During the academic year 2006-2007, the Office of Career Services at The University of Montana completed an internal self study review of their operation utilizing the "Professional Standards for College and University Career Services" as established by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

The links below provide the external review team with online access to the NACE Professional Standards, self study report, strategic planning report, action items and supporting reference documents that were compiled based on the self study process utilizing the professional standards and companion evaluation workbook.

NACE Professional Standards

Complete Self Study Report

Summary of Self Study Report

Strategic Planning Sessions Report and Action Items

Index to the NACE Professional Standards and Supporting Documents

Mission - Career Services must support the mission, academic programs and advancement of the institution. Within this context, the primary purpose of career services must be to assist students and other designated clients in developing, evaluating, and/or implementing career, education and employment decisions and plans.

Program Components - The key program components of career services must be clearly defined and include: career counseling, career information, employment services, graduate school services, experimental education and career exploration. Career Services should work collaboratively with academic divisions, departments, individual faculty members, student services and other relevant constituencies of the institution to enhance students' career development. Career services should promote career development for students as integral to the mission of the institution.

Program Management - An institution must assign a leader to manage career services and align career services with the mission of the institution and the needs of the constituencies served. If career services are offered by several units, the institution should designate a leader or leadership team that will be responsible for coordinating the institution's programs and services for students and other clients. That leadership is necessary to ensure adherence to institutional and unit missions and to enhance program effectiveness and efficiency.

Organization - The external and internal organization of career services, including its place within the institution, must support its mission. Career services should be structured to ensure effective functioning of client services. It must be organized to develop positive relationships with students; academic, administrative and student affairs colleagues; employers; and alumni.

Human Resources- Career services must have an adequate number of qualified professional and support staff to fulfill its mission and functions. Career services must embrace fair employment practices and must be proactive in attracting and retaining a diverse staff. To ensure the existence of of suitable and identifiable role models within career services, staff diversity should reflect and/or be representative of the student population. Career services units must be staffed by persons who, in combination, provide the core competencies to perform primary program functions effectively.

Facilities and Equipment - Career services must have adequate facilities and equipment to fulfill its mission and to perform its funtions effectively. Facilities must be accessible to persons with disabilities and must comply the the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

Campus and External Relations - As an integral function within the institution, career services must develop and/or maintain relationships with relevant campus offices and key stakeholders.

Employer Relations and Services - Employers are both vital partners in the educational process and primary customers for college/university career services. Each institution should develop policies and practices for employer relations and services.

Legal Responsibilities - Career services professionals must be knowledgeable about accepted and current professional practices and be responsive to those obligations and limitations imposed on the operation of their program areas by relevant civil and criminal laws, institutional policies and contractural commitments. Career services staff members must use appropriate policies and practices to protect students and limit the liability exposure of the institution, its officers, employees and agents. In this regard, the institution must provide access to legal advice for professional staff as needed to carry out assigned responsibilities. The institution must inform career services in a timely fashion about extraordinary or changing legal obligations and potential liabilities.

Equal Opportunity, Access, Affirmative Action and Diversity - Career services must adhere to the spirit and intent of equal opportunity laws in all activities. In addition, efforts should be made to ensure that employers that use career services adhere to the word and spirit of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. Career services staff should make every effort to inform or educate faculty members about issues relevant to discriminatory practices related to their referral of students directly to employers.

Ethics - All persons involved in providing career services to students must maintain the highest standards of ethical behavior as set forth in the "Career Services Professionals" section of the National Association of Colleges and Employers Principles for Professional Conduct.

Research, Assessment and Evaluation - Systematic qualitative and quantitative evaluations of program quality must be conducted in order to determine whether and to what degree the stated mission and goals are being met.

Publications - links to representative publications.