Commission Chairs are elected by their Commission members and provide leadership for Commission activities in support of the profession by representing its members and their needs and concerns through the Division Representatives and communicating with the members. Commission Chairs coordinate commission activities and lead Commission meetings during the Annual Conference. Commission Chairs report to the Division Representatives for the Commission and Interest Group Division (CIGD).
Advising Administration Chair - (elected, term October 2018 - October 2020). Prior to taking office, candidates must have completed the previous year as a member in the Commission and be a current member in that group.
Susan Poch
Washington State University Pullman, WA
Platform
Platform Statement: Part I
1. If elected to this position, what will you attempt to accomplish that will help to meet the strategic goals of the Association? (1500 characters or less) Each year many new advising administrators are born. The role of administrator is not always easy, nor are there any instruction manuals on how to do it best. I would like work toward providing new administrators with an informal and informative opportunity for professional growth through a “Topic of the Month” blog related to specific areas of their positions. This could be a condensed, short, readable, digestible, and actionable message to the listserv through a compilation of NACADA resources, other research, and tips from other advising administrators.
One of the Commission’s goals is to make the universe smaller for advising administrators. Through the Topic of the Month message, new administrators can develop a network of advising administrators in NACADA with whom they can connect for specific questions and responses. Further, this has the potential to make the listserv a more robust and valuable information-sharing and information-gathering opportunity.
Platform Statement: Part II
2. Describe an accomplishment on your own campus or within NACADA of which you are proud. What do you believe your accomplishment demonstrates about your abilities as a leader? (1500 characters or less)
Academic advising at Washington State University is decentralized and in the past departments and other advising units had no common objective or vision of academic advising. Twice I have been successful at leading teams of advisors to craft our first, and subsequent, vision, mission, and set of strategic goals for academic advising. We developed action steps and identified gaps that could be addressed. One of those was the development of the WSU ACADA, an affiliate to NACADA. Our organization has continued to provide professional development to all faculty and staff advisors for more than ten years.
These accomplishments are not mine alone; a dedicated group of visionary advisors did the hard work. As a leader, my role is to bring groups together, to provide opportunity and a nudge, to support and to champion their work. Max DePree said, “The leader is the servant who removes the obstacles that prevent people from doing their jobs.” My goal--always. When I am an effective...
Academic advising at Washington State University is decentralized and in the past departments and other advising units had no common objective or vision of academic advising. Twice I have been successful at leading teams of advisors to craft our first, and subsequent, vision, mission, and set of strategic goals for academic advising. We developed action steps and identified gaps that could be addressed. One of those was the development of the WSU ACADA, an affiliate to NACADA. Our organization has continued to provide professional development to all faculty and staff advisors for more than ten years.
These accomplishments are not mine alone; a dedicated group of visionary advisors did the hard work. As a leader, my role is to bring groups together, to provide opportunity and a nudge, to support and to champion their work. Max DePree said, “The leader is the servant who removes the obstacles that prevent people from doing their jobs.” My goal--always. When I am an effective leader, students, staff, and the institution’s vision and goals are realized.
Platform Statement: Part III
3. Why are you interested in serving in this leadership position or what influenced you to run for this leadership position? (1500 characters or less) The Advising Administration Commission has been an important piece of my growth as an administrator. I have been so fortunate to have these helpful men and women in my professional life. While I have participated on several advisory boards for NACADA, I believe serving as the chair of the Advising Administration Commission is a leadership position with many personal and professional opportunities. I am eager to help shape the commission’s future and meet new and previously established goals.
Platform Statement: Part IV
4. Please describe how you will work to promote the enhancement of inclusivity throughout (or within) the association. (1500 characters or less)
Engagement and inclusivity are the very foundation of NACADA and they are what keeps our association strong and moving forward. Although the role of advising administrator is our common denominator within this Commission, we each approach our profession differently and with great diversity. There is a wealth of experience and ideas to tap into and to share with others.
One of the current goals of the Advising Administration Commission is to increase the number of conference proposals. One way to do that is to establish a writing group for the Commission. It is sometimes daunting to develop a conference proposal, especially for advising administrators who often have too many tasks to complete in a day. A writing group is an opportunity to share ideas, to have work critiqued by those who understand its context, and to have like-minded colleagues hold each other accountable.
A writing group spans all intersections of identity and provides space for the expression of ideas in a...
Engagement and inclusivity are the very foundation of NACADA and they are what keeps our association strong and moving forward. Although the role of advising administrator is our common denominator within this Commission, we each approach our profession differently and with great diversity. There is a wealth of experience and ideas to tap into and to share with others.
One of the current goals of the Advising Administration Commission is to increase the number of conference proposals. One way to do that is to establish a writing group for the Commission. It is sometimes daunting to develop a conference proposal, especially for advising administrators who often have too many tasks to complete in a day. A writing group is an opportunity to share ideas, to have work critiqued by those who understand its context, and to have like-minded colleagues hold each other accountable.
A writing group spans all intersections of identity and provides space for the expression of ideas in a shared context of advising administration. Every member of the Commission who desires to develop a conference proposal or other piece of written work will be welcome. Developing a writing group is a tangible way to provide support to those who desire it and to enhance inclusivity throughout the association, while promoting professional growth for our members.
Past Involvement in NACADA
5. Outline your past involvement in NACADA:
a. Years in NACADA
b. National Offices Help and Accomplishments Achieved
I have been a member of NACADA for more than 17 years.
The national offices I've held and accomplishments are listed below:
• NACADA Outstanding Academic Advising Award, Academic Administrator Category, 2013
• Twice a member of the NACADA Journal’s editorial board
• Twice a mentor for the Emerging Leaders Program
• Member for ELP, Summer Institute, Webinar Advisory Boards
• Member of the Consultant’s and Speakers Bureau
• Member of the Sustainable Leadership Committee
• Summer Institute faculty
• NACADA E-tutorial faculty
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