From One Dupont Circle: Quarterly Update

Gregory Roberts
ACPA Executive Director

Welcome to Spring 2012!  It is difficult to believe that we are already well into the year 2012.  This is a milestone year for the Association, as we will honor our profession with 88 years of service from ACPA.  What a contribution to student affairs and higher education!  If you would be interested in planning the 90th Anniversary Celebration of ACPA in Indianapolis, please share your information with me.

Since my last column there hasn’t been much happening on the national scene as Congress was in recess for much of that time.  The tax issues still remain on the docket and ultimately, the impact on states and public higher education has yet to be seen.

I am pleased to announce several significant discussions that are taking place with international colleagues in Canada, Kenya, Barbados and Qatar as a result of recent visits and discussions with student affairs educators in these countries.   The field of student affairs is growing and the value added components to a holistic education is being recognized world-wide.  We must continue to remain open to differences and new ways of enhancing student learning across multiple venues and cultures.  The key word for the future is “global”.  With access to technology, our country is an influential member of our growing interconnected world.

I had the honor of representing ACPA at a Gulf Conference in Doha, Qatar at Education City and found the reception to be outstanding.   We have several members working at the Qatar Foundation and providing guidance to the education system as related to student affairs/services.  There is tremendous interest in advancing the total educational experience of students, and ACPA is pleased to provide our support and assistance as this initiative develops.  Many thanks to Denny Roberts and his staff for a job well done.

Were you one of the many who participated with our MeetUps, or our open discussions with Heidi Levine and myself, involved in outreach with past ACPA presidents, state presidents, Foundation Board members, and  faculty?  If not, we invite you to watch for additional opportunities.  We want to hear directly from you about your involvement with the Association.   The initial feedback from these conversations was the foundation of two recent meetings of the Governing Board as we began the strategic planning process for the next “cycle” – 2013-2018.

Small working groups are taking the feedback and working to further develop strategic priorities for the Association that will be the basis of our strategic plans. Watch for ongoing information in the Presidents blog and in eCommunity each week.

Recent outcomes of the many volunteer hours from our members include:

• Approved Credentialing Program
• Institutional Leadership Councils
• International Advisory Council
• Generativity Revisited Resource for Grad Prep Programs
• Humanitarian Award to Muhammad Ali

You can read all the details of the list of activities on the Web site in our weekly eCommunity. By the time you read this, I hope to have met you during the ACPA Convention in Louisville!

Until next time,

Greg