Charlie Nutt, NACADA Executive Director

As President Bloom stated in her column, it is exciting that we will soon be heading to Chicago for our 32nd Annual Conference on academic advising, which promises to be one of our largest ever. This year’s Conference, as always, will provide the highest quality in professional development and networking opportunities. Special thanks to Ann Anderson and the 2008 Conference Planning Committee, as well as to Rhonda Baker and Nancy Barnes in the Executive Office, for the long hours and hard work they have put into making the 2008 NACADA Annual Conference the outstanding event we know it will be.

I encourage you to participate in three new exciting additions to this year’s Annual Conference. First, our annual NACADA Business Meeting will take a Town Hall format. In addition to the traditional reports, the Board of Directors plan to involve participants in a dialogue on the Association’s Strategic Goals where discussions will focus on special initiatives, member needs, and programs relating to the Strategic Goals. This promises to be an exciting discussion and a great way to become actively involved with your Association.

Second, this year’s Conference will provide an opportunity for member discussion of a common research reading on issues involving diversity in advising. Watch for information on the Conference Web site regarding the common reading, including the time and date of the discussion.

Third, the Annual Conference will debut the First Annual NACADA Silent Auction, with proceeds going to the NACADA Foundation to help fund scholarships for graduate students to attend our Regional Conferences. For more information on how to be involved with this outstanding new project, go to the Silent Auction Webpage.

Since our last Annual Conference in Baltimore in October 2007, NACADA has had an awesome year! Our Association has continued to grow in its membership, its influence in higher education internationally, and in the variety of new and innovative professional development opportunities for you. Here are just a few of the key advancements made this year:

• Membership in NACADA has grown to over 10,750 members as of July 2008 – a 900+ increase over last year. Special thanks to Jermaine Williams and the Membership Committee, as well as Judy Weyrauch and Bev Martin in the Executive Office, for their hard work on our membership recruitment and retention efforts.
• The 2008 Regional Conferences were outstanding, reaching a record number of participants in our ten Regions. Special thanks to our Region Chairs and Regional Conference Chairs, as well as Diane Matteson in the Executive Office, for their long hours and hard work!
• The 2nd Annual International Conference on Peer Tutoring and Academic Advising was held in conjunction with our Region 2 Conference in Pittsburgh. International members from England, Scotland, Ireland, the Czech Republic, and the United Arab Emirates were in attendance. Special thanks to Region 2 Chair Sandy Waters and Conference Chair Steve Pajewski and their committees for their organization of the conference, as well as to our UK keynote speaker Paula Hixenbaugh for sharing research in the field of Personal Tutoring in the United Kingdom. Watch for news on the 3rd international conference to be held in the United Kingdom in late spring 2009.
• NACADA has made dramatic strides this year in expanding our support of and commitment to research in the field of academic advising and student success. Special thanks to Josh Smith, Jenny Bloom, and Sharon Aiken-Wisniewski, as well as members of the Research Committee and the Infusing Research Task Force, for their leadership in this area, and to Marsha Miller in the Executive Office for her assistance with these endeavors.
• The Administrators’ Institute, Assessment Institute, and the Advising by Design Seminar were huge successes in San Diego in February. Special thanks to Pamela Marsh-Williams and Sharon Aiken-Wisniewski and their Advisory Boards, as well as the outstanding faculty members, for their hard work. Kudos to Rhonda Baker and Michele Holaday in the Executive Office for all they did to make these events so successful!
• For the 22nd year, the 2008 Summer Institutes were outstanding. Special thanks to Rich Robbins, the Advisory Board members, and faculty members for their superb work in planning and implementing this year’s institutes. Kudos to Diane Matteson in the Executive Office for her outstanding leadership in these events.
• This year’s NCAA/NACADA Institutes for Student Athletes helped a variety of institutions develop strong academic support programs that enhance the success of their student athletes. Special thanks to Ruth Darling, who serves as chair of the institute, and to Carrie Leger from NCAA, for their support of this partnership. Thanks to the institute faculty,and kudos to Bobbie Flaherty and Jenifer Scheibler in the Executive Office for their hard work in planning and coordinating this important event.
• The 2007-2008 NACADA Webinar series was a phenomenal success, reaching 579 institutions internationally, with more than 14,400 participants over the course of the year’s eleven broadcasts. Special thanks to Karen Thurmond and members of the Webinar Advisory Board, as well as the numerous presenters who worked long hours developing material and presenting these innovative professional development opportunities. Kudos to Leigh Cunningham and Gary Cunningham in the Executive Office for their outstanding work in the organization and technology support that made the series so successful.
• Again this year, the 2008 NACADA Awards Program will recognize outstanding advisors, administrators, and programs across all types of institutions. This program would not happen without the dedication and focus of Susan Fread and the members of the Awards Committee and various selection committees, as well as the outstanding organizational skills of Farrah Turner in the Executive Office.
• The Emerging Leader Program is now in its second year with the 2008-2010 class newly selected. Special thanks to Skip Crownhart and Jane Jacobson for their work with the Diversity Committee members in planning this exciting program, as well as the implementation team of Karen Thurmond, Nathan Vickers, Jennifer Joslin, and Freda McClean for all their hard work. Kudos to Leigh Cunningham in the Executive Office for her organization and attention to detail in supporting this program.
• This has been an exciting year for NACADA in regard to our publications and additional professional development material:
  • The 2nd Edition of the NACADA-Jossey-Bass best selling Academic Advising: A Comprehensive Handbook will debut at the Annual Conference in Chicago. Kudos to editors Virginia Gordon, Wes Habley, and Tom Grites, as well as the many authors featured in the text, for their outstanding and groundbreaking work. Special thanks to Marsha Miller in the Executive Office for her work with the editors and the authors in this process.
  • The 2nd Edition of the NACADA/FYE joint publication, Family Guide to Academic Advising, will also debut in Chicago. A Spanish version of the publication will be available in January 2009 for institutions that are working with a growing number of Spanish speaking families. Special thanks to authors Virginia Gordon and Donald Smith, as well as Tracy Skipper with the Center for Freshman Year Experience at the University of South Carolina.
  • A new monograph, Advising Student Athletes: A Collaborative Approach to Success, will debut at the Annual Conference in Chicago as well. Special thanks to editors Adrienne Leslie-Toogood and Emmett Gill, as well as the chapter authors and Marsha Miller in the Executive Office for their hard work on this important publication.
  • A new Advisor Training DVD series will also debut in Chicago. The DVD contains ten advising scenarios that can be utilized as part of any comprehensive professional development program on a campus. Special thanks to Jayne Drake and Stephanie Gillin at Temple University, Advisory Board members, Commission and Interest Group members, and Marsha Miller of the Executive Office for their leadership of this project.
• NACADA’s Board of Directors has made special efforts this year to expand our collaborative partnerships with other higher education associations, such as ACPA, AAC &U, NODA, FYE, AHEAD, and NCHC.
• NACADA and several of our members, including Susan Campbell, Lynn Freeman, Karen Sullivan-Vance, Jon Steingass, and Seth Sykes, were featured in the Winter 2008 issue of the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ Peer Review Journal focused on academic advising.
• As the Association has grown in so many ways, the work of the Executive Office is key to the success of the Association. Special thanks to Cara Wohler, Julia Wolf and Maxine Coffey for all their organization and attention to detail as they focus on the work of the Executive Office and the Association’s financial oversight.

Working with our members, our Board of Directors and other leaders, and our Executive Office staff is an honor and joy each day! I look forward to seeing you all in Chicago! Do not hesitate at any time to call or e-mail if I can do anything for you or your institution.

Charlie Nutt, Executive Director
NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising
(785) 532-5717
cnutt@ksu.edu