Leadership Notes

NIRSA Board’s focus is right where it belongs: on leadership

By Maureen McGonagle, CRSS, DePaul University, NIRSA President

The elected leaders of our association should focus on leadership. Perhaps that sounds more obvious than profound, but it is deceptively easy to get mired in management discussions instead of focusing on leadership. The Board of Directors (BOD) has made deliberate efforts to focus their attention where it ought to be—on leadership; the BOD has been intentional in determining direction and policy, while allowing the NNC staff to implement policy. This leadership focus is demonstrated by many of the efforts and initiatives supported at the Summer and Midyear Meetings. For example:

• The BOD established Knowledge Communities in student learning, health and wellness, and sustainability. These veritable “think tanks” position us to be proactive in determining our future direction.
• The BOD authorized the reinstatement of the Chief Operating Officer position, which has enabled our Executive Director to appropriately focus his attention on association leadership with confidence that the COO is providing the necessary management oversight at the NNC.
• The BOD actively supported the identification and funding of research initiatives that will benefit our membership and our field, including a Student Assessment Research Project at the 2007 NIRSA National Volleyball Sport Club Championships and the Comprehensive NIRSA Member Needs Assessment.
• The BOD approved an initiative to move the responsibility for chairing the Annual Conference Program Committee from the Past President to a professional member. As the BOD member with the most institutional history, the Past President can better serve the board by focusing time and energy on leadership issues.
• The BOD has worked diligently to be more effective and efficient during meetings (admittedly a management focus!). These small improvements may seem inconsequential, but they have freed up valuable agenda time, which has enabled the Board to have regular face-to-face meeting time discussing leadership issues important to NIRSA.

It is important for members to know that the BOD has been deliberate in using time and resources, in maintaining appropriate focus, and in ensuring clarity of purpose. Perhaps there has been no rhyme, but there has certainly been reason.

Thank you!

While the entire NIRSA Board worked hard on your behalf, special kudos go to those “freshman” members who have been nothing but impressive since their election in April. Jen de-Vries, Mike Waldron, Amy Jo Jenkins, and George Brown have been informed, thoughtful, and dedicated in serving NIRSA. Their ability and willingness to immediately take an active role in Board discussions and actions has greatly benefited both the Board and our association.

And special thanks to Dan Allen of the University of Minnesota and the 2007 Annual Conference Host Committee. It is abundantly clear they’ve been working very hard to put together a fantastic Minneapolis experience for us in April, and I have no doubt they’ll be successful.