Greetings NODA members, 

At this point, I imagine that you are keeping a running tally of the many times you are greeted with “Happy New Year.” You have one more to go with your count: Happy New Year! The new year for many symbolizes an opportunity to recommit yourself to the behaviors that provide a more purposeful and intentional life experience. It is also true for NODA to do the same, as we have newly elected and appointed leaders beginning terms this January. 

Over the winter break, I took the opportunity to read two books: The Post-Pandemic Liberal Arts College by Steven Volk and Beth Benedix and The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. These two texts provided space for me to reflect on myself and the commitments that I have made to the community of learners for whom I serve. Two specific parallels align with our work as orientation, transition, and retention professionals: creating a new imaginary toward a culture that values the strengths and talents of our community (faculty, staff, and students), and getting real about our individual and collective roles in systems that derail our efforts toward a more equitable and inclusive environment. 

We have an intellectually rich, highly creative, and thoughtful membership. If anything, this past year demonstrated that and reaffirmed the tenacity and resilience of our members. To share some examples: shifting from an annual in-person conference to a virtual annual conference, hosting various affinity spaces to support our members, the beginning of strategic planning for the Association, and electing our first Equity and Inclusion Officer. These examples highlight the committed, collaborative, and caring approach our members have to the Association and our profession. 

I also want to acknowledge that we cannot rest here. As we all know too well, the pandemic has highlighted opportunities and gaps that we need to address. This year will require us to make thoughtful and bold decisions to point the Association in the best direction post-pandemic while staying true to our core values and beliefs. 

I want to reiterate the goals that I shared during the closing session of the 2020 Annual Conference. 

1. Reinforce our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

2. Ensure the sustainability of our Association through and beyond the pandemic

3. Focus our efforts on building an even stronger community of members

I hope these goals lead us — to borrow the words of Volk and Benedix (2020), to “reject assimilation in favor of meeting people where they are, then building value from each individual’s lived experiences”(p. 73) — to cultivating a professional community of learners charged with creating a dynamic and inclusive experience for our institutional programs and our NODA community. 

I am excited by the Association’s possibilities and the breadth of talent to guide us. Most importantly, I’m ready to engage with you all collectively to turn our possibilities into reality.  

With gratitude and appreciation,

Karnell McConnell-Black, Ed.D.

NODA President

The Global Initiatives Committee is charged withadvising the NODA Board of Directors and Association staff in regard to representing the needs of global members of the Association and fostering the development of professional OTR practices that promote global perspectives.

The Committee has been focused on identifying various means by which the Association can support current global members, as well as re-engage previous members. The Committee has also been discussing means by which to make the Association and its activities more accessible to global members.

One of the ongoing challenges faced by global NODA members who have never worked in the United States has been understanding the terminology used in OTR in the US, and as a result, during conferences and in publications. In an effort to assist the international delegates of NODAC 2020 overcome the terminology barrier, this NODA Terminology Resource Guide has been developed. We encourage all NODA members to review the Guide to familiarize yourself with terms used that you or other members may not understand. The Committee also wishes to extend a warm “Thank you!” to the many presenters and facilitators who were mindful of their language during the conference and used inclusive terminology to support our international audience.

In the upcoming year we will be exploring collaboration opportunities with other NODA Committees that will further support our global members in their efforts to connect with peers across the NODA network.

The Global Initiatives Committee is currently seeking more members. If you are interested in being a part of this team, please apply here!

The Nominations & Elections Committee is responsible in identifying applicants with preferred qualifications for elected leadership positions (President-Elect, Secretary Treasurer, General Board Members and Regional Coordinators). They seek nominations from leadership and the current membership and screen applicants to produce an intentionally diverse pool of candidates for all elected positions that are qualified for service and able to advance the work of the Association. They are also responsible for coordinating the logistics with the Association Office election preparation. Each year, the Committee reviews the election policy and process and will make any needed recommendations for the Board of Directors to consider. 

The Nominations & Elections Committee is currently working to recruit applicants for President-Elect, General Board Members and Regional Coordinators in four regions (Regions II, IV, VII and IX). This is a trying time for all of us and members who have expressed interest have shared the additional duties they have taken on at their home institutions has prevented them from taking on more responsibilities. With that, the Committee has decided to extend the application so that members have more time to prepare and submit their application for consideration. To learn more, please go to the "Get Involved" page on the NODA website. 

Assessment Resource; NODA & Skyfactor Partnership

NODA Members,

What a difference a year makes! It’s safe to say that this ‘Back to School’ season is far different than we could have possibly imagined. Many of us may still feel a bit unsettled ourselves, even as we work to help new students acclimate to our campuses amid this new, hopefully temporary ‘normal’.  One thing is for sure: the occurrences of the last few months have made our work more complex and perhaps even more meaningful. As always, we are here to support you. To that end, today I’d like to highlight the importance of gathering insights that enable you to deliver the most value to your students, their families, your staff and institutions.

Understanding student needs is now more than ever.

From national social justice protests to public health concerns, this year’s new students are entering with additional stressors than previous classes. However, many new students may not feel comfortable sharing their thoughts in public forums.  Conducting timely surveys can provide students with an outlet to communicate their needs in a safe space. Many students and their families will want to provide feedback on their current realities. Assessments can help you gain the critical insights needed to impact student success, acclimation to campus, and retention, particularly in light of the shifting needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supporting students, their families and staff amid challenges requires insight.

Nothing is routine. Even for the most seasoned orientation professional, many of the realities and norms that have driven our work have changed. What remains unaltered is the immense value in understanding the needs and sentiments of students and the staff who support them. The questions we find ourselves asking may change as we uncover needs related to the impact of issues like learning online, health concerns, and social movements on our campuses and around the country. However, the imperative of gathering feedback (and using that insight to drive the work we do) remains. Insight from students, their families and your staff, can help you better support students in developing a sense of belongingness and engagement, particularly in times of immense change. 

Validating effectiveness and value of orientation is critical. 

Research and data are critical for effectively communicating the value and results of our work, especially as many institutions face leaner budgets, staffing changes and in some instances, questions about the value of your orientation program. These realities are why it is so important to continue conducting meaningful measurements and benchmarking that help you better understand and demonstrate the results of your work to both accreditors and key institutional stakeholders.

Assessment is just as important as it ever has been, perhaps even more so than before. NODA is proud to continue to partner with Skyfactor Benchworks to continue to deliver assessments and benchmarking that align to our standards. These quantitative and qualitative infographics that illustrate the impact of the quick pivot to online learning due to COVID-19 are perfect examples of the timely, nationally benchmarked insights Skyfactor assessments can empower you to provide to key stakeholders at your institution. I encourage you to learn more about how you can customize these instruments to better fit the unique needs of your institution by contacting Courtney Briley, Senior Assessment Specialist, East at courtney.briley@macmillan.com or Glenn Skaggs, Senior Assessment Specialist, West at glenn.skaggs@macmillan.com.

Thank you for all that you do to support students and the welfare of our communities, particularly at such a time as this. 

Sincerely,

Joyce Holl
NODA Executive Director

The finance committee’s purpose is to advise the Board of Directors in its oversight responsibilities relating to fiscal management of the Association. In close partnership with the Association staff, the finance committee proposes an annual operating budget, reviews financial policies and practices, and oversees NODA’s investment funds. This committee is responsible for ensuring the overall financial health of the Association.

This past year has been a challenging time for the committee and the Association as we deal with the impact of COVID-19 on our revenue streams. In the spring, the committee tackled the financial impact of cancelling many of our regional conferences and how the Association could go about refunding participants a portion of their conference fees. In addition, the committee worked with the Association staff to develop an operating budget for the next year which accounts for the impacts of the global pandemic. The committee is pleased to share the Board has approved this operating budget during their summer meeting. Finally, the committee has developed some temporary financial oversight practices to closely monitor the cash flow of the Association and ensure we continue to have funds available to meet our obligations. Overall, the Association is doing well during these tough financial times.

Moving forward the committee will be working with the Association staff to identify additional non-program revenue opportunities. We will be identifying ways we can leverage our membership database, increasing value to our Associate Members, and identifying new sponsorship opportunities. In addition, the committee will take a comprehensive look at our investment portfolio and review our strategy for fund growth and utilization. We look forward to providing more information about the financial health of NODA during the Annual Conference.

Committee meetings are open to all members, if you are interested in joining please contact Chris Verhaeghe, NODA Secretary/Treasurer.

The NODA Board of Directors held a Summer Virtual Board Meeting August 4 and August 7, 2020.

The Board held two 3 hour meetings to receive updates and conduct strategic conversations.

Annual Conference

The Board started with an update for the 2020 Annual Conference and reviewed a draft schedule. The Board was impressed with how quickly the Conference Program Committee put together a virtual conference schedule and plans for engagement.

Regional Conferences

There were several factors that came into play during the strategic discussions related to Regional Conferences. Concerns were raised over state regulations with an active pandemic, safety and health of NODA members and students, travel restrictions and the importance of creating community. The Board passed a motion that there would not be any in-person Regional Conference. The Board asked the Association Office to seek members to apply to assist with planning regional events.

Budget Scenario Planning

A financial overview was presented to the Board highlighting the year end expenses for Fiscal Year 2019/20. Preliminary numbers were presented with the intent to provide a final report by Fall 2020. The Association received a Paycheck Protection Program loan with the goal to request “forgiveness” by the end of the calendar year. A “worst case” Scenario Budget was presented to the Board will all events being virtual, revenue significantly reduced with limited expenses. The Board approved the budget with the hopes that the Association will see a net positive at the end of the fiscal year in June.

Institute Updates

The Association Office is working on development several institutes. Lead faculty have been selected for OPI, EOI, HBCU Summit, Transition Institute, Directors Institute and the Retention Symposium. Planning is under way for these institutes that will take place virtually.

Fall Planning

Discussion took place related to strategic plans for the Fall. The Executive Committee and Joyce Holl will develop a plan and tools for engagement with NODA leaders and members. The goal would be to implement after the first of the year.

To see the meeting minutes please contact Joyce Holl holl@umn.edu

Colleagues, 

I hope that you are each well and that you have found some time for self-care, reflection and simply some relaxation in what I know is such a busy season for many of us! I know that for me this time has been met with a seesaw of emotions between being at home working and being able to be with my family all while reflecting on my privilege of being able to work from home. I have also spent so much time processing our national climate and the impacts it has on my family, friends, students, and colleagues, not only the Black Lives Matter movement, but also the direct attack on our visa holding students studying in the United States. 

In that reflection time I have concluded that our work matters more now than likely ever before! You might be thinking yes, our work as orientation, transition and retention practitioners always matters and even more so now. But, aside from our collective orientation, transition and retention work, I am speaking to our self-work, the work that arguably is harder than our day to day work in the “office”. Our self-work at a time like this is what matters most! 

How are we reflecting, digesting, critically thinking, and questioning our selves at a time like this? How are we doing the self-work to be able to do the work that we are called to do? How do we lean into the difficult self-reflection(s) about our own power, privilege, social identities both visible and invisible? 

I like to use this model below that I created to help translate the work of diversity, equity and inclusion. The top of the triangle calls us to do the self-work mentioned above to be able to then move forward and think about how your identities, both visible and invisible, influence those around you, your work, how you show up and much more. Then moving on to thinking about how you can use your identities to impact communities and spaces or how your identities impact those, always keeping in mind that your identities carry society norms, impacts, influence, bias, etc. 

How do you start or continue this work? Here are some resources that I have found helpful and others that are relevant today. 

• https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/mcintosh.pdf
• https://www.racialequitytools.org/home
• https://medium.com/@realtalkwocandallies/holy-shit-being-an-ally-isnt-about-me-ae2de5c47514
• http://www.scn.org/friends/ally.html
• http://www.agjohnson.us/books/privilege/excerpt-from-privilege-power-and-difference/
• https://medium.com/wake-up-call/a-detailed-list-of-anti-racism-resources-a34b259a3eea

In short we all have work to do on a continuous basis and we must challenge not only ourselves but our students to also do this critical self-work to be able to best show up for those around us. I encourage you to review the resources above and tune in to future resources that I and the Diversity & Inclusion Committee will put forward. 

In Solidarity, 

Lizette D. Rebolledo

NODA Equity & Inclusion Officer

As I write this from my kitchen table at home, I reflect on what a whirlwind these last few weeks have been for me, and I am certain for you as well. Our world and our work in orientation, transition, and retention have changed dramatically. These rapid, and at times daily, changes have been overwhelming, and as we are leading campus transitions, we are also navigating them for ourselves. I know that you are doing incredible work, and I hope you are also able to take time to reflect and rest.

Together as NODA members, we will get through these difficult moments, and we will do what we do best – share new strategies to tackle challenges; engage in rich conversation about how to serve students and families; and encourage each other personally and professionally. Many of my most important and valued relationships are those I share with NODA members and friends. These are the people who have already helped me make sense of what’s happening and what we are being asked to do to reimagine our OTR programming; more importantly, these are the people who send an email or text to check in to make sure I’m doing okay or make me laugh.

Over the past two weeks, I have been inspired by the NODA Association staff and the efforts of many NODA members in our regions and networks to provide a variety of timely resources and opportunities to connect. While much of what we value from our NODA involvement are the in-person networking and training opportunities for us as staff, and especially for our students, I hope that you choose to engage in our community virtually as we all navigate the new normal. It has been awesome to see so many of you already taking advantage of these virtual connections! Stay tuned to NODAfications in your email and actively read the messages shared through NODA Connect to get involved with one another.

The NODA community is incredibly strong, and I hope that it empowers and sustains you as you navigate all that’s ahead. I encourage you to reach out to Joyce Holl, NODA’s Executive Director at holl@umn.edu with your ideas or thoughts about how we can best help you during this time, and know that as your President, I am honored and grateful to be part of the NODA community with you.

Be well,

Heather Kovanic
NODA President
hamaginn@udel.edu

NODA Association February Update

It’s NODA Regional Conference time and the Region I/II joint conference started us off last weekend. Regional Conferences are a great way to connect with your peers in the region and give your students a wonderful professional development opportunity (a NODA event is often a student’s first conference), so I hope you can find the time to attend your Regional gathering. It’s not too late to register but don’t wait too long as rates will be changing.  Go to the Regional pages to find your Regional Conference registration.

Through-out the month, the Association Office provided several resources in NODAifications as you prepare for your OTR programming. In case you missed them, I am including the resources below:

• The Drug Enforcement Administration released a new publication in January to guide campuses with planning and evaluating drug misuse with college students. Here is the link to Prevention with Purpose: A Strategic Planning Guide for Preventing Drug Misuse Among College Students.

• To learn more about living and learning communities from a Global perspective read the The Journal of Student Affairs in Africa (JSAA).

• Our research and assessment partner Skyfactor Benchworks provided an article on orientation satisfaction. Take a look at the resource.

• The American College Health Association provided prevention guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control on the Novel Coronavirus. Use this resource to learn more about the facts.

• NODA publications are a great professional development resource: Building Successful Foundations: Best Practices in Orientation, Transition & Retention and ASCEND to Higher Retention Rates are selling fast. Get your copies now.

• Several of our Regions and Networks are offering free webinars. Don’t miss out on all of the great topics. Although the webinars are free, you must register. Take a look.

I hope you find these resources of value. If there is something you are looking for let us know how the Association Office can assist you.

Until next time….

Joyce Holl, NODA Executive Director

We are excited to announce that Eddie Higginbotham IV has been selected as the 2020 NODA Annual Conference Program Chair!

Eddie currently serves as the Associate Director of New Student and Family Programs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Prior to working at UT Knoxville, Eddie served as the Assistant Director for Leadership and New Student Engagement at the University of Georgia, the Assistant Director of New Student and Family Programs at Florida State University, and as a Senior Leadership Consultant and Expansion Coordinator at Theta Chi Fraternity International Headquarters. He received his bachelor's degree from Northwestern State University of Louisiana and his master's degree from Florida State University. 

Brooke Barber, Region I, Regional Coordinator

Liza Gruszka, Region V, Regional Coordinator

Bethany Naser, Region VI, Regional Coordinator

Molly Ward, Region VII, Regional Coordinator

Jamal Smith, Extended Orientation Network, Network Chair

Christy Heaton, GLBTA Network, Network Chair

Jordan Hale, Highly Selective Institutions Network, Network Chair

Krishna Patel, International Student Orientation Network, Network Chair

Alison Spannaus, Large Institutions Network, Network Chair

Rebecca Wroe, Non-traditional Student Network, Network Chair

Sarah Jewell, Parent & Family Network, Network Chair

Taylor Kamin, Transfer Student Services Network, Network Chair

Holly Williams, Two-Year Institutions Network

Jason Mastrogiovanni, Educational Initiatives Committee, Committee Chair

Karnell McConnell-Black, Board Member

Stephanie Brown, Board Member

Leslee Mayers, Board Member

Josh McKenzie, Board Member

Andrew Cinoman, Past President Recognition

Joyce Holl, Presidents' Award, 10 Years of Service as Executive Director

Kathryn Kay Coquemont, Presidents' Award, NODA Diversity and Inclusion Committee Chair

President-Elect: Shawn Smee, Murray State University

General Board Members:

• Emily Ivey, Texas A&M University
• Chrissy Roth-Francis, University of California, Berkeley
• Heather Maginnis, Universtiy of Delaware
• Zach Manning, Texas Tech University

Congratulations to Abbey Wolfman, Northern Illinois University for being selected as the 2017 Annual Conference Program Chair. Abbey will lead the conference program team for the annual conference held in Louisville, KY. NODA is happy to announce the 2017 Annual Conference Program Committee and look forward to seeing the result of their work over the next two years.

Celebration	Cimmeron O'Connor, Ohio University - Main Campus
	Richard Gray, George Mason University
Conference Speakers & Special Events	Loni Yost, University of Louisville
	Stephani Schmidt, Dalton State College
Educational Programs	Emily Jensen, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
	Amber Hoefer, Colorado State University
Local Arrangements	Keaton West, The University of West Florida
Office Manager	Jeremy McQuigge, Algonquin College
On-Site Registration	Leslie Heller, Providence College
Technology & Social Media	Adam White, Northern Illinois University
Volunteers	Brittany Acosta, University of Deleware

The election concluded yesterday evening and the Nominations Committee is pleased to announce that the NODA membership has elected the following NODA members to serve in leadership roles for the 2015-2018 term:

• President-Elect: Andy Cinoman, Florida Gulf Coast University
• Secretary-Treasurer: Allison Ragon, Lehigh University
• General Board Members:

o   Leslee Mayers, Oregon State University

o   Tom Studdert, Texas Christian University

o   Josh McKenzie, Northwestern University

o   Stephanie Brown, University of North Texas