Betsy McCalla-Wriggins, NACADA President
Dear Colleagues,
When preparing to write this, I began to reflect on this past year. It certainly has been a year of challenges. Budget problems seem to be widespread and the war in Iraq has had an impact on everyone...some in very personal ways with a family member being deployed.
However, for our association, we have had many successes and it is important to celebrate those…especially at a time like this, when we all need some 'good news.”
In February we held our first Academic Advising Administrators’ Institute (AI) in San Antonio. This two-day intensive program was so well received that we added a second session of the Institute and over 350 people participated in this new program. We are currently making plans for a 2004 AI and that date and location will soon be posted on the website.
Recognizing that not every administrator can attend a meeting of this length, we also offered an Administrator's Pre-Conference Workshop at five of our regional meetings this spring. Response has been so positive that we plan to offer these every year at each of the regional meetings.
Another initiative that was piloted at the Region Two Conference was a Faculty Advising Pre-Conference Workshop. Response to this was also very positive and this will be expanded to other regions next year as well. Participants also suggested that we offer this workshop to campuses. We are currently discussing that as a possibility and will keep you posted.
We are currently in the final planning stages for the 17th Annual Academic Advising Summer Institutes (SI). We had so much demand last year that we are offering two in 2003. The first SI is scheduled in San Diego in late June and the second will be held in the Chicago area the end of July.
We are also midway through our first year in the new governance structure of our association. At our mid-year meeting, the board members spent a day discussing strategic planning and the direction of our association. I think it is very significant that we reaffirmed that NACADA is an association committed to enhancing the role of advising on our campuses.
Independent of the individual positions that we each hold on our campuses, we all are seeking to create an environment where we can support each other and our students. I encourage you to seek out your colleagues…faculty, full-time advisors, administrators….and celebrate the great things you are doing in your corner of the world. Then tell others about those successes. We all enjoy hearing more 'good news'.
Betsy McCalla-Wriggins NACADA President Rowan University
Cite this article using APA style as: McCalla-Wriggins, B. (2003, June). From the president. Academic Advising Today, 26(2). [insert url here]
