Thank you so much for the opportunity to spend some time with all of you this afternoon.  Being a part of the ASC has been a significant opportunity for me in my years at BGSU.   When Kim asked me to speak this afternoon she indicated that  “reflection” is the theme for today’s event.  I think that is very appropriate as we make our way through a time of transition on our campus, within the state and throughout the nation.   When we reflect on our past and our roots we find the footing that keeps us grounded but yet allows us to meet the challenge of working through change and greater challenge.

I did some reflection in preparation for today and spent some time looking back my initial involvement with ASC, what that has meant to me and how this organization has grown and impacted change for all members of the administrative staff at BG.  I had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of the small group of AS staff members who saw the need for a representative constituent group for all AS staff.  Some of our first planning meetings were actually held in back yards.  The concept and the idea grew, initial governing documents were written and presentations were made to all staff and finally to the cabinet and trustees for full recognition as a part of the campus governance structure.  This took some time, but we were successful and here we are today as a fully recognized part of the shared governance structure at BGSU.   I do want to share a little bit about how far we have come in our efforts to be a credible organization representing staff that is vital to this institution. As I already indicated our initial meetings took place off campus because we were not permitted to meet during the work day, the AS handbook was very minimal, we had no voice at B of T meetings, no seat on the President’s panel and very little involvement in University wide or faculty senate committees.  We had no organized method of communications, no office, no budget, and no campus wide recognition awards.  As you all know our situations very different today and that’s due to the hard work of members of this organization.

I was fortunate enough to continue my involvement through committee work, as secretary and finally as chair.  These were tremendous opportunities from which I learned a great deal.  These experiences provided me with:

A greater understanding the University as a whole.

That Administrative Staff are exceptional colleagues and are in many respects the back bone of the institution.

That we all work toward the greater good, which is to create the best educational environment and experience for our students regardless of our title or position responsibilities.

That BGSU is a relational campus.  We get a lot of our work done as result of the relationships that we build with one another.

Discourse and disagreement are not bad, but in fact help us make better decisions and more well thought out recommendations.

These are only a few of the learning experiences I believe I have had by being involved with ASC.  More importantly I believe that our current campus, state, and national status puts us in a position to reflect back on and continue to emphasize that AS play an integral role in the total experience of our students.  The University learning outcomes reflect more than the learning that occurs in the classroom. Since most of our roles are outside of the classroom we assist in the achievement of the learning outcomes that that address the psycho- social development of our students, like providing programs and services that assist them in developing a greater sense of independence and responsibility, clarifying values by providing them with learning experiences push them to reflect and perhaps question their beliefs.  We impact the leadership development of students and help them develop and navigate the path that they will hopefully go down upon graduation.  These are all important facets of each student’s education, making it a well-rounded and full experience - one that we play a significant role in.

I highlight this because with the little bit knowledge that I think I have about the direction the state is moving in regarding the funding of higher education in the future it will be imperative for us to not only “tell our story” about our role in the total education of our students but to show that we actually do or accomplish what we think we do.  We must provide the proof, the data, and the assessments that provide the evidence of what we know happens everyday in our work with students.  This is the challenge that I offer to all of you.  Use the reflection, the growth, the significance that we have built for ourselves as a constituency group to help meet what will likely be state level challenges and mandates.  We know what we contribute everyday and I know we show this and continue our prominence as a significant part of the backbone of this University.

If you ‘re not already involved with ASC, please consider getting involved.  If you are involved, stay involved and take on greater leadership roles.  If you are a supervisor please work with your AS so that they can continue their success on your staff while combining that with involvement in ASC.