Nominations for the 2004 NACADA Leadership elections are due to the Executive Office by WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2003.  Information on the 2004 elections is available on the NACADA web site below, including a list of positions to be elected, eligibility criteria for these positions, and an online nomination form.   Nominations can be submitted electronically using the online form or they can be faxed to Julia Wolf at NACADA at (785) 532-7732.

Election information:  http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Election/index.htm

Assessment of services in both academic and student affairs has become a central issue in higher education. While the reasons may vary from budget requests to allocation of resources to accreditation, assessment is the hot topic these days.  The NACADA Assessment of Academic Advising Seminar will provide you, as advisors and advising administrators, with the background and tools needed to develop an academic advising program assessment model at your institution.   Attendees will be taken through the process, step-by-step, in developing an overall assessment program for academic advising.  Topics will include reasons for conducting assessment; the difference between evaluation and assessment; understanding assessment as a collective process; identifying those hard-to-nail down student learning outcomes in advising; methods in gathering and measuring data; and identification of available resources to assist you in your assessment endeavors. 

If you are involved in assessment of academic advising at your institution, in charge of developing an advising assessment paradigm, or just want to learn more about assessment in advising, this day-and-a-half seminar is for you.

The Assessment of Academic Advising Seminar will be held February 5-6, 2004, in St. Pete Beach, Florida.   Visit our web site for registration and hotel information:

http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/AssessmentSeminar/index.htm

Both new and experienced administrators are welcome to join us in St. Pete Beach for the 2nd Annual Administrators' Institute.  The Institute will utilize learning community groups facilitated by experienced advising administrators who are recognized as leaders in the field of academic advising administration.

Facilitators will respond to the latest issues appearing on campuses and facilitate a process through which participants may better understand these issues; help participants account for issues within their academic advising programs; assist participants in utilizing the resources and expertise available to them; and guide participants in the development of an implementation plan of improvement or change for their campuses.

If you are an administrator looking for answers, St. Pete Beach, Florida, is the place to be February 2-4, 2004!  Visit our web site for registration and hotel information:

http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Events/AdminInst/index.htm

The 2004 Call for Awards Nominations is currently being drafted and will be available only online in early November.  A postcard will be sent to current NACADA members to notify you when it has been posted to the NACADA web site.  A link to the 2004 Awards Call for Nominations web site will also be provided via e-mail in the monthly member Highlights.  Please note that printed booklets with nomination information and forms will no longer be mailed to members.

It is possible that selected criteria may change for various award categories in 2004, so please be sure to refer to the 2004 Awards Call before submitting your final nomination materials.  However, the information still available on our web site for last year's program will provide you with a general idea of the basic content for the nomination packets or applications. 

We have an exciting line-up of regional meetings scheduled across the U.S. for Spring 2004.  From Burlington, VT, to Pasadena, CA, from St. Paul , MN, to University, MS, and all points between, you will find your regional conference to be informative and fun!  Presentation proposals will soon to be accepted on-line, so begin planning and collaborating with colleagues to develop what will potentially be the "Best of Region" presentation! 

Below is a complete listing of locations and Conference Chairs. 

*All dates and locations are subject to change.

Plans are being made for two Summer Institutes again next summer, due to the positive response we have had to providing alternative dates and sites for this annual event.  So, mark your calendars for early June, 2004, or the first week in August, 2004.  We will be announcing the specific sites and dates very soon! 

Multicultural Counseling and Advising, presented Spring, 2004, is the next on-line course of the new Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising program in partnership with Kansas State University.  For more information and application procedures, go to Graduate Certificate Program in Academic Advising. 

Are you interested in becoming involved in NACADA's leadership?  Participate in the NACADA Leadership Program and learn more about the leadership opportunities available within the association at the state, regional, or national levels.  This program connects current NACADA leaders with NACADA members interested in learning more about NACADA leadership opportunities.  Participants in the program are assigned a NACADA leader to assist them in exploring options for leadership and guiding them through the process.

More information about this program is available on our web site at:

http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/AboutNACADA/LeadershipProgram.htm.

Congratulations to the following three interest groups that were granted commission status recently at the 2003 Fall Leadership meetings in Dallas -- Assessment of Advising, Advising Education Majors, and ESL/International Student Advising. This change is effective immediately, and these new commissions will elect their respective chairs in the upcoming 2004 elections. The NACADA web site is in the process of being updated to reflect the new status of these groups.

Some of you may have chosen one of these groups when making your interest group selections on your NACADA membership form. Since these interest groups are now commissions, you may have more than two commissions noted in your membership record as a result. The NACADA Executive Office is in the process of checking all members affected by this situation, and will be in contact with you if adjustments are needed to your current commission or interest group selections. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this transition period.

Does your campus need experts to help with evaluation of programs, training, development, or keynote speeches?  Contact the Consultants Bureau today for information on experts in the advising field to help you.

http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Consultants_Bureau/index.htm

NACADA is looking for qualified members to serve on the Consultants Bureau.  Professionals with expertise in diversity, multicultural advising, legal issues, and ethical issues in advising are needed.  For more information contact Charlie Nutt at cnutt@ksu.edu.

Featured this month in the Clearinghouse:   Student Retention/Attrition Resources http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/retain.htm.   From articles highlighting the proven link between advising and retention, to Web-based retention resources, the Clearinghouse's Retention Resources should be your first stop on the road to improved student retention. 

Now available! Advisor Training: Exemplary Practices in the Development of Advisor Skills.    This all new monograph focuses on the structure and content of exemplary practices in advisor training and development.  Divided by training format (workshop, ongoing development, and electronic delivery), chapters are written by acknowledged leaders in the field of advisor training and development. Order your copy today at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Forms/orderform.htm.

Advising and Learning:  Academic Advising from the Perspective of Small Colleges and Universities is also available now.  This monograph explores a variety of advising topics as they relate to the unique aspects of advising in a small college environment.  Order your copy at:  http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Forms/orderform.htm.

The Call for Proposals for the 2004 National Conference in Cincinnati October 6-9, 2004, will be mailed in mid-November.  Plan now to submit a proposal.  The theme is Building Bridges: Advisors as Architects for the Future. 

Involvement in NACADA is a great way to grow professionally!  To express your interest in NACADA activities, please complete the information form at:

http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Leadership/VolunteerForm.htm