A few weeks ago I was meeting with a member of my staff who I asked to assist me while I serve as VP, President, and Past President. Michael Anthony coordinates our leadership programs at the University of Louisville and one day I might be working for him. But this time I asked him to serve as my "assistant to" person. You know, the person that makes the calls, sets up the meetings, and follows through with items. Put another way, he is the opposite of all my limitations.
I have learned as Vice President of a division at a large research university, and a place where I have a Chief of Staff and Assistant to the VPSA, that having a person like this is invaluable. I am spoiled. As I thought about my limitations, and the expectations many ACPA members would have of me as their VP or President, I just knew I needed more help. Michael and talked about our roles and some of the additional support people we may bring onboard. These would be folks like graduate and undergraduate students that we truly want to have a meaningful experience.
I have also learned about the email. Now I already get more than a hundred emails in a day (and probably write that many, too). But since I have been the ACPA VP that number seems to have grown a bit. Gone are the days of waiting a week to get to some of these items. ACPA moves faster behind the scenes then we know and there always is a flurry of activity going on. Keeping up with it, while trying to move your own division along can be challenging -- and I say this as someone that has always prided themselves on being in balance.
I know we have many good initiatives going on right now. Some of these might not even make a headline right now but they are laying a foundation for many big things to come. As practitioners in Student Affairs we know the importance of process and solid foundations. I feel good about our leadership and what we are trying to do. More later.
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