Quarterly Update: One Dupont Circle

Gregory Roberts
ACPA Executive Director

Greetings to All!

The 90^th Anniversary of ACPA – College Student Educators International will begin with the Indianapolis Convention and the celebration will continue throughout the year (1924 – 2014).  We owe a tremendous debt to May Chaney, our first president and one of the original founders of ACPA.  Just imagine what was happening in 1924 and how things have changed in society:

• Calvin Coolidge, President
• 1^st Winter Olympics (France)
• IBM was founded
• Frozen Food was introduced by Birdseye
• 1^st Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
• 1^st Regular Airmail Service
• Ellis Island closed as an immigration entry point
• Indian Citizenship Act (conferred citizenship on Native Americans living in the USA)

ACPA was created as the National Association for Appointment Secretaries (making job interview appointments for students). Today, the focus on student completion and employment remain important to collegiate student success.

Most American colleges and universities were founded prior to 1924, except our United States Community College system that was grew at a rapid pace following World War II.   When we critically analyze our world today, ACPA has “weathered” the transformations of the human spirit during a most complex and challenging period and our profession adopted a “creed” of core values that remain relevant today:

• Education and development of the total student.
• Diversity, multicultural competence and human dignity.
• Inclusiveness in and access to association-wide involvement and decision-making.
• Free and open exchange of ideas in a context of mutual respect.
• Advancement and dissemination of knowledge relevant to college students and their learning, and the effectiveness of student affairs and student services professionals and their institutions.
• Continuous professional development and personal growth of student affairs and student services professionals, including the development of effective administrative leadership and management skills.
• Outreach and advocacy on issues of concern to students, student affairs and services professionals and the higher and tertiary education community, including affirmative action and other policy issues.

As you reflect on 90 years of quality education, training and taking theory to practice, the results show a vibrant profession that continues to make contributions to the development of the whole student and creating an environment specifically designed to enhance student learning.  Given our Core Values, let’s not work too hard at reinventing, but focus on doing what we know matters: students and their environment for learning.

Join me in Indianapolis as we begin the conversation, debate and celebration – honoring our past – designing our future!!!

Reinvent. You. US.

Until next time,

Greg