Card, an upgraded Campus ID Card, with CardSmith SANFORD, Fla. (11/14/11) -- Seminole State College of Florida and CardSmith, LLC recently announced the launch of a new comprehensive campus ID card program — The Blue & Gold Card — designed to bring enhanced services and security to Seminole State students, parents, faculty and staff.
"CardSmith is extremely pleased and proud to be serving the Seminole State College community," said Jay Summerall, CardSmith president. "Our team and the College’s administrative staff did our homework on the front end of this process, and we are all ready to begin the transition immediately. CardSmith now serves five major colleges and universities in Florida, and we look forward to continuing to build our business in the education community in the state."
The Blue & Gold Card will offer students convenient access, with no need to carry cash, to a wide
range of campus facilities and services.
The Blue & Gold Card will be used for:
· Campus library services
· Copying and network printing
· Bookstore purchases and buy-back refunds
· Parking permits
· Campus café purchases
· Vending machine purchases
· College-sponsored events
· Discounts from local merchants
Future enhancements for the ID card will include purchases from off-campus merchants. New card printing systems integrated with CardSmith’s transaction system will be available on each of Seminole State’s four campuses in Central Florida. The College will begin issuing the new digital image cards to students later this fall.
The Blue & Gold Card is powered by CardSmith’s managed SaaS transaction system, enabling the College to provide campus-wide card transaction services without local card systems or software. The College’s service features on and off-campus acceptance, online cardholder account access, online reporting, online administrative access and monitoring. A multiyear service agreement gives Seminole State a comprehensive, managed service for its campus community at a fixed long-term price.
"The new Blue & Gold Card program will transform Seminole State’s campuses into a virtually cashless environment with significantly enhanced services," said Kendra Kokoska, associate director of Auxiliary Services at Seminole State. "Students, faculty and staff will be able to use their cards to make purchases at points of sale and services across the campus and have 24-7 online access to sophisticated account management tools and services. "The Blue & Gold Card will become fully operational Jan. 3.
About CardSmith:
CardSmith is a campus card solutions company serving educational institutions, students, parents and campus service providers nationwide. The company provides the market’s only turn-key card program management solution, delivering superior capability, service and performance for less than half the cost of legacy campus card systems and management models. For more information, please visit www.card-smith.com.
About Seminole State College of Florida:
Chartered in 1965, Seminole State operates six sites in Central Florida, including campuses in Altamonte Springs, Heathrow, Oviedo and Sanford/Lake Mary. Seminole State, one of the fastest growing two-year colleges in the nation, has more than 32,000 students.
CardSmith Contact:
Donna Franklin, VP Marketing & Communications
dfranklin@card-smith.com
973.224.2529
Seminole State College Contact:
Jay R. Davis, Director Communications and Media Relations
davisj@seminolestate.edu
407.708.2418
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GAITHERSBURG, Md., November 15, 2011 - Sodexo was named one of the nation's top 100 Military Friendly Employers for its enterprise-wide focus on hiring, supporting and retaining military veterans and reservists, according to GI Jobs, the premier publication for post-military employment. The GI Jobs list recognizes the best corporate recruitment and retention programs aimed at veterans. This is the fourth consecutive year that Sodexo has been included on the list, which is compiled from a review of about 5,000 eligible companies.
According to GI Jobs, nearly 400,000 new civilian workers annually retire or separate from the military, the second-largest pool of talent, behind college graduates, available to United States employers. Sodexo has dedicated resources to help these veterans transition from military to civilian leadership.
"Sodexo recognizes that veterans provide a rich talent pool with specialized skills that can contribute to the success of the company," said Peri Bridger, senior vice president and chief human resources officer. "Through our mentoring programs, we facilitate a smoother transition for veterans into the civilian workplace and support their professional growth."
George Chavel, president and CEO, Sodexo, Inc., reaffirmed support for Sodexo employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve by signing a Statement of Support pledging to:
. Continually recognize and support our country's service members and their families in peace, in crises and in war;
. Appreciate the values, leadership and unique skills service members bring to the workforce and encourage opportunities to hire Guardsmen, Reservists and Veterans;
. Fully recognize, honor and enforce the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act (USERRA); and
. Ensure that managers and supervisors have the tools they need to effectively manage employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve.
"Each day, the employees of Sodexo serve millions of Americans across this great nation, and we are especially pleased to be able to provide assistance to our reservists and their families as they serve our country," said Chavel.
HONOR (Honoring Our Nation's finest with Opportunity and Respect), the company's military employee network group launched three years ago, now has more than 500 members and has established five regional chapters. The mission of the Military Network Group is to provide support, guidance and resources to employees and families connected to the military by offering development opportunities; providing a forum to recognize and celebrate contributions made by service members and their families to our country; and establish partnerships with community groups that support veterans, active duty, National Guard and the military reserve.
Sodexo previously has been awarded the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award, the highest federal-level employer recognition for exceptional support of our nation's defense, and the Pro Patria Award from the Maryland Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, the highest state-level award to a civilian employer. See the full list of GI Jobs 100 Military Friendly Employers.
About Sodexo North America
Sodexo, Inc. leading Quality of Daily Life Solutions company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On Site Service Solutions in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Motivation Solutions such as Esteem Pass. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $15 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog.
Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of individuals and the performance of organizations. Based on this conviction, Sodexo acts as the strategic partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and employee well-being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo's 380,000 employees in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled array of On-site Service Solutions and Motivation Solutions. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the fulfillment of its employees and the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates.
Contact
Enrico Dinges
301 987 4393
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CASP Application Deadline: March 22, 2012
There is no single professional degree or program that prepares individuals to become auxiliary services managers. The Certified Auxiliary Services Professional (CASP) gives aspiring professionals a means to develop and demonstrate their knowledge and core competencies and provides career development guidance to individuals preparing for more senior responsibilities. Be among the industry’s best and brightest – become a CASP today!
What is CASP?
The Certified Auxiliary Services Professional (CASP) program was designed by experts in the field of auxiliary services, certification, and test development. It attests that individuals have met a standard for auxiliary/ancillary services professionals, including competencies which, in the eyes of their peers, are necessary to perform the functions normally accomplished by a Director of Auxiliary/Ancillary Services.
The CASP designation will be awarded to those professionals that meet eligibility criteria and pass a standardized examination of knowledge in key auxiliary service areas.
Content covered on the CASP Examination was determined in 2010 by a Practice Analysis of auxiliary/ancillary services professionals and includes:
• Management
• Leadership
• Marketing, Communications and Business Relations
• Student Services
• Operational Areas: Food Services, Bookstores, Card Services, Commercial/Retail, Physical Facilities
CASP is made possible by the support of the NACAS Education Foundation and many dedicated volunteers.
For more information, see our Press Release from July 5, 2011
Why CASP?
There is no single professional degree or program that prepares individuals to become auxiliary services managers. CASP gives aspiring professionals a means to develop and demonstrate their knowledge and core competencies and provides career development guidance to individuals preparing for more senior responsibilities.
As studies within the industry have concluded a demonstrated need to prepare for succession planning for individuals retiring from the profession, CASP Certification will become a recognized standard that will be of benefit to job-seekers as a hallmark of the excellence they have achieved.
Read more.
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Clay Haverland
Director of Business Auxiliary Services, University of Texas-San Antonio
What is your educational background and career experience in higher education auxiliaries?
Bachelor of Arts – Criminal Justice, 18 years at UTSA ranging from Police Dept and Auxiliary Services
To whom do you report?
Associate Vice President of Administration
What departments/operational areas report to you?
Dining Services, Bookstore, Parking, Transportation, Vending, Student ID
What prompted you to apply for a CASP certification?
Both the test content areas and the certification itself were a new opportunity to personally and professionally put a recognized standard to the auxiliary services field and my career within it.
How did your supervisor or institution support you in this effort?
As I was considering how to ask for their support in my certification, my supervisor actually called to recommend I pursue it. She gave me full encouragement to do so.
How did you prepare for the exam?
I reviewed the Recommended Resources list for areas that I needed more information on. Many were immediately applicable to my role and pertinent to what I do, and will be used now as references for both me and my staff.
What was the exam like for you to take?
I have continued to visit the classroom, through courses at my university, so I did not feel out of my element in a standardized test. This one was more relaxed than you’d find in a traditional setting but still extremely professionally delivered. I went in planning to pass, but knew I’d have the benefit of a second opportunity to take it if needed.
What has been your response from your supervisor or institution since you received the CASP designation?
My supervisor gave sincere congratulations and immediately notified our Vice President of my CASP certification and that I was one of the inaugural class.
How do you feel the CASP certification will affect your career path/development moving forward?
I feel like it provides added credibility to what auxiliary professionals do every day, which is unlike most any other position on a campus. My having the CASP designation is good for the university too, I believe. I expect to see more coworkers on campus working toward it and am encouraging those of my direct reports to work toward it as a career development goal.
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Sharon Boyd
Associate Vice Chancellor, Business Services, UNC-Wilmington
What is your educational background and career experience in higher education auxiliaries?
I have a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), and I am a Certified Internal Auditor. Much of my career has been at UNCW, first in accounting and internal auditing, then in an expanded role in systems accounting. In this capacity, I implemented financial systems, including payroll and purchasing cards, along with associated policies, procedures, and training. These experiences have afforded me the opportunity to learn about many university areas in great depth.
To whom do you report?
The Vice Chancellor of Business Affairs
What departments/operational areas report to you?
Dining, bookstores, card services, parking and print/mail report through a director auxiliary services. I also oversee technology/access control/business systems, Environmental Health & Safety, Emergency Management and more recently, I acquired Institutional Risk Management.
What prompted you to apply for a CASP certification?
I had been following the development of the program by NACAS because it seemed like such a great idea for our professional business field. We are such a diverse group of professionals, even though we have much in common. Also, after looking at the content areas detailing a foundational Body of Knowledge important to our career standards, I wanted to test myself, both to learn my strengths and to find additional areas for personal and professional improvement.
How did your supervisor or institution support you in this effort?
They were both very supportive of my certification — leave time, travel, application costs and other associated expenses. To complete the program; however, I did have to find time outside regular working hours. The Vice Chancellor and I both felt this not only would be good for me professionally but also an important asset for UNCW, because it’s a clear indication that we hold ourselves accountable professionally speaking and that we take our jobs seriously.
How did you prepare for the exam?
I first spent a significant amount of time reading the actual practice analysis, both to review the industry as a whole and to identify any areas in which I needed to learn more. I followed up by reviewing the test content areas, and then mined the recommended resources to develop a good reading list and up-to-date reference materials. My accounting background and habit of reading leadership literature helped me feel prepared in most areas. For other areas with which I was less familiar, I combed the NACAS Online Community library and became involved in various NACAS discussion groups. All of these initiatives were extremely helpful.
What was the exam like for you to take?
It had been a while since I had taken a standardized test, so the very first question felt challenging, but I just focused my thoughts and moved forward. The test-taking experience itself was certainly well organized and proctored.
What has been your response from your supervisor or institution since you received the CASP designation?
My Vice Chancellor was very proud — so much so that while we were waiting to see the accomplishment published in our university newsletter, he posted it in our Business Affairs break room. News travels fast at my institution, and my coworkers have been very complimentary.
How do you feel the CASP certification will affect your career path/development moving forward?
As an Associate Vice Chancellor, I am not in the early stages of my career, and therefore, I am not sure it will necessarily make a difference in my career per se. What’s more important, however is what it will enable me to do for my university. In higher education, "accountability" clearly is a top priority; we all need to be concerned with this. We owe it to our customers to be as professional, knowledgeable and as innovative as possible, and the CASP certification is both an outward and inward indication of our values. In auxiliaries, we can’t afford ~not~ to be the best at what we do. We should continually seek to improve our business practices and fundamentals, compliance standards, and knowledge and understanding of our customers’ needs. Only then are we prepared to identify and/or take advantage of opportunities for innovation when they arise.
I am excited about what my CASP certification can do for our university as well as for me personally. I have always felt that personal rewards follow when one simply does the right thing. I believe that my effort to acquire the CASP certification sets a good example about the need to continually pursue professional development goals, both for my colleagues and subordinates. I’ll be recommending this path to managers and directors in my organization.
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My first road trip of 2012 is my first-ever 12 day vacation in January. My Florida-born wife is looking forward to warm weather, but it will take me largely away from cell phones, Internet and other distractions. I think I’ll survive.
However, my warmest gift for 2012 so far was the tremendous inaugural class of Certified Auxiliary Services Professionals (CASP) awardees designated in December 2011. I’ve overseen new certification programs before for other associations and those "first persons through the door" deserve special recognition. There is only one chance to be a pioneer.
Among these groundbreaking professionals, we found a breadth of education and experience:
- There were at least 10 MBAs.
- There were six additional master’s degrees.
- Experience ranged from more than 30 years (and retired) to 5 years. The majority had great experience, in some cases outside of higher education.
- 50 percent were at the Director of Auxiliary/Ancillary Services level OR ABOVE. At least three people had auxiliary services report to them in their broader responsibilities.
- It was equally good that there was a great deal of variety of operational supervision, including senior experience as directors of food service, business services, student unions, housing, facilities and others.
- We have our first Canadian CASPs.
- We expect that future groups will be made up more of those who aspire to senior auxiliary/ancillary positions or who aspire to positions with larger responsibilities. However some of our very experienced pioneering class are senior enough that they clearly wanted to see if this exam truly measured knowledge necessary to succeed in auxiliary/ancillary services. The preliminary results are that it does.
The Certification Commission is working hard to cement its policies and procedures, oversee the rigorous implementation of the management of this program, produce at least two more versions of the exam for the future, specify requirements for recertification, more widely provide both public acknowledgement of present CASP designees as well as get the word out to the broader higher education community of the success of this program. The NACAS Board is providing independence for the Commission so that it conforms to international accreditation standards. The NACAS Education Foundation continues its tremendous work to raise enough money to continue the development of this program during our growing years AND keep the CASP designation affordable for ALL of higher education.
What started as a dream in 2003, matured into a plan in 2008 (during the depths of the recession) and has now been blessed by the success of groundbreaking pioneers who took a chance that this program is all that we promised it would be. It is!
There is more to do with this program, and we’ve got our best and brightest volunteers working on it. The next exam will be offered at approximately 600 testing centers throughout the U.S. and Canada. We’re exploring review courses and support for study groups. There is more to do for the CASP, and you’ll see that in 2012 and beyond.
Agree, disagree or comment to bob@nacas.org.
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