Dr. Robert W. Chick, an administrator who had significant student affairs experience at the University of Missouri, University of Denver, and Washington State University, founded the CSSA program in 1966. As the first Dean of Students and later the Vice President for Student Affairs at Oregon State University, Dr. Chick built an outstanding program of coordinated student services within the OSU community.
Dr. Chick provided leadership in bringing together student affairs professionals throughout Oregon and the Northwest to share ideas and discuss relevant issues in the field. From this, he recognized the need for a professional training and degree program in the region. In 1966, the State Board of Higher Education in Oregon approved the offering of Ed.D., Ph.D., Ed.M., and the M.S. degrees through the CSSA graduate programs at Oregon State University. Dr. Chick's mentorship of CSSA graduate students and of Oregon State University student affairs professionals has left a lasting legacy.
Since its founding, over 500 students have graduated from the CSSA program. CSSA graduates hold positions in nearly every state as well as in several other countries. Alumni also hold positions at various levels of administration in colleges and universities from instructional faculty and advisors to institutional president. Alumni have also held numerous leadership positions in professional associations including President of the American College Personnel Association (ACPA), President of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), President of the Association of College Unions-International (ACU-I), Vice President of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), President of the Northwest Association of Student Affairs Professionals (formally NWCPA), President of the Western Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (WASFAA), as well as serving on numerous advisory boards, editorial boards, and national/regional committees.
The CSSA program is a master’s program housed in OSU’s new School of Education. Graduation from the program requires the following:
Oregon State University is located in the city of Corvallis, which is considered the "heart" of the Willamette Valley. Between the Cascade Mountains to the east and the Coastal Range to the west, Corvallis is a community of over 50,000 residents. Portland is 80 miles to the north, Eugene is 50 miles to the south, and the Pacific Ocean is 50 miles to the west.
Oregon State University is a Land Grant, Sea Grant, and Space Grant University of recognized excellence. Located on a 420-acre campus, it is home to over 20,000 students representing 90 countries and every state in the nation.
