Multicultural & social justice competence and leadership in student affairs : a structural model.

Abstract

This study aims to provide a framework for understanding the development of student affairs professionals’ self-perception of leadership ability through the improvement of multicultural/social justice competencies. The model set forth in this study provides a framework for understanding the relationship between student affairs professionals’ perceptions of multicultural, social justice, and leadership competencies, and examines differences in the strength of these relationships relative to racial identity. Analysis of data collected from the second iteration of the National Survey of Student Affairs Professionals (NSSAP 2.0) revealed a causative relationship between self-perceived multicultural/social justice competence and leadership. Additional analyses indicated multicultural/social justice competency consisted of multiple subcomponents, with causative relationships existing between them. The relationship between various analyzed components differed for respondents of differing racial identities. Further research is needed to explore the complexity of these differences, and additional relationships between competency areas of student affairs professionals.