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What is CASP?
CASP is a four-year certification for aspiring
Auxiliary Services professionals. It is a 150-question,
multiple-choice exam that proves individuals can be Directors of
Auxiliary Services. That they have the skills necessary to succeed in
Auxiliary Services. That they are professionals. Like you.
The history of CASP began in 2004 when NACAS
members requested that the association establish a tool to assess the
knowledge of auxiliary professionals. After five years of extensive
industry research, NACAS took a bold step in 2009 and began to create a
certification.
The result is CASP. The only certification that prepares you to be a Director of Auxiliary Services. It is designed
and taken by your peers, who are experts in the auxiliary
industry.
Why You Should Take CASP
Auxiliary, or Ancillary, Services is
the backbone of your college. Containing food services, parking,
bookstores, student unions, etc. it is the non-academic
side of higher education. Vast in responsibility, the Auxiliary
Services profession requires individuals who can bring new meaning to
multi-tasking.
CASP provides a unique opportunity for you to
demonstrate that you are proficient across all of these areas of
responsibility. This is achieved by testing you in the following:
- Management
- Leadership
- Marketing, Communications, and Business Relations
- Student Development
- Operational Areas: Food Services, Bookstores, Card Services, Commercial/Retail, Physical Facilities
By obtaining the CASP certification, you are telling your employer and the industry that you embrace success, enjoy challenges, and think differently. It gives your employer confidence. Separates you from the crowd. Gives you a career advantage.
"With no collegiate academic program or degree in the management of auxiliary services, the CASP designation, in addition to successful collegiate auxiliary services work experience, will help validate the skills a candidate can bring to an auxiliary services management position in colleges and universities."
Bill Ballard, MBA, CEM
Associate Vice President for Administration and Facilities Services
The University of Vermont
"We are about to lose a significant amount of our institutional memory as seasoned college administrators retire. The CASP certification will help me decide who has the experience and the knowledge to fill those positions."
Rosalind Meyers
Vice President for Campus Services
Georgia Institute of Technology
Become a CASP. Prove that you have the experience and knowledge to fill those positions.
What You Need Before CASP
Since CASP is a proof of proficiency, there are
certain milestones you must achieve before you take the
test.
You must:
- Have a Bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university or foreign equivalent; and
-
Have five years full-time experience in management (within the
last ten years) directly related to auxiliary/ancillary services
(non-academic support services)
- Three years of these must be in higher education auxiliary/ancillary services
If you have achieved these milestones and you are ready to take the next step in your career, then the CASP certification is for you.
Applying for CASP
We’re excited that you want to apply for the CASP certification! We recommend that you begin the application process as early as possible so that you have plenty of time to prepare for the test.
The Application
Please complete the CASP Application and mail it to:
CASP Registrar
3 Boar’s Head Lane, Suite B
Charlottesville, VA 22903-4610
To complete the application, you will need to provide your personal contact information, education history, work history, and sign the NACAS Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for Auxiliary/Ancillary Services.
The Cost
| Membership Status | Fees |
| NACAS members | $600 |
| NACAS non-members | $925 |
Your application fee includes up to two exam administrations.
The Deadlines
| Exam Schedule | Fall 2012 |
| Application deadline | September 13, 2012 (Postmark Deadline) |
| On-site exam | October 28, 2012 (2012 Annual Conference in Atlanta, GA) |
| Remote site exam | October 29, 2012 - November 5, 2012 |
| On-site results mailed | December 10, 2012 |
| Remote site results mailed | December 11-17, 2012 |
Once you have been accepted, you will need to pass the certification examination within two years of acceptance of the application.
Supporting CASP
Creating the CASP certification has been a momentous task for NACAS. Without the generous support of the following sponsors, it would not have been possible:
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Preparing to Take CASP
You’ve decided to become a CASP. You’ve completed the application. You’ve set aside time to prepare.
What do you do next?
Please review our list of recommended resources to prepare for the upcoming CASP exam.
The Handbook
The CASP Candidate Handbook provides a collection of invaluable information that will help you take your first steps.
CASP Recertification
After you take and pass the certification test, you are a CASP for four years. To retain your CASP status you must recertify. Recertification requires three actions:
- Submit an application for recertification no later than three months before the end of the four-year CASP term
- Fulfill ongoing continuing education requirements
- Pay the recertification fee of $175 for NACAS members or $350 for non-members
More Information
Do you have more questions about CASP certification? Read the FAQ!
Or email your questions to casp@nacas.org
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