Chief Student Affairs Officer Titles: Standardization of Titles and Broadening of Labels

This study examined chief student affairs officer (CSAO) titles at 2,621 4-year public and private institutions and 2-year institutions included in the 2006 Higher Education Directory. This study replicated and extended Rickard’s (1985a) study of CSAO titles, with regard to institutional autonomy and professional standardization and provides a 22-year update on the uses of CSAO titles. Among study findings, males were found to hold 55% of CSAO titles and females to hold 45%. This finding represented a significant increase for females from 22% in 1984 to 45% in 2006. Other findings identified information based on gender, titles, and institutional type and size.