written by: Jonathan A. McElderry, 2025-2026 ACPA President
In my 2025 Presidential Address, I outlined several priorities centered on one guiding question: How do we position ACPA for the future? As we approach a new academic year and get excited to gather in Baltimore for ACPA26, I want to share a mid-year update on the progress we’ve made. Over the past several months, ACPA has built momentum on critical initiatives—from accessibility and governance to graduate student engagement and ethics—that are shaping the future of our association. These efforts reflect our deep commitment to advancing equity, fostering leadership, and driving transformative practice across higher education. This update offers a comprehensive look at our progress, next actions, and ways for members to stay engaged.
2026–2030 Strategic Plan
At the 2025 Convention, a timeline was presented for developing our 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, which included several onsite and virtual listening sessions in March, as well as in July. To ensure broad engagement, the Strategic Initiatives Working Council was divided into four subgroups based on the plan’s broad priority areas: Membership Development and Engagement; Association Brand, Voice, and Strategy; Reinvesting in the Purpose and Transformation of Higher Education and Enhancing and Innovating Research and Scholarship.
This structure has allowed for deep, focused discussion and innovation. An overview was shared at our annual mid-year leadership meeting, inviting feedback from across the association. A working draft has since been presented to the Leadership Council, with the Strategic Initiatives Working Council incorporating input for refinement. The goal is a forward-thinking, actionable plan that will guide ACPA into its next chapter with clarity and purpose.
Accessibility Audit Implementation
In March, the ACPA Foundation approved a $15,000 proposal to support the implementation of our recent accessibility audit. This investment represents an important action toward ensuring our association’s digital and operational spaces are inclusive for all members. Our Leadership Council University Design Strategies Chair is working with the International Office to identify a consultant to review ACPA’s digital presence, as outlined in the audit report, with progress tracked through an internal monitoring form. Several key priorities include: Website Accessibility: Ensuring that our digital content meets or exceeds accessibility standards; Accommodation Form Review: Updating forms to be user-friendly and compliant with accessibility guidelines; SOPs and Policy Review: Assessing and revising relevant procedures to embed accessibility into our operational framework. These efforts will create a stronger infrastructure for equitable engagement with all members.
Task Force: Entity Group Funding & Expectations
The ACPA Task Force on Entity Group Funding has completed its final report, outlining recommendations to improve funding processes and clarify expectations for all entity groups. For FY26, funding will remain a fixed base amount per group, distributed through Coordinators, with annual increases when possible. Entity groups must meet baseline administrative, engagement, and convention participation expectations to receive funds, but allocations are not tied to group size or exceeding expectations. Starting FY27, adjustments will include collective funding for shared resources, strategic initiatives, and collaborative projects. The plan emphasizes transparency, equity, and alignment with ACPA’s strategic goals while ensuring all groups understand policies and available resources before the updated process is implemented.
Leadership Council Assessment
Evaluation of our new, fully-implemented governing structure remains a top priority. Phase 1 of the Leadership Council Assessment included a detailed feedback analysis shared at the February 2025 Leadership Council meeting. The Leadership Council Assessment & Innovation Chair has since completed a deeper analysis which were reviewed and discussed at this summer’s Administrative Council retreat. The next actions will focus on refining strategies to improve governance, streamline operations, and enhance the Council’s overall effectiveness.
Supporting Graduate Students and Graduate Preparation Programs
Recognizing the critical role graduate students and graduate preparation programs play in the future of our field, an initial proposal was brought to the Leadership Council in February, with feedback gathered by March 1. An updated proposal was shared at the March 2025 meeting for a vote.
In March, leadership met with partners to finalize next steps, resulting in several new initiatives launching this fall, including the Master’s Student Conference and Grad Connections Program.
The Master’s Student Conference is designed for graduate students at every stage—whether first-year, part-time, full-time, or with prior professional experience—offering:
- Insights into diverse career paths in student affairs
- Interactive sessions to strengthen skills for supporting all students
- Strategies for advancing careers tailored to the participant’s current stage
- Keynote presentations and workshops led by seasoned leaders
- Networking opportunities with peers and professionals nationwide
Several sessions will feature breakout tracks to meet the specific needs of students based on career stage, ensuring that each participant leaves with tangible tools and connections.
Labor Acknowledgments
In February 2025, the Leadership Council approved a comprehensive report on labor acknowledgments. Implementation has been charged to the Equity & Inclusion Council, which will guide how this work is embedded in our association’s culture and operations.
Updated ACPA/NASPA Competencies
Collaboration with NASPA has resulted in a working draft of the proposed revisions to the ACPA/NASPA Professional Competencies being shared with members of both associations.
The feedback period—open through June 18—provided members with an opportunity to shape the final framework. This process not only refines the competencies but also ensures their continued relevance and applicability across our profession. Both organizations will review the feedback and determine next actions for adoption and dissemination.
Ethics Task Force
In May 2025, ACPA charged the Ethics Task Force with a comprehensive review of our Statement of Ethical Principles and Standards. This work will:
- Assess the current code’s utility for graduate programs, staff development, and practical application
- Update structure and language for broader accessibility
- Align the code with ACPA’s Strategic Imperative for Racial Justice and Decolonization
- Add new guidelines for applying the code to common ethical dilemmas and for use in instructional settings
The process will be highly participatory, engaging members through surveys, forums, and stakeholder meetings to ensure the revised code reflects our community’s diverse perspectives. The timeline runs from June 2025 through October 2026 and includes a review of peer association codes, an extensive literature review, and multiple feedback cycles. Importantly, this effort will clarify the Task Force’s role as an ethical resource—not a disciplinary body—enhancing member confidence and engagement with the code.
Mentoring with Purpose: Building Networks of Support in Higher Education
Additionally, I also spoke to the heart of my presidency, which centers on the theme of Mentoring with Purpose: Building Networks of Support in Higher Education. Through my experience, I’ve witnessed the transformative power of intentional mentoring. In today’s complex educational environment, creating strong networks of support is essential for students, faculty, and administrators alike. With that, several additional charges centered around this theme.
Equity-Minded Mentorship in Student Affairs Working Group
The Strategic Imperative for Racial Justice & Decolonization Writing Group on Mentoring has made steady progress since convening in January. Led by Drs. Cameron C. Beatty and Cristobal Salinas, current efforts include reviewing results of the Equity-Minded Mentorship in Student Affairs Survey distributed to association members, creating a centralized document hub, and advancing key projects: a literature review, a compilation of existing mentorship program models, a reflection tool for personal mentoring stories, and an organizational history of ACPA’s mentorship-related programming.
In the near future, the group is evaluating deadlines for deliverables and committee members will begin drafting the final report and developing a repository of mentorship resources.
About Campus Special Edition
The upcoming About Campus special edition (scheduled for March/April 2026) will center on the power, complexity, and varied expressions of mentoring in higher education, with contributions from scholars and practitioners across the field. The special issue is being co-edited by Drs. Stephanie Hernandez Rivera and Emily Krechel. The upcoming About Campus special edition on mentoring offers a rich exploration of how mentoring relationships are formed, sustained, and experienced across diverse identities and contexts. Articles examine innovative approaches, challenge traditional models, and highlight practices that foster equity, inclusion, and belonging. Through research, personal narratives, and practical insights, this edition underscores mentoring’s transformative potential in higher education. Collectively, the issue offers rich, intersectional insights into mentoring as a transformative practice.
Mentoring with Purpose: Supporting Future Scholars on their College Journey
I am excited to share that we are now two-thirds of the way to our $6,000 fundraising goal, with over $4,000 raised from 56 generous donors in support of textbook assistance scholarships for graduates of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School (CRJ) in Baltimore, Maryland. CRJ serves 361 students, 98% from underrepresented racial backgrounds, all of whom complete rigorous college-prep coursework, contribute at least 40 hours of community service, and achieve 100% college acceptance.
This campaign reflects our commitment to giving back to the communities where we gather and ensuring financial barriers do not hinder these students’ success. Donations directly fund first-year college textbooks for CRJ graduates, and recipients will be honored at the ACPA26 Convention in Baltimore. Your continued generosity—and help in sharing this campaign—will bring us to our goal and make a lasting difference for the next generation of scholars.
Closing
Each of these initiatives reflects ACPA’s ongoing commitment to fostering inclusive, ethical, and forward-thinking leadership within higher education. From accessibility improvements and governance reviews to supporting graduate students and revising our professional competencies, we are laying the groundwork for a stronger, more responsive association.
Members are encouraged to stay engaged—whether by offering feedback during open comment periods, participating in upcoming programs, or sharing our work within your networks. Together, we can ensure that ACPA not only meets the needs of today but also anticipates the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.