The current organization of the Student Counseling Service (SCS) reflects an evolution over five periods of time and the corresponding five distinct roles that the SCS has had within the Division of Student Affairs and the Illinois State University community. The five periods are identified as:
1970 - 1991: Establishment and Stability as a Comprehensive Service:
The Student Counseling CenterPrior to 1970 when the Student Counseling Center (SCC) became a distinct unit within the Division of Student Affairs, the student counseling function was provided within the Department of Psychology. In June 1970 the counseling unit was administratively placed within the Division of Student Affairs with Dr. Neal Gamsky as the first Director of the SCC, and a staff of six (4 FTE). The SCC was initially located in Fairchild Hall and then moved to 411 West Willow Street. During the next four years the SCC expanded dramatically from it's mission of primarily providing personal counseling, to that of a more comprehensive center which responded to the total personal, career, and academic needs of students. At this time, career exploration services were housed in the SCC, although other units on campus (e.g., Placement Office, Division of Continuing Education, Academic Advisement, and academic departments), also responded to the career development needs of Illinois State students.
By 1975 the SCC had a staff of approximately 18 FTE's and had added both a significant training program (masters and doctoral trainees) as well as a large (75), student paraprofessional program. A number of SCC staff members taught in academic departments (Counselor Education, Psychology, University Studies) and the SCC had established an innovative career services component. Illinois State University, through the SCC, was the first 4-year school to field test SIGI, the computerized vocational guidance system designed for college students. In 1974 -1975, Dr. Gamsky became the acting and then permanent Vice-President for Student Affairs and Dr. Lamb became the Director of the SCC. The period of 1974 -1980 could be described as a period of rapid growth in terms of the range of services offered by the SCC.
During the 1980 -1992 period there were four SCC Directors (Drs. Lamb, Domke, Jackson, and Weigel). These twelve years could be described as a period of stabilization in terms of the roles, functions, and delivery of services provided by the SCC to Illinois State University students.
In 1992, the SCC moved from DeGarmo Hall into facilities specifically built for the SCC on the third floor of the new Student Services Building, replete with individual staff offices, training rooms with audio-visual capability, and group rooms . At the same time, the Career Services Center was established on the first floor of this same building, as a new unit comprising the Placement Service, Professional Practice, and the career services component of the SCC. Staff from the SCC provided career exploration services to students in the newly formed Career Services Center. With Dr. Weigel's departure in the summer of 1992, Dr. Chuck O'Brien became the interim director of the SCC and continued in that role until July 1993 when Dr. Barry Reister became the next SCC Director.
1991 -1995 The Establishment of the Career Services Center
and the separation of the career development functionIn July 1991, the Office of Professional Practice (PP) was administratively moved from the Provost's Office to the Office of the Vice-President of Student Affairs. Vice-President Gurowitz then proposed the merger of Placement, Professional Practice and career development services. A task-force under the leadership of Dr. Richard Weigel spent a year developing plans for that merger which was to occur when all units moved into the new Student Services Building.
Professional Practice then became physically located in the Student Services Building in 1992, joining the Placement Office as part of the Career Services Center (CSC), under the interim leadership of Dr. Chuck O'Brien. The career counseling component of SCC (Career Resources Library including computerized guidance system and the paraprofessional program) also became a part of CSC in 1991. Student Counseling Center staff were involved in training and supervision of CSC paraprofessionals as well as providing career counseling services within the Career Resources Center. In July 1993 Dr. Jeff Powell was named as the first director of the new, integrated Career Services Center. Dr. Powell left for Clemson University in early 1996.
1995 -1998: The Consolidated Counseling and Career Services
As noted earlier, Dr. Powell, the Director of the Career Services Center, announced his departure from Illinois State in the summer of 1995. Coincidentally Dr. Reister, the Director of the Student Counseling Center, also resigned then. With the departure of both of these Directors, a new, consolidated unit was established by the Vice-President of Student Affairs, Dr. Gurowitz, which integrated the services of both the SCC and the Career Services Center under one administrative structure. These consolidation efforts first began in September 1995, under the leadership of the Interim CCS Director, Doug Lamb and the consolidation of the two units formally occurred in January, 1996. Dr. Lamb agreed to serve as Interim CCS Director to establish the new unit until a new Director was hired.
As the 1996 -1997 academic year began, the CCS was moving forward toward implementing consolidation tasks and stabilizing the operation of the new unit. The mission statement was reviewed and all staff had input in the development of the unit strategic plan. An Interim CCS Associate Director was named, as well as Assistant Directors for the major service delivery areas of the unit. The integration of the paraprofessional program was accomplished, and particular activities were initiated in response to a number of changes related to the consolidation (e.g., reviewing alumni relations, revising data collection and accountability procedures, integrating computer systems, establishing a career assessor role, etc.).
1997 - 1998: Moving toward a re-configuration of the Counseling and Career Services
In August, 1997 Dr. Vic Boschini, the newly appointed Vice-President for Student Affairs, began discussions with his staff and with the leadership of the CCS regarding the possibility of re-configuring the unit into two, separate organizations, while still retaining the seamless career development services which had become a hallmark of the CCS. In October 1997 a plan for such a re-configuration was presented to the CCS staff and, subsequent to much input, a plan for such a re-configuration was finalized in January, 1998.
1998 - present: The Student Counseling Services
and an integrated view of career developmentIn July, 1998, the consolidated Counseling and Career Services unit was administratively and fiscally separated into two units: Student Counseling Services (SCS) and the Student and Alumni Placement Services . The career development function for Illinois State students was identified as being shared by both units, consistent with the "Career Service at Illinois State University" document, which outlines which units are responsible for the early, middle, and later stages of career development. As such, the paraprofessional program (Peer Counselors) was retained by the Student Counseling Services since the function these individuals perform relate to early career development. Staff and services associated with Professional Practice and with Placement were now housed within the Student and Alumni Placement Services. A renewed focus on career development was established in the SCS and areas of referral and collaboration between the two new units has begun.
