• Title: Region Chair
  The Region Chair is a member of the NACADA Leadership elected by popular vote of NACADA members from the region to be represented. The Region Chair serves a two-year term. The Region Chair reports to the Division Representatives.
• First, review your official job description and the calendar of activities in order to obtain an overview of all your responsibilities. 
• Since your official duties begin with the October division meeting held in conjunction with the National Conference, read the information provided on how to prepare for and participate in the division proceedings. Your term officially begins at the end of the conference.

• To prepare and submit annual regional budget to the Division Reps, to the Executive Director and the   Finance Committee Chair by JUNE 30.
• To prepare, as necessary, supplemental budget requests.
• To monitor regional expenditures by carefully reviewing all reports sent by or requested from the Executive Office.
• To comply with fiscal procedures established by the Finance Committee, The Board of Directors, the Council and the Executive Office.
• To ensure the cost effective utilization of NACADA funds.
• To oversee financial aspects of the Regional Conference which includes approval of proposed conference budgets, NACADA Sponsored State Drive-in budgets, and ultimate responsibility for the Regional Conference financial matters.

• To participate in the meetings of the division.
• To prepare written reports to the Division Representatives and Executive Office annually prior to the national conference.  Each region's reports will be reviewed by the Division Reps on a staggered biannual basis. This review will be timed to coincide with new chair elections so that the newley elected region chair can be included in the review with the current region chair.  This will allow for an increased understanding of responsibilities by the new chair.
• To develop strategies for assessing the needs of regional constituents
• To make recommendations to the Division related to regional policies, procedures and programs.
• To comply with the NACADA by-laws, policies, and procedures.
• To undertake specific projects at the request of the Board of Directors, Council, and/or President.
• To organize and conduct the regional meeting at the annual conference and at the Regional Conference.
• To maintain communication with regional membership.
• To work with the Division Reps and the Executive Office Staff in planning strategies for increased NACADA membership within the region.
• To provide oversight of the Regional Conference.
• To serve as liaison between state and provincial organizations, area Chairs and NACADA.
• To work with the NACADA Awards & Scholarship Committee on the selection of the award recipients.
• To solicit nominations for NACADA Awards.
• To initiate actions to recruit and retain NACADA members.
• To recruit candidates for the Region Chair position.
• To follow NACADA policies regarding use of the NACADA Logo. 1 11 05 dm

• Region Chairs may appoint people to positions within the regional structure per regional operating procedures.

Chair Reports

You are required to submit a report once a year of your activities for the past year and future plans (form will be sent to you by e-mail). This is your opportunity to share and highlight the activities of your region and to get issues on the agenda. Reports should be submitted to the Executive Office and Division Reps for review and establishment of the Division Meeting agenda. Copies of all Leadership reports will be posted on the web for review by all leaders and the membership as a whole.

Review of Reports

Review all reports on the web before the meetings and make notes regarding items you wish discussed or which need further clarification. The division meetings go very quickly and there is absolutely no time to read reports during the meetings. Any study time for producing questions and comments must be done in advance. Otherwise, the Chair reports will be “accepted as written,” and you will miss your opportunity for input.

Travel Reimbursements

NACADA’s current policy permits reimbursement to Region Chairs for the following expenses in conjunction with the Fall Division Meeting.

• Travel is not reimbursed for your attendance at the Fall meeting.
• You must travel to the conference a day early.
• Reimbursements will be made for food costs up to $35 (or current allowance) a day for the division meeting.
• The nights related to the meeting: Lodging at half the room rate will also be reimbursed. NACADA Leaders are responsible for half the room rate unless sharing with another NACADA leader.
• You are responsible for making your Fall meeting lodging arrangements directly with the hotel.
• Request forms for reimbursement will be distributed at each Division Meeting. You are responsible for completing and returning them to the Executive Office along with appropriate receipts. Otherwise, it is assumed that you or your institution is covering your expenses.

Contributing to the meeting

• You should come to division meetings ready to ask questions and to seek understanding of NACADA functions and activities—both past and future. The organization is constantly changing and requires attentive NACADA Leaders to assure it remains effective and valuable to its members and the profession.
• New Chairs will sometimes feel uninformed (we all have, so don’t feel as though you are unusual). To learn, you will need to ask questions. “Old-timers” are often the ones who understand the history behind issues, but you are a “New-timer” who will bring in new people, ideas and directions to the organization.  As of 2009, newly elected Chairs are invited to participate in all Division teleconferences scheduled after their election.
• Although a new chair's tenure in the division will not begin until the end of the National Conference, you will be invited to participate in the biannual review of your region which will be conducted by the Division Reps along with the current Region Chair immediately prior to the Fall Division Meeting at the National Conference).  You will also be invited to participate in the Fall Division Meeting (immediately preceeding the National Conference), along side the “outgoing” Region Chair so that you may ask for clarifications. Ask, suggest change, and help other new NACADA Leaders. As you learn the ropes, remember to be a good teacher and mentor to new incoming Region Chairs. You will soon be the “old-timer!”  
• Division meeting dress is casual. Slacks and comfortable clothing are usual for the meeting. You will be sitting for long hours and the more comfortable you are the better you can concentrate. You will only need dressy attire if you plan to join a group for dinner at an upscale restaurant.

Region Chairs are required to chair their regional meeting at the Annual Conference. The agenda might include (but is not limited to) the following:

• Introductions (name, institution, length of membership in NACADA)
• Recognition of NACADA Award winners from Region
• Overview of regional structure (state/province coordinators, steering committee and chairpersons.
• Report on past Regional Conference (thanks to conference planning committee and chairpersons).
• Report on upcoming Regional Conferences (introduce chairpersons and distribute flyers).
• Regional financial report (conference earnings, Region account).
• Report on current issues at the regional and national level.
• Recruitment of future region leaders (region chair, steering committee, conference chairs, etc.)
• Encouragement of nominations for other NACADA leadershi positions (board of directors, council, committees, etc.)
• Question and answer period.
• Divide into subgroups by state/province to discuss state/province activities (facilitated by state/province coordinator).

History and the region’s current situation will usually determine the region’s leadership structure, but the Region Chairs should take the leadership. Some regions have formal operating principles with specifications for electing steering committees and officers; whereas, others leave it up to the individual Region Chairs to decide and appoint their leadership structure.  All regions are expected to have some form of steering committee which reviews and forms the regions' budgets and goals and carries out the Region projects. 

Region Chairs are expected to know the benefits of NACADA membership and be familiar with the many resources available from the Association. With this knowledge, you can build enthusiasm among advisors in your states/provinces for NACADA activities.

If a state/province or institutional advising group is considering allied membership, you should be prepared to discuss the benefits and the application process (see the web). Additional responsibilities are outlined in chapters later in this handbook.