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From: Russ Hicks
Date: 18 Oct 2008
Time: 06:31:46 -0500
Remote Name: 70.104.19.41
Hi Carla, I really wish I could claim credit for this brilliant project, but this was Jan Lougeay's idea, not mine. We've been talking about how to spread this idea out to other universities for several years, but we struggled with how to do it. My contribution to this project - aside from participating in it of course - was realizing the unique opportunity that this ISAD online conference offers for publicizing ideas like this. It just hit me like a ton of bricks on one of my morning walks. Well DUH! How obvious is it? I'm just a little embarrassed that it took me this long to realize this opportunity! <smile> ..... Regarding how to grow NSA chapters, I have several suggestions, none of which are easy. 1) Never give up. Every chapter has its inevitable ebb and flow and it's very important to not give up during the low tide. The tide will come in again! 2) The chapter leader should not have to lead every meeting. Assigning a facilitator for individual meetings allows people to grow into leadership roles. The chapter leader is responsible for arranging the meeting times and places, may start the meetings - and assigns a meeting facilitator for the next meeting. But the main discussion topic for the meeting itself should be left up to the facilitator. Without a meeting facilitator, the chapter leader will inevitably burn out of new ideas and the energy to sustain the chapter over the long haul. In Dallas we elect a new chapter leader every couple of years. 3) The website and communications team working with the NSA national office is working on a new idea called "specific audience identification," or SAI, which we can help individual chapter leaders identify NSA contact people in his or her geographic area for possible meeting publicity. This SAI project is in the early stages of development now, so stay tuned for details in the coming months. 4) As shallow and crass as it seems, FOOD will draw people to meetings. That's one of keys to the success of our Chat and Chew meetings! Pizza always draws a crowd! <smile> .... I hope you're enjoying this wonderful ISAD conference, Carla. Thanks for reading my paper and I hope to see you in Scottsdale next summer. .... Russ