A New Journey - by Dave DeAngelis

I am honored to begin my journey as the Chair of the NACA® Board of Directors. I am so fortunate to be part of an association filled with extraordinary people doing great things. The National Association for Campus Activities is an organization that provides outstanding educational programs and vibrant business opportunities. I extend my appreciation to all our members for choosing to be associated with NACA, and I look forward to serving the Association during the next year.
    This time of year signifies that we have made it through another academic year and, for some, there is just a brief break before we begin the madness of summer orientation programs. The end of a school year marks the end of one journey and the beginning of another. I need to congratulate our Immediate Past Chair, Brian Wooten, for his incredible journey as he served as Chair of the NACA® Board of Directors. His passion for our association is immeasurable, and his leadership this past year has lead to many successes for the Association.
    Speaking of journeys, life is a journey filled with opportunities, relationships and lessons that ultimately lead to the final destination of a rewarding life and career. Sometimes we take different paths on our journeys and, on other occasions, we travel together on the same course. I believe our journeys are meant to test our ambitions, strengths and weaknesses and that they define who we are as individuals. Throughout our journeys, we experience many successes along with just as many challenges, but in the end, all of these experiences shape who we are and the legacy we leave to society.
    My journey with NACA, like those of many of you reading this article, has been filled with priceless memories and tremendous opportunities that have helped me develop as a professional. I am extremely grateful for the life-long friendships I have made through my volunteer experiences during the past 15 years. It is remarkable the strong relationships that can be forged from planning a conference, facilitating an institute or volunteering in another capacity. These relationships have led to myriad special moments such as: birthdays, weddings and a lot of unforgettable journeys. I am forever grateful to have met many friends, students and professionals through my involvement with NACA.
    Currently, we are all undertaking some sort of journey in our lives. On these journeys, everyone can make a difference and create memories that last a lifetime. Every journey has its unexpected obstacles and life-changing experiences. I expect nothing less as I begin my new journey as Chair of the NACA® Board of Directors, and I am excited about what experiences, challenges and opportunities lie ahead.
    Without a doubt, my journey for the next year will be filled with trials and tribulations. As I embark on it, I plan to honor the past and maintain all of the outstanding services and programs that NACA provides. In addition, I hope to continue to move the Association forward and help it continue to be a leader in higher education and the entertainment industry.
    The challenge with any journey is that you cannot always foresee what lies ahead. I am sure this year will present the need to make some difficult decisions, along with the opportunity to create some change that will have a lasting impact on the future of our association. Undoubtedly, things will not always be easy and go as planned, but we all know we learn the most valuable lessons when things don’t necessarily go as planned.
    We are embarking on an exciting time for the Association. We are in the final phase of implementing our new strategic plan. We are moving towards embracing the concept of campus engagement and will define what that means to the Association and its members. Throughout the next year, we will explore how leadership development can be weaved into the programs and services that we provide to our membership. It is an extremely exciting time for NACA, and the future holds some amazing possibilities.
    Throughout this journey, I encourage any member of NACA to give me advice and insights on how to improve the Association. I can’t promise that I can implement all of the ideas that you suggest, but I promise to listen to them and share them with the Board of Directors. In the end, I promise to lead from my heart and make a difference in the Association.
    Most importantly, I cannot be successful if I take this journey alone. I will need help and guidance from other Board members, volunteers and Office staff to help me navigate the next year. Together, we can make a real difference and I am excited to work with everyone to make this year a successful and memorable journey.
    Let the adventure begin …

Email: ddeangelis@suffolk.edu
Twitter: @nacaboardchair
Tumblr: thenaca.tumblr.com

Diversity: All I Need to Know I Learned in First Grade

As I was thinking about diversity and my message for this edition, I was trying to connect when I first began my process of learning the importance of diversity. I believe the first “diversity training” in which I participated was in first grade. My teacher at that time, Ms. Roddey, wanted to illustrate how important it was to recognize the different talents we each possessed. She created a vibrant community of stuffed animals and assigned different talents to each.
    There were animals from all parts of the world, including camels, dolphins, and iguanas, just to name a few. In addition, each animal in this community possessed specific skills that tended to set them apart from the others. The camel had great expertise in construction and the dolphin had the ability to build relationships, while the eel had the ability to run businesses. Once we understood each animal’s skill set, we talked about how each made things better for everyone in the community.
    She then took one animal away at a time and asked, “What’s missing?” I can remember that one by one we would call out the various things missing like construction, the ability to build relationships, etc. After a few animals were taken away, she asked if we would want anyone missing and, of course, my peers and I said no. She explained that it is these different people and the skills they possess that ensure that our community works together.
    While a very basic exercise, I think that I have carried this lesson with me throughout my life. Since that time, I have been in many diversity or intercultural competency trainings. However, I think the basic building blocks of my value on diversity come from this first-grade exercise. I strongly believe that a consistent focus on broadening our own understanding is something we should want to do to ensure that our community is as inclusive as possible.
    NACA’s diversity statement calls for us to embrace diversity in its broadest sense, not limiting our scope to just one group or another.
    As I have mentioned many times over the course of this year, the NACA® Board of Directors has spent a great deal of time reviewing and analyzing the various components of NACA’s Strategic Plan. During that process, our value on diversity has never been more visible. Throughout our review, we worked to include as many opinions as possible and defined inclusion as still a primary focus for who we are and want to be.
    As we continue to grow and become stronger as an association, I am confident that much of our growth will spring from integrating a membership that is rich with diversity. Together, we will continue to challenge each other and, like that community in my first grade class, demonstrate the comprehensive skills and knowledge the Association will need to thrive. I have no doubt that the Association’s leaders will continue to bring forth diverse ideas that will make us even stronger in the future.
    We have exciting times ahead and together we are going to make great things happen for NACA!

Email: bwooten@kennesaw.edu
Twitter: @nacaboardchair

Three Rs for Spring: Reconnect, Re-engage, & Refuel

Welcome to 2012! I always enjoy the beginning of a new semester. There is always new energy and excitement on campus as we come back together after a short break. In addition, the hallmark of my spring semester includes preparations for attending the NACA® National Convention.
    While, for many years, I found this event overwhelming, as the years have passed, it has become one of the NACA events to which I look forward the most. Each February, I look to this event to provide me with the opportunity to reconnect with professionals from across the country, reengage with our profession through its incredible professional development opportunities and refuel through connecting with long-time friends from across the country who understand what I do and appreciate the challenges that I face in my professional life.
    Each year, the National Convention offers an array of educational sessions that inspire me to be more innovative with the programs I sponsor on my campus in an attempt to ensure our students’ success. I have the great opportunity to see the latest talent and enjoy the best entertainment from around the world. It also provides me the opportunity to enjoy time with friends I often get to see only at this time of year.
    The 2012 Convention is increasingly more exciting for me, for this year, we will be sharing with our members the new Strategic Plan for the Association. This plan will lead us during the next few years and represents the culmination of a year and a half of work contributed by numerous leaders within the Association. In addition, we will celebrate the Association’s incredible accomplishments during 2011–12. Finally, while I will serve as your Chair until April 30, 2012, this event provides me the opportunity to ceremonially introduce my friend and colleague Dave DeAngelis as your new Chair for 2012–2013.
    The 2012 National Convention promises to be one of NACA’s best events. It is hard to believe the National Convention Program Committee has been working on this event for more than a year and now it is only a few weeks away. I am indebted to Berri Cross, Chair of the National Convention Program Committee, and her team for the time and energy they have devoted to ensuring the success of this event. The team has done a great job and I have no doubt you will enjoy the program they have created.
    Another reason that this convention is so exciting is that, for the first time, we are in Charlotte, NC. Charlotte, as you may know, is one of the South’s rising cities and the region’s banking capitol. I have no doubt this will be a great setting for our Convention and one you will enjoy.
    As I have said many times in these messages to our membership, I think one of our Association’s best attributes is our volunteers. I think we have some of the most passionate, insightful professionals in the field who devote a great deal of their time and energy in ensuring NACA’s success. During my involvement with the Association, I have come to not only admire these individuals, but also to develop strong relationships with them. As you prepare to attend the Convention this year, I encourage you to make sure you take advantage of what I think is its best component—the time we have to connect as professionals.
    The National Convention Program Committee, as well as all other volunteers who are playing a role in the 2012 National Convention, and I look forward to seeing you all in Charlotte, NC, in February!

Email: bwooten@kennesaw.edu
Twitter: @nacaboardchair

From Success to Significance

It is hard to believe the fall semester is almost behind us and we are again looking at the beginning of a new holiday season. I think it is only fitting, as we begin this 2011 holiday season, that we should focus on collaboration and the importance of relationships.
    As NACA continues to evolve and develop, we become increasingly more cognizant that it is only through working together that we might reach our ultimate goal of providing quality learning experiences for our students. I am reminded of the work done almost four years ago, when we partnered with our sister associations in higher education organizations to produce Learning Reconsidered 2. As you know, this document advocated the need to blur the rigid lines between the various groups on college campuses and ensure that student learning became the focus of everyone’s work.
    This conversation regarding the need for colleges and universities to focus on providing a more holistic and relevant education continues. Recently, the president of Arizona State University announced the development of the “New American University” (http://newamericanuniversity.asu.edu/), where education would be transformed to connect more with the community and provide increasing opportunities for students. Many institutions are following this same pattern and, in addition to graduation rates, defining student success by the degree in which the institution is able to create engagement with the overall campus community.
    During the past few months, the NACA® Board of Directors has talked a great deal about this call for increased collaboration in higher education and the dynamic nature of our field. More and more, we have recognized that our world, in providing co-curricular programming, has changed drastically. Campuses no longer have singular programming entities creating campus culture, but numerous groups seeking to create campus cohesion through an array of programs and activities.
    Once again, the nature of our student populations across the country is changing. The Chronicle of Higher Education indicated in its “College of 2020” report that the students entering our colleges and universities will be increasingly diverse with wider ranges of experiences, backgrounds and needs. I think our profession will play a central role in forging these new campus communities (http://etcjournal.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/thecollegeof2020.pdf).
    Over the years, it has been our field that has transformed campus activities, not only into a rich source for student leadership development, but also as a means for bringing the campus community together. It has been campus activities that has been the first, in many instances, to take the lead in stimulating the difficult dialogues on complex issues by inviting speakers to our campuses, by developing alternative spring break programs or other civic engagement activities to address or shed light on social issues, or by providing our more social programming opportunities that have created the “fun” environment needed to build connections. As our institutions call for an increased need for community engagement, we are positioned well to be leaders to make this happen.
    The new Association Strategic Plan that will be widely shared in February at the 2012 National Convention serves as the Association’s road map to allow us to build upon our successes in campus activities and lead us in building engaged communities that will significantly contribute to our students’ future success. I look forward to the conversations that will be generated about this new plan and even more so to the resulting action steps that will be taken to achieve these bold new goals. There is no doubt in my mind that, when we look back in the next five years, NACA will be seen as a leader in campus engagement and our profession will be increasingly seen as an integral agent in student learning. I look forward with great anticipation to the new relationships and collaborations that will be part of our future in NACA.
    I wish you a great holiday season,

Email: bwooten@kennesaw.edu
Twitter: @nacaboardchair
Tumblr: thenaca.tumblr.com

The Social Network: The End of the World as We Know It?

When I think about the social media phenomenon, I immediately think about the REM song “The End of the World as We Know It.” The explosion of social media in popular culture has brought drastic change to the way our world functions. Who would have thought five years ago that we would need to learn to limit our best ideas or express complex thoughts using only 140 characters? Or, that we would be integrating such vocabulary terms as “hash tags,” “tweets,” or “trending” into everyday conversation?
   
     When I talk with friends who struggle with social media, often their concerns center on the impact this technology will have on our abilities to create sustained interpersonal relationships and what implications the lack of these skills may have on our society. They express concern that facets of our society are already unable to relate to others in face-to-face communication. Our director of Residence Life told me about a recent roommate dispute under mediation that supported this belief. The roommates had apparently been having regular disputes to the point that both sent messages to him indicating that they could not live together any more. As is standard practice, the staff asked the students to come in for mediation to determine if there might be an opportunity to resolve the conflict and remain together. When the meeting started, the two students submitted printed sheets of paper showing tweets that had been sent between the two. It became obvious that, while these two were in the same apartment, they had not communicated verbally in weeks and all communication/disputes had occurred through Twitter. Others point to the lack of civil discourse in our society and the rise in online bullying resulting in the tragic deaths of students as another consequence of society’s obsession with this new technology.

    While there may be some truths to their claims, I have also seen leaders in our field utilize social media to do great things. For example, Eric Maitland, the resident director at Wheelock College (MA) and an NACA volunteer, was part of the “It Gets Better Project” in conjunction with the Boston Red Sox and “The Trevor Project” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGcY_ip3w7g). When I checked the site for the overall “It Gets Better Project” (of which the Red Sox video is just a part), I saw that it had been viewed 71,517,964 times and it included thousands of testimonials by individuals indicating the project provided them with hope and encouragement to move on.

    In addition, I have seen the integration of social media within NACA bring increased opportunities for connection and a renewed energy to our programs and activities. I have seen a different type of engagement from students, volunteers and members as they use various social media tools. This engagement has provided a new excitement to our programs. Personally, I have had the opportunity to share ideas and engage in healthy discussion regarding the nature of our work and the growth of the Association through tweet chats, and I share information by tweeting and hearing about friends in the field through regular Facebook updates—all great and new opportunities I would never have had without social media.

    While some may want to demonize social media and others try to deny its impact, the facts are that our world’s preoccupation with social media is a reality and that preoccupation will only increase as technologies continue to evolve. I believe that, as leaders in higher education and the entertainment industry, we need to see social media for what it is: a new tool that will bring dramatic change. It is our challenge to effectively use this tool to continue to elevate the significance of our work and our connection with one another.

    NACA has made great strides in a short time period with the integration of our social media strategy, in large part due to the hard work of Dawn Thomas and her team in the NACA Office. Their work continues to move us forward, and while we may not be completely where we want to be with the full integration of technology in all areas, we continue to make strides. Our social media work was recently recognized by one of our sister organizations, which has looked to us as a model for its own strategy—which is a great recognition for our work!

    NACA will continue to provide you with the latest information and continued education on these tools, as well as other important issues you may be dealing with in your work, at our various programs or through our webinar series. If there is a topic we have not covered, do not hesitate to let us know and we will work to integrate it into future offerings.

    This issue of Campus Activities Programming™ offers you a number of articles focused on the opportunities social media provides, and we will be utilizing the latest social media at our various conferences throughout the fall. Be ready to utilize this technology at the National Convention, because I expect NACA to be trending on Twitter in 2012 as it did in 2011. In addition, I encourage you to follow me, either on Twitter or let’s become friends on Facebook so I can share with you the latest information about the Association and hear more about the great things you are doing to advance the work of our field.

    I look forward to seeing you at one of the fall regional conferences!

Email: bwooten@kennesaw.edu
Twitter: @nacaboardchair
Tumblr: thenaca.tumblr.com

Articulating the Value of What We Do in Tough Times

A few weeks ago, I was talking with an economist friend of mine regarding the state of the global economy. Like many, I was painting a bleak picture of our world in education because of the poor economy and I related to her how my colleagues across the country were suffering in a variety of ways. She provided me with her opinion from her economic perspective. She mentioned that what we are experiencing, in some ways, is a natural process and, while we may never see the economy return to its pre-recession condition, we will see a stabilization in the next few years. She also mentioned that, historically, the most creative developments often occur during times of economic struggle.
    This new perspective provided me with new energy and increased optimism for the future of our field. As I have mentioned before, I believe our profession is filled with passionate leaders who have a great ability for innovation.
    In times such as these, I think it is increasingly important for us to clearly articulate the value of what we do and how we contribute to the education of our students. I think we all know this, but it is not always evident to those around us. I would encourage us to continue and, perhaps, more aggressively advocate that we are educators and what we do contributes to student learning. In addition, we are a group that really knows our students. This knowledge provides us with the understanding of what is needed to ensure their success. In a time of great concern over progression and graduation rates, this understanding is incredibly valuable.
    As we move forward, we need to continue to consider ways to demonstrate our value and knowledge to those around us in ways they can understand it. In addition, we must be the leaders in the development of community engagement and continually discuss the importance of this connection to students and their growth.
    During the next year, NACA will offer a number of educational sessions, webinars and articles related to these issues. As an association, we will continue to work to provide you access to the knowledge you need to articulate how our profession contributes to community development and student success. I encourage you to take full advantage of all these resources and share them broadly with your colleagues and supervisors so that they begin to increasingly understand what we do.
    In the meantime, I encourage you to take full advantage of the Block Booking process at our regional conferences and the National Convention. NACA has developed new resources demonstrating the benefits associated with participation in Block Booking and will soon be providing webinars and other support to help member schools more effectively utilize the process.
    NACA will also be providing direct rewards to schools that participate in Block Booking, with increased emphasis on schools that are involved at the highest Block Booking levels of CB and CR, as well as support for participation in future events where Block Booking is utilized. In addition, we are able to share information on how much schools have saved through participation in Block Booking that may help you in receiving support on your home campuses.
    The next few years are going to be challenging times for our profession; however, we will transcend them and have the opportunity to strengthen respect for our field. NACA will continue to provide you with the support you need in making this happen and we will continue to be the Association for supporting the development of community on our campuses.
    I look forward to seeing you at one of the fall conferences.

Happy New Year! by Brian Wooten

Welcome to the New Year! Since I have been in Higher Education for my entire professional career, my view of the New Year has consistently differed from that of many of my friends outside our field. While they focus on Dec. 31 as the demarcation of the end of one period to the beginning of another and the time to reflect and develop resolutions for a year ahead, I have come to see that many of us in Higher Education recognize the opening of school in this way.

    As a part of our New Year, we welcome new students to our campuses and implement new programs and/or processes we have worked to develop for much of the summer in our attempt to connect more with our students and to provide them with increased opportunity for success. Much like the conventional New Year, I often make resolutions for ways I hope to make the academic year ahead different than those previous. I often resolve to maintain balance and not work more than 40 hours a week or too many weekends. (As with many conventional resolutions, I promptly abandon them very early!)

    This year is a bit different than most. While I think we still remain excited about the year ahead, many of our members have been hit hard with budget cuts, furloughs and layoffs. Increasingly, most of Higher Education has been scrutinized and our contribution to society has been brought into question. As I mentioned in our May issue, during these hard times, we must be prepared to engage in courageous conversations that, while uncomfortable, will elevate us as an association.

    As promised this past summer, the NACA Board of Directors has taken steps in this direction by initiating these conversations. In May, the Board approved the creation of four task force teams that I believe will do a great deal to move the Association forward.

1.    Showcase Selection Task Force: This team has been created to evaluate and ensure continued improvement in the application and selection process for showcasing acts at all regional conferences and at the National Convention. The Board of Directors charges this task force with reviewing the current showcase selection process and making recommendations that will increase efficiency in both the submission and selection process in an attempt to elevate the talent and expand the market of showcasing artists and attractions, while also expanding the number of quality acts showcasing at NACA events. Amy Vaughan of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach (FL) is chairing this group.

2.    Conference/Convention Schedule Task Force: A number of years ago, NACA moved to a uniform schedule to ensure that members were receiving consistency from region to region and that the National Convention provided the necessary focus from year to year. As we move into the fourth year of using the uniform schedule, it is time to evaluate this practice to ensure it is meeting the needs of the membership and offering the necessary benefits to our members. This team has been challenged to review the current National Convention and Regional Conference schedules and provide recommendations for altering them to provide increased benefit to NACA members. Scott Lyons of Johnson & Wales University-Providence (RI) is chairing this group.

3.    Campus Activities Definition Task Force: In our May Board retreat, we engaged in a number of conversations regarding the definition of campus activities. At an earlier point in our history, it was clear: campus activities was basically defined as bringing entertainment to campus. Over the years, our roles have changed and have moved to also focus on student engagement, leadership, etc. We have asked Brian Gardner of Maryville University of Saint Louis (MO) to lead a group to help us redefine what campus activities means. This definition has broad implications for us as an association and will serve as a foundation piece for our new strategic plan.

4. Membership Definition Task Force: As a compliment to the campus activities definition team, we have asked Kristie Gerber of the University of South Florida-Tampa and her team to review our current membership structure and determine a structure that will support NACA’s future direction.

     I have no doubt these four teams will offer great insight and new opportunities for our Association as we move through these challenging times. They will lead us to making some changes I feel will benefit the organization as we chart our new future. I have no doubt that this new year for NACA will bring about new resolutions that will posture us to provide our members with increased benefit. As we continue these conversations and ultimately move to implementing changes, I invite you to be a part of this process. Please feel free to contact me at bwooten@kennesaw.edu or to participate in one of my twitter chats (@nacaboardchair) this year to express your thoughts.

    Again, this is going to be a great new year for all of us! Enjoy the beginning of the semester and I look forward to seeing you at one of our fall events!