The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 2 - 119

The Competent Housing Officer: Evolving Perspectives

ACUHO-I's body of knowledge (Cawthon
et al., 2012) was produced as a result of two
years of extensive research and consultation,
drawing heavily on the experiences of housing
professionals and on the research literature.
The body of knowledge marked an important
evolution in housing professional competencies by bringing together many of the advancements described here to create a document
that serves as an outline of the field-specific
skills and knowledge required of housing
professionals, a hierarchical framework that
recognizes the centrality of particular competencies at different points in the career arc, and
a platform utilizing the core competencies for
the professional development of housing professionals at all levels of the organization.
In identifying field-specific competencies,
the body of knowledge sought to "identify what
housing professionals need to know and be
able to do" (Cawthon et al., 2012, p. 3). Generalized competencies such as communication
and leadership are not included because they
are not specific to housing professionals but
are critical to success in achieving competence
both in and out of student housing.
Next, the body of knowledge organizes
competencies within functional domains, each
containing common sub-domains denoting
levels of complexity within each. The levels are
designed to build on each other, so professionals are expected to master one before moving
on to the next. The direct service function level
describes the foundational competence or
skills required to provide basic services to
housing customers. The management function
level describes the skills required to supervise
departmental operations and the performance

of others. Finally, the strategy and policy function
level describes the competencies required to
establish organizational missions and to craft
strategic methods to achieve departmental and
institutional goals.
Ultimately, the body of knowledge encourages housing staff and supervisors to take an
active role in professional development within
the field, stating that one of its purposes is to
"assist campus housing professionals in furthering their development and professional education" (Cawthon et al., 2012, p. 4). While the
body of knowledge itself does not constitute a
professional development plan, it provides a
basis from which housing professionals across
organizational levels may craft individual development goals and learning outcomes.

FAST FORWARD: PREPARING
FOR THE FUTURE OF THE
HOUSING PROFESSION
During more than three decades of the development of housing professional competencies, clear trends have emerged. Beginning
from the foundation of generalized student
affairs competencies, many researchers,
professionals, and graduate students have
contributed to deepening our understanding
of professional competence in the housing
field by identifying those competencies that
are role-specific to the housing administrator and by tying competency development to
a career-long process of professional learning
and growth.
ACUHO-I's body of knowledge is the culmination of decades of research and practice
but itself depends on adoption and utilization
by housing professionals and their supervi-

V o l u m e 4 4 , No. 2 * 2 0 1 8

119
The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 2
