Leadership Notes

This fall event season, help promote responsibility at all NIRSA events

By Greg Jordan, Oakland University, NIRSA President

As you have seen in this edition of the NIRSA Know, both your Foundation Board of Directors and your NIRSA Board of Directors had productive meetings last week in Louisville. As the annual fall Regional and State Conference/Workshop schedule begins to take place, your respective Vice President or other board members in attendance will certainly go into great detail on this information, and will seek feedback and input from our membership as well. I encourage all attendees at these events to discuss any matters relating to our NIRSA with members of the board, either in one-on-one conversation or during the update sessions.

With all of the exciting, new or re-energized initiatives in the forefront of our Association, there is one topic I would like to share some further detail on. As a Board of Directors, we devoted time to address the topic of alcohol abuse and education. As we all know, at each of our respective institutions, one of the most pressing issues is that of alcohol abuse by our students, and the subsequent alcohol education programs or programming delivery. That subject is also climbing closer to the top of the list within NIRSA, both from the perspectives of what role we play on our campuses to help promote or convene alcohol education programs, and what are we doing at state and regional levels or at the Annual Conference & Recreational Sports Exposition to provide programs or services.

First, on campus. As leaders at home, often we are able to assist in providing programming to curtail alcohol use and to educate primarily students in this area. NIRSA has been and will continue to be an active partner with the Inter-Association Task Force on Alcohol and other Substance Abuse, the primary sponsor of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (October 16-22, 2005).

The second question is, what are we doing within NIRSA to promote education to all our Members, to provide activities and events at our conferences that are alcohol free or significantly curtailed, and to support those members who have been affected? I am confident that at the campus level we share expectations with Students and Professional Members, prior to conferences, on acting responsibly in many areas, especially when making the right decisions during social events. A major point to share with our membership is that I do not believe that anyone is promoting abstinence, but in fact all are supporting responsibility.

Our student leadership team has stepped up and will be conducting sessions at upcoming Lead On and Regional Conferences to help all attendees understand how to be responsible. In addition, I will be appointing a work team consisting of a wide variety of Members who will be charged to explore appropriate ways we as an Association can move forward in this area. Finally, planning for events at the meetings has previously included non-alcoholic beverages, activities that promote a healthy lifestyle, and fun, and will continue to do so.

In conclusion, I sincerely hope that all NIRSA Members have a safe, productive and enjoyable series of education events this fall. At the same time, on behalf of the Board of Directors, I encourage all Members who are planning these events and attending them to focus on awareness and make appropriate decisions leading to responsible actions.