Leadership Notes

Building cathedrals

By Maureen McGonagle, CRSS, DePaul University, NIRSA President

NIRSA Colleagues,

We’re near the summer turning point when thoughts of vacations and summer camps are replaced by thoughts of retreats and planning sessions. As you start preparing for the new school year, please consider the following story:

Three people were at work in a quarry. All three were performing the same task, but when asked what the job was, the answers varied.

“Breaking rocks,” the first replied.

“Earning my living,” the second said.

“Helping to build a cathedral,” the third responded. 

Our work is important to our students, our faculty/staff, our employees, and our universities. And WE choose whether the value of our work is reflected in the language we use to describe our role on campus; are we educators or do we work in the gym?

As you prepare to train new employees, recruit participants to your programs, and collaborate with colleagues, decide whether you are breaking rocks or building a cathedral. And then intentionally choose your words to convey to everyone the importance of your role on campus.

Thank you!

The work of NIRSA couldn’t happen without the volunteer efforts of our members. THANK YOU to those who have made a difference this summer, including: Dan Hazlett for chairing the National Campus Championship Series (NCCS) Committee and leading the first meeting in Corvallis, Oregon; NIRSA Historian Paul Wilson for traveling to Corvallis to continue important work relating to the history of our association; Danell Haines and Mike Dunn for convening the second annual Research Institute Advisory Board meeting in Columbus, Ohio; Kathleen Hatch and Lloyd Hisaka for presenting a NIRSA poster session at the Campus of the Future conference; and everyone who submitted a presentation proposal for the 2007 Annual Conference.