2009-10 Presidential Initiatives Focuses on Internationalism, Veterans, Research, and Corporate Relations (3-2-09)

Written by Dr. Tom Jackson, Jr., Incoming ACPA President for 2009-10

Forward thinking, vibrant, and a world leader in student development -- ACPA is uniquely positioned to impact and engage the profession. As one of the world’s leaders in student development, ACPA will enthusiastically and actively inspire its membership, and the global profession, to advance knowledge and competencies, deliver professional and career development, and aggressively develop new and thoughtful strategies to serve the many different campuses and students.

ACPA has a long history of innovation, passion, tradition, and celebration and stands ready to deliver the critical services, education, and opportunities to lead the next generation of practitioners and scholars.

The priorities below unify the association’s strategic plan with the presidential vision and priorities. Collaboration, with a mindful eye on serving the greater good, is required to establish the global and systemic partnerships needed to advance both the association and the profession.

Themes

1. Becoming Truly International and Global
2. Serving Veterans
3. Focusing on Research
4. Developing a Sense of Giving

Becoming Truly International and Global

ACPA (and the profession) can broadly serve the international community and should discover ways now to not only have a presence internationally, but to more deliberately reach out to colleagues across the globe. Additionally, as campuses share resources and research, and students from abroad find their way to the United States, the Association must be open to the changing dynamic this may have on our campuses.

Serving Veterans

This honorable group brings full scholarships to our nations campuses. Best practices for recruiting veterans and active duty people to campus, as well as how campuses may have modified policy and services to best serve this at-risk group would be important. The influx of veterans may rival WWII. The impact that graduating veterans will have on the economy is very significant. Nationally we are at the infancy stage of this phenomenon, but it is moving fast and it will soon be beyond our grasp without deliberate action.

Focusing on Research

ACPA’s strength is inspiring new research, and one of the research needs is college mental health and veterans issues. Although not intended to be related, there is much discussion on college campuses about the mental health challenges of students. There is also growing research on the implications, yet the root causes of these challenges have not been revealed. Why is the profession facing increased mental health issues on campus? What has occurred in the past that is now contributing to these dynamics on our campus today? Discovering why these challenges exist (at the root) will enable the profession to demand change the formula so when students do arrive on campus they are in a healthier, more stable state of mine.

Developing a Sense of Giving

Many practitioners are accustomed to the giving of one’s time and intellect through scholarly work. That is a strength of this association and the profession. ACPA has the opportunity to envision how giving of other resources can contribute to the success of the association and its impact on student success. Cultivating relationships, an ACPA strength, is a requirement in the giving process. Identifying strategies to improve corporate relationships, establish innovative partnerships, or devise unique strategies to inspire giving in different ways is important if the association is to better serve the students at member campuses.

Themes Applied to the Strategic Plan

I. Expand Knowledge & Competencies

A. Advance Student Development Internationally and Develop
     International Institutes that Serve the Global Profession

1. Establish a South Africa summit and an Asia annual summit.
   
2. Develop strategic international Partnerships with IACSAS and ACUI.
   
3. Work to support and enhance the Caribbean student development initiatives.
   
4. Host an international conference with strategic partners.
   
5. Explore feasibility of establishing an international new professional institute in collaboration with ACUI and ACUHO-I.
   
6. Explore the feasibility of establishing an international mid-management institute or college student development/higher education faculty scholars symposium in collaboration with appropriate partners.
   
7. Develop Hispanic leadership by engaging both domestic and international Hispanic leadership.
   
8. Establish an international Hispanic Leadership Institute and develop the Hispanic network to promote knowledge and competencies to better serve Hispanic students in predominantly Hispanic serving institutions.

B. Initiate New Research

1. Develop rapid and timely topical white papers that are freely and easily distributed.
   
2. Expand research that addresses college mental health and helps define the root causes for student mental health challenges.
   
3. Initiate international comparative studies in student development and higher education trends to best support the global profession.

II. Enhance Professional & Career Development

A. Establish Innovative Programs and Partnerships

1. Develop new partnerships with NACE, ACUI, NASPA, Corporate Relations, NACADA, ASJA, NIRSA, NAFSA, and HACU.
   
2. Support current and emerging Task Forces and groups, including Recreational Sports, Veterans Services, Spirituality, Sustainability, and the Joint Task Force.
   
3. Review the feasibility of expanding international services to include university exchange programs, study-abroad programs, and international service learning programs.

B. Improve the Annual Convention and Year-round Placement

1. Develop a collaborative Summer Placement program with strategic partners that address summer recruitment needs.
   
2. Renew convention expectations and reduce convention expenditures.
   
3. Enact convention and year-round services that utilize the latest technologies available to supply and share educational programs and services.
   
4. Promote new international tracks and themes.

III. Inspire Membership & New Recruitment

A. Rejuvenate and Engage the Profession and the Association

1. Redefine and communicate who ACPA serves and how they are served.
   
2. Promote innovation and best practice in serving students.
   
3. Establish a network and presence internationally.
   
4. Deliberately partner with sister organizations to reduce duplication, improve professional development, and enhance membership services.
   
5. Utilize social networking and technology to enhance communication, outreach, and services.
   
6. Intentionally reach out to college student educators at proprietary and specialty schools (such as culinary institutes, art institutes, and health/wellness colleges) to better support these professionals and learn from their work with students.

B. Create Efficiencies to Improve the Association

1. Review association expenditures and enhance the Association infrastructure.
   
2. Transform the services of the Association to action that serves the student.

C. Develop the Role of the Foundation

1. Center the ACPA Foundation goals into the ACPA goals and strategic plan.
   
2. Create Foundation/ACPA synergy.
   
3. Develop new giving/sponsorship opportunities and grow the ACPA culture of giving.