Professional Standards and Competencies

The ACUHO-I membership includes a diverse range of institutions. Despite their differences, though, they share a common goal to deliver exemplary student experiences.

Assessing individuals, programs, and operations, though, requires a proper measuring stick. That’s why campus housing programs rely on established professional standards to inform their strategic direction and operational procedures. 

Two of the leading resources for establishing standards in campus housing are the ACUHO-I Standards & Competencies for Campus Housing Professionals and the CAS Standards, which are available in digital format through the CAS+ portal. Crafted in broad terms to better enable their application, these best practices and standards are invaluable ways to assess operations, identify gaps, and plan accordingly for the future. 

ACUHO-I Standards and Competencies

The ACUHO-I Standards & Competencies for Campus Housing Professionals provide a compendium of best practices that, while voluntary, campus housing programs are strongly encouraged to use. Standards and guidelines are used to evaluate programs, create self-assessments, shape staff training, and more. You can count on the ACUHO-I Standards to help assess your department’s mission, functional areas, qualifications, and ethics. 

In addition, this resource, updated in 2025, also contains the competencies that individual professionals need to achieve the corresponding standards. When individuals understand the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, they can better plan their career path and seek out the appropriate professional development opportunities.

Functional domains covered in the ACUHO-I Standards & Competencies for Campus Housing Professionals include:

• Foundations
• Student Learning and Development
• Residential Facilities
• Business Management
• Human Resources
• Ancillary Partnerships
• Public-Private Partnerships
• Emergency Management
• Dining Services

ACUHO-I Standards & Competencies for Campus Housing Professionals

The ACUHO-I Standards & Competencies for Campus Housing Professionals has been updated for 2025 and beyond. Explore the new edition to discover the best practices that housing departments should strive to achieve as well as the individual professional skills and knowledge that staff members—at all career levels—must have to reach those goals. The information you need to power up your department’s performance and maximize your career progression is all here in one document.

This new edition was headed up by Amanda Knerr of Ball State University who worked alongside more than 30 volunteer professionals to review, revise, and reimagine the standards and competencies. ACUHO-I members have free access to this vital resource through the online community. Download your copy today and begin working for a stronger, more productive department and career.

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CAS Standards

The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education promotes standards for functional areas in student affairs, including housing and residential life. These standards foster student learning, development, and achievement, as well as promote professional practice. Designed to describe quality practice, the standards are developed through collaboration and consensus and can be applied across institutional types and sizes.

ACUHO-I works with the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education to review and report updates to the Housing and Residential Life standards. ACUHO-I Members can access the CAS+ Portal at a discounted rate to explore CAS Standards online, create customized Self-Assessment Guides (SAGs), and more.