Roberta 'Bobbie' Flaherty, NACADA Executive Director
The annual NACADA National Conference will be here soon and has the Executive Office buzzing. The National Conference was the first professional development activity offered by NACADA and remains as a firm foundation upon which to build new activities and resources to meet the needs of our members. NACADA has been fortunate to have consistently introduced successful new activities and resources based on informal feedback among the leadership and the members. To continue this success, however, it is important that we continue to hear from the members exactly how the organization can assist in continued professional development and enhancement of academic advising.
The Board of Directors developed the core of an updated Strategic Plan during their mid-year meeting and has since asked each unit within the organization to contribute ideas on how we might address the goals of the association. Although we received some very good ideas from this process, it would be even more helpful if we could hear directly from the membership as to what you would like to see from the association. Therefore, I ask that you review the abbreviated copy of the Strategic Plan objectives included in this Newsletter and tell us (the Executive Office, your Commission Chair, your Region Chair, or any other NACADA leader) what you think we should be doing to address these goals. Your suggestions will be forwarded to the appropriate governing unit for consideration and we will better know what you want!
Member feedback concerning the need for an on-line graduate program has led to the partnership with Kansas State University to offer an on-line graduate certificate program. Although not a degree program, it will allow members to shorten the time on campus to complete a degree if they can transfer these on-line courses into their graduate degree programs. (Be sure to ascertain transferability before enrolling.)
National Conference evaluations / feedback always influence changes in the National Conference and this year created the establishment of some “invited” pre-conference workshops, the Commission Roundtable sessions for additional networking and information sharing opportunities, and an additional social activity for enhanced networking and FUN! The Summer Institute on Academic Advising and the Academic Advising Administrators’ Institute are also heavily driven by participant evaluations.
Another example of feedback response is our upcoming new Assessment of Academic Advising Seminar. The Administrators’ Institute 2003 participants expressed a desire for more in-depth information on Assessment in Advising, so we will immediately follow the 2004 Administrators’ Institute in St. Pete Beach, FL, in February, with an Assessment of Academic Advising Seminar. It is our intention that the Seminar will continue each year but focus on a different topic to address the continuing need for information on emerging issues.
Now is the time to provide your feedback so that we can develop activities or resources to address YOUR needs! See you in Dallas!
Roberta “Bobbie” Flaherty NACADA Executive Director
The next NACADA Leadership election will be held in January-February 2004. For a complete list of NACADA leadership opportunities available in the next election, visit the NACADA web site at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Election/index.htm. You will find a link to the 2004 election information on this web page as well as under the “About NACADA” tab on the NACADA home page.
Nominations for the various positions can be submitted electronically using an online form on the NACADA web site. Forms will also be available in the NACADA display booth in the Exhibits area at the National Conference in Dallas as well as in the back of the conference program. These printed forms can be submitted while at the conference. The deadline for submitting nominations to the Executive Office for the 2004 election is Wednesday, October 15, 2003.
More information about the 2004 election procedures will be sent to members this fall in the monthly Member Highlights e-mails. If you have questions about this upcoming election, contact the NACADA Executive Office at nacada@ksu.edu or call (785) 532-5717.
Abbreviated and In Progress, July 2003
VISION: NACADA will be the acknowledged leader within the global education community for the theory, delivery, application, and advancement of academic advising to enhance student learning and development.
Mission 1: Advance the body of knowledge of academic advising
Strategy 1: Promote, support, and conduct research.
Task 1: Distribute RFPs on critical issues to Student Personnel Grad Programs. Task 2: Develop an endorsed definition of Academic Advising.
Mission 2: Address the academic advising needs of higher education.
Strategy 1: Identify, prioritize, and address critical issues facing academic advising.
Task 1: Survey Commission members to assess needs Task 2: Update Core Values statement and CAS Standards
Strategy 2: Collect information about the environments in which academic advising operates. Strategy 3: Ensure effectiveness of NACADA organization
Task 1: Review Financial Audit Task 2: Review and develop annual budget process Task 3: Send letters to Leadership members' campuses acknowledging contributions. Task 4: Create training for Chairs in each division. Task 5: Conduct needs assessment for Region Chairs Task 6: Develop protocol for review of regions Task 7: Solicit input from members on what NACADA can do for them. Task 8: Initiate program to increase non-dues revenue Task 9: Develop Administrative Division Handbook Task 10: Review value and purpose of SI scholarships.
Strategy 4: Provide comprehensive professional development opportunities to the academic advising community.
Task 1: Update training video and add diversity issues. Task 2: Provide advising Graduate coursework at a distance. Task 3: Reach out to faculty with one day seminars Task 4: Develop attendance requirements for NACADA certificate.
Mission 3: Champion the role of academic advising to enhance student learning and development.
Strategy 1: Identify and develop strategies for fostering collaboration with various advising constituencies.
Task 1: Work with regional related organizations on regional conferences. Task 2: Establish relationship with AACSB Task 3: Establish relationship with regional accrediting bodies.
Strategy 2: Enhance NACADA's global visibility and credibility as the resource for academic advising.
Task 1: Explore advisor certification Task 2: Develop plan for regular contact with CAOs
Mission 4 : Affirm the role of academic advising in supporting institutional mission and vitality.
Strategy 1: Influence leaders in higher education to support quality academic advising.
Task 1: Regions establish contact with non-member institution officials
Strategy 2: Influence public policy relating to academic advising
Mission 5: Encourage the contributions of all members and promotes the involvement of diverse populations.
Strategy 1: Assess member needs and talents.
Task 1: Identify areas needing additional minority representation Task 2: Identify minority members to get involved in Association. Task 3: Establish a Clearinghouse of interested minority members Task 4: Review and recommend changes to Institutional and Allied membership categories.
Strategy 2: Create an environment that promotes maximum individual inclusion and growth.
Task 1: Develop program for advisor exchanges.
Strategy 3: Expand growth opportunities.
Task 1: Recruit CIG Division Regional Liaisons Task 2: Encourage new membership Task 3: Increase State Drive-in workshops/seminars Task 4: Identify Native American institutions and invite, encourage, support involvement.
Cite this article using APA style as: Flaherty, R. (2003, September). From the executive office. Academic Advising Today, 26(3). [insert url here]
