Ready. Set. Fall...

Where did the summer go? There was a time when summer in higher education meant rest, time to plan, and even some time at the beach. Now, most colleges and universities offer summer terms and student affairs administrators and staff usally have to stick around for much of it.

This increased summer action mainly relates to institutions trying to use their facilities more efficiently and to students wanting to complete their degrees sooner than later (to save time and money).

Still, let's admit it: who else, behinds those in academia, get weeks off at a time and every federal holiday, not even counting normal vacation days, sick leave, and "comp" time.

At ASGA, we take Fridays off from May to August. So everyone works extra hard the rest of the week to keep up with our workloads. I admit that it's great to have an extra weekend day to rest, spend time with the family, and to travel/visit with family and friends. Fall is coming, and that means lots of travel for me to ASGA's conferences, not to mention consulting trips to several member institutions.

It's still stinking hot in Florida (actually we just started the heat of summer), but it's beginning to look a lot like fall around the office as we get ready for the fall semester rush.

No more "status quo"

Most of us keeping doing what you've been doing. Why? It's easier than innovating, creating, taking risks to create something new. Trying new things involves the potential, maybe even likelihood, of it not succeeding exactly as we envision.

But we grow as leaders and our organizations improve when we strive to be better.

For example, ASGA discovered a new way to gather information that we store in our SG Database which include information on every student government in America. Our team literally researches information on every college and university in the nation, one at a time. It's time-consuming, exhaustive work. In the past, each of our data-entry team members might, on a good day, be able to complete research on five institutions.

However, in the last month, we experimented with a new system. This new system has led to us tripling our production. Each of now can complete 15 schools on a good day. This mean updating as many as 75 institutions a day. With 5,000 colleges and universities in the nation, we ideally need to be updating data on every institution twice a year. we were barely getting through once a year using the old ways. Now it's more realistic to get through the nation twice a year. That's exciting. We're better able to serve our members with better data on student governments everywhere.

Changing our methods was risky and potentially could have caused problems. But the risk paid off. ASGA is much deeper and more accurate now as a result.

All of us in Student Government must be willing to take risks when the reward and result could better serve our constituents. We can't be content with the status quo.

Sweet Home Alabama

Leaving in the morning for a consulting/training trip to Auburn University's Montgomery campus. I'm facilitating their SGA training retreat at a 4H camp. Looking forward to helping this member institution.

It's a privilege to serve Student Governments and be trusted to provide them with information, advice, and training. I don't take this responsibility lightly.

In preparation for going, I spoke with two administrators and the SGA president in some depth, to learn about their problems and issues and specifically want they must want to learn, and what they most need to learn.

They asked me to do some "leadership" training, but my specialty is student government and that's what they're getting when they bring me to work with them. I'm Mr. Student Government and that means everything I talk with them about is on how they can improve their Student Government this year.

If everything goes as planned, I'll be home Sunday early morning (1 or 2 a.m.). I plan to drive straight through. It's seven hours there and back. But I've learned that if it would take eight hours to drive, you're better off driving than flying, particularly in my case. There is no cost-efficient airport within minutes of my home, so I have to drive two hours to Orlando, Jacksonville, or Tampa to get more palatable fares. So when I think how long it will take to drive, and wonder if I could save time by flying, I have to build in four hours of driving to any airport, plus another hour or more of "waiting" time. My rule is I drive when it is under 8 hours.

Smooth transitions

Watching last week's presidential inauguration reminded me how important "transitions" are for Student Governments. Very few SGs transition well, and this means that new officers come into office knowing very little of what their jobs entail or what has been tried or done before them. They spend a lot of needless time "reinventing the wheel" as a result.

Love him or hate him, it appears that former President Bush and his team did an admirable job of making the transition to President Obama and his team go as smoothly as possible. I haven't read of any juvenile actions that haunted the Clinton administration when they handed over the White House to W. There were stories that implied that some members of the outgoing team made it harder for the new workers.

I hope as your term of office nears, you'll be getting materials, information, and records ready to help your successor, even if you think that person is a know-nothing jerk. Keep notes on all that you do, the progress you've made, the work you've accomplished. Keep notes of who lilkes youo and who hates you on campus. Who has helped you wade through the school bureaucracy?

All of this information will help your successor take on her role with the knowledge needed to be successful. You'll leave the position better off than when you began. That should be one of your top goals as your term of office draws to a close.

Working Electronically

At least two days a week, I work from my home. I take and make calls, send e-mails, answer questions from members all from my laptop in the living room at my house. My children are playing and working in the background the whole day.

Not only does working at home save money and time in traveling to the office (I live about 35 minutes away), I get to spend more time with my family! Sometimes, it gets pretty loud around here, but that's OK.

This new mode of work made me think how this could apply to student governments. So many institutions already offer on-line courses. Some, like Washington State, have a completely distance-oriented degree program. Their student government operates totally online, as their members never set foot on the campus in Pullman but are spread out across the nation. They hold their meetings online, take votes, present resolutions, do research, connect with their peers, and more, all from their computers.

Can your student government be more efficient in using technology? Perhaps some of your meetings could be replaced by online meetings. Perhaps some of your committee work could be replaced electronic reports.

I know for me, the option of working at home has been a blessing. As I write this, I'm at home listening to my children and wife work on Christmas cards and birthday cards for Gramma. I'm a part of the family, not apart.

Giving private help and support...

With just one more ASGA conference in 2008, our Southern California event for community colleges, I'm already turning to consulting and training at individual colleges and universities. In the past few days, ASGA has confirmed that we'll be training new officers, members, and advisors at Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania, South Carolina State University, and Red Rocks Community College, all in the next few weeks. Also, we'll be helping Wesley College, Ohio Dominican University, and Lorain County Community College amend and enhance their constitutions.

December and January have become ASGA's time to serve our members individually, on their campuses. It's our chance to deal with members one-on-one and really immerse ourselves in their unique issues and challenges.

While it's a lot of travel and definitely a lot of work and brain power expended, it is also very rewarding. I look forward to the chance to serve our members.

Back from Big D

Spent last weekend in Dallas at ASGA's annual Southwest Student Government Training Conference at Northwood University. It's the fourth year in a row at that same beautiful suburban location.

We brought in a new speaker, Chris Irving, for this event and his reviews were strong. It was great to catch up with Andre Koen from Minnesota (he was at last year's Dallas conference and also emceed our New Officers event in Orlando). Susan Leahy, of course, was also there.

At dinner after the conference was over, we had the deepest, most enjoyable conversation I think I've had at an ASGA conference in years. We spoke about our beliefs and faith, or lack thereof, and really delved into some sensitive areas that are normally taboo in most social conversations. I enjoyed it very much.

ASGA has been considering a "faith-based conference," knowing how many Christian-related colleges and universities there are in the nation (2,000). We have been surveying students and administrators and so far had strong positive feedback. Adding this conference would mean ASGA produces 11 events a year. With us also taking on consulting and training at individual colleges and universities throughout the year, we're on the go a lot.

But it's all worth it! I have figured out a balance between work and home, usually working at my home now instead of at my office 30 minutes away. I'm able to spend time with my wife and children while also working on ASGA business, helping our members and answering questions.

Now up to 778 member institutions! We're on pace to crack 800 members by year's end!

ASGA keeps growing and growing...

In four years, ASGA has grown from an idea to by far the largest student leadership organization in the nation.

ASGA now has 774 member institutions, plus we store information in our searchable database on every Student Government in America. Our ASGA team adds new and updated information every day.

We now produce 10 Student Government training conferences, which frankly are the most helpful and practical in the nation. Our conferences always get better, as we bring in new speakers and new and more interactive workshops and roundtables.

ASGA is the only organization that I know of that gets visibly better ever day. We literally impove every day. We add more knowledge every day. We help solve our members' problems. Everything we do improves our resources and makes ASGA more valuable to all of our members who take avantage of our support.

There is no sign that ASGA is slowing down! We're averaging 170 new member schools each year (probably closer to 200 this year). Every one of our conferences this year has attracted more attendees than the previous year. We're doing more consulting, helping members improve their constitutions and train their members.

It's an exciting time for ASGA and our members. We love serving Student Governments and helping students and administrators!

No matter how much you plan, something usually goes wrong...

Just got back from our Midwest conference in Chicago. Overall, a great experience. Largest crowd we've had there. The venue was the most convenient and most attractive yet. Set up was relatively easy. The students were attentive and willing to listen and learn.

Despite these positives, there were some negatives. My flight from Florida was delayed by weather, meaning I didn't get done setting up Friday night until well after midnight. Then the food-service provider didn't provide enough food for either the continental breakfast or the lunch for attendees. We had some hungry and, as a result, unhappy campers, so to speak, and justifiably so.

Despite all of our planning and advance work, there was nothing I could do about the delayed flight. I just sat and waited, trying to catch up on e-mail and phone calls.And on the food front, both ASGA and our host had provided the correct numbers to the caterer. They just didn't deliver on their end.

Of course, the food issue could have led to a black-eye for the conference. But I took responsibility and offered all 240 attendees a $10 off discount toward a future ASGA conference, as an apology. I think, in the end, it was OK.

What this teaches me and reminds me is that so much of our work is outside our control and influence. No matter what we do, no matter how many times we check up, and no matter how much advance planning there is, something usually goes wrong that is outside of our influence. We have no control over the catering, and certainly have no power to change air-traffic control decisions on flights leaving the southeast.

I took both issues pretty much in stride. In the past, I might have blown up and caused a scene. Either I've mellowed as I get older and more experience or I have learned to maintain more of a level head, especially over matters I don't have the power to change.

Off to Chicago!

I leave tomorrow for ASGA's Midwest conference in Chicago. It's our largest-ever "regional" conference. It will be a long weekend, but a productive one.

These conferences are where ASGA really can help our members learn and improve. It's our chance to talk with members face-to-face, get to know them, and answer their questions and help solve their problems.

While I dislike the travel part (it's a business trip, not a pleasure cruise), I do enjoy spending time with my colleagues and fellow speakers. We can catch up on each others' lives.

The best part of a conference like Chicago is seeing the evaluations at the end. How did we do? How much did they learn? What can we improve on?

I'll be back Sunday in time to spend the afternoon with my wife and children. Then it will be time to get ready for our Dallas event in early November.

Serving is on my mind...

Being a parent of five children and also a man of "faith," service is always in the forefront of my life.

Teaching and training my children means being more self-less-- giving up most of the things I did before I was married and had children. Being a good parent is about giving up time as well. It's all about serving.

My "faith" also demands that I be a servant and have a mentality of helping others all the time.

This philosophy of focusing on helping and serving others translates well to be a public servant, such as a leader in Student Government.

Student leaders often are self-serving, using their positions for personal gain as their priority over helping to improve the institution for their constituents, their fellow students. Our nation's elected "leaders" most assuredly usually base decisions on what will get them elected the next term and what will help them get more attention personally or make more money.

ASGA is trying our best to teach the importance of service to others. I attended a White House ceremony recently during which President Bush encouraged Americans to give of themselves, to volunteer 4,000 hours to their communities during their lifetimes. I endorse and support this initiative. Being a leader should be all about service.

A week to go...

Yesterday, our team shipped the rest of the materials that we'll be using at our upcoming National Student Government Summit in Washington, D.C. It's the largest Student Government conference in the nation.

It takes months of planning and hard work to produce an event of this magnitude. Nearly all of ASGA's "headquarters" staff is coming to pitch in. Compared to our regional conferences, we have more than four times the number of speakers, workshops, and even days (this is a four-day conference, while our regionals are one-day events).

It was exciting yesterday to see the last of the boxes head out.

Last night, when I was with the family doing a little shopping, I noticed the time-- 7:03 p.m. I told everyone that one week from now, our conference video introduction would be playing and we would be starting the conference!

The National Student Government Summit is by far ASGA's biggest and most exciting event. And as it grows (all four years it has grown in number of participants, speakers, and workshops), it becomes more of a challenge to manage. But our team works hard and we get better at planning. We're learning all the time, just like our "constituents," Student Government leaders and advisors.

We're an organization that continually tries to grow and improve.

For those of you who are coming to DC next week, thanks. You're in for a great time and will learn a lot. See you in DC!

Transitioning well is key

Just got back from a weekend in South Carolina working with an ASGA member institution. The SGA there has a history of ineffectiveness and tons of turnover. Only five officers/members return from last year and the rest have no SGA experience.

If you're at a school like this, where SGA is basically reinvented every year, it should be a priority this year for you to work hard on "transitioning." What does this mean?

Everything you do in your position should be "captured." You should write down the time you spend on a project, the contacts you make, the difficulties you encounter, the progress you have, the enemies you make, the friends who help you, and more. Basically, you're getting a snapshot of what your job really entails and what your time committment really looks like. This will help your successor get up to speed more more quickly. He/she won't be fumbling around trying to learn what to do. You will have outlined their responsibilities and expectations already.

I see this "transition" material being stored electronically so that if you lose a notebook, all of this work won't be gone forever. Ideally, you would store this at your SGA web site, assuming you have one (if you don't have one, it's time to make that happen!). Or you could store this in your profile at the ASGA web site. ASGA stores vast data on every student government in the nation.

Remember how you felt when you came into office and didn't have a clue about what you're supposed to do next? You can make it so much easier for your successor by keeping track of all that you say, do, and work on during your term of office.

Transitioning is key to having an effective student government.

Stretching and growing...

Even though I've been working on student government business for close to 26 years, never a day goes by that I don't learn something new. I'm not content to stay where I am-- I want to continue growing and improving and learning.

I make sure to subscribe to Google alerts, so I can be in touch with news about student governments. I get dozens of campus newspapers sent to me electronically. I monitor student leader web sites daily. I do searches on the web for student government and other related terms. I e-mail and call dozens of students and advisors every week.

We can't afford to be isolated and content. We have to be willing to consider new ideas, take on new projects, and take risks.

All of this helps stretch me. And this makes ASGA a better resource for all of our members.

Expecting a storm...

The ASGA offices are located in usually sunny Florida. But this past weekend, our headquarters was right smack dab in the path of slow-moving Tropical Storm Fay. While the storm didn't have hurricane-force winds, it did pack a punch. It dumped inches and inches of rain on our area, waterlogging everyone and everything. One of my relatives had 30 inches of rain! We're drying out now, thankfully.

As the storm churned toward us, the ASGA team all made plans for our homes and families. We turned off equipment at our offices. We cleaned gutters and picked up anything that could get thrown by the winds into windows. We filled gas tanks for the generator and stocked up on canned goods and water.

It was a reminder to me about the value of preparation. In Student Governments, there are times that we take on an issue or problem and we can predict there will be a storm ahead-- a storm of protests or negative reaction or criticism.

Just like preparing for a natural disaster is wise, it's wisdom to think ahead and play devil's advocate and be ready for what may come as a campus leader. By doing so, you are preparing for the storm ahead. Hopefully, like Tropical Storm Fay, it will pass you by relatively unscathed.

What's really important

Family. Friends. My faith. These are what are REALLY important to me. Student Governments and helping them improve comes in a strong fourth. But all of us need to set our priorities on what is really important in our lives.

I just spent the day with my wife, children, and parents, who came to our house to celebrate the second birthday of my youngest son, Luke. We had a great family day with lots of laughter, good food, funny stories, and reminiscing about old times when I was a boy. The children love to hear about what Daddy was like as a little boy.

It was a relaxing and enjoyable time, and this day reminded me of why I work so hard on ASGA and our conferences. I provide for my family, of course, and also I want to show them that our lives should be about service and giving and doing for others. Not about boosting our own egos or making millions or getting recognition. This day reminded me of the importance of service.

It was a perfect family day.

Getting ready

The whole ASGA team is starting to get into our "national conference" mode. With ASGA's National Student Government Summit about five weeks away, we're already planning, getting materials ready, working on handouts and presentations, and confirming speakers. It might be the largest Student Government conference in the history of the nation.

It's a ton of work and planning to create an event that "looks" well-organized. There is so much planning and work that goes into creating an event that is enjoyable to attendees.

We also want to make it better for returning attendees. We always are incorporating new workshops and new ideas to make the experience better for everyone. ASGA is an organization that is constantly working to improve, with the goal of better-serving our members.

Hope you can make it to this year's national conference. It's not too late to register, although our hotel block is nearly sold out again (we have already added to the block three times). Register at www.asgaonline.com/conferences/national.

Travelin' man

Just got back from back-to-back trips to Boston and Salt Lake City, both trips for ASGA. The Boston event was last Saturday-- our first-ever Boston Student Government Training Conference at the University of Massachusetts/Boston. Rain meant flight delays in Tampa and in Charlotte. Got to Boston late Friday night, then set up on campus before the conference on Saturday. We had a great showing-- 148 registrants from 32 schools nationwide-- even though ASGA just announced this conference about three months ago.

After flying back home to be with the fam on Sunday and Monday morning, I headed to Tampa for a flight to Salt Lake City to consult/train one of ASGA's founding member, Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. Worked with them all day on Tuesday, then caught a red-eye flight back home, arriving at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

I was so beat that I took a four-hour nap on Wednesday afternoon. Only now am I feeling rested. I really don't know how politicans speak day after day after day. I do know, actually. They have staff members that plan their flights, do their advance work, get them ready for trips, etc. I'm the "advance" team for ASGA's conferences, and we're still a growing organization and don't have the resources to have a full-time meeting planner on staff yet.

Traveling by plane now is a painful exercise, let me tell you. It's no fun sitting in a space about 18 inches across, squeezed in with two other seat-mates, for four or five hours. Making matters worse this latest trip was my computer battery failing. I spilled coffee on the computer a few weeks ago, and while the machine is still working fine, I think the battery is kaput. Ebay here I come!

All this travel is part of being a servant leader. It's part of my role to be on the road working with and serving SG leaders and advisors across the nation. The Weber State trip was a "no-fee" trip-- they won a free "training" at the last National Student Government Summit. So I made good on our promise and went out there.

Next up is a training with one of our members in South Carolina, Southern Wesleyan University, in mid September. Then we're off to the largest student government conference in the history of America, the fourth annual ASGA National Student Government Summit in late September in DC!

Reinventing the wheel

Great leaders learn from the mistakes and successes of others. I sure didn't as a young leader. I blindly charged ahead, making costly errors one after the other. Over my 25-year career, I'm made some whoppers.

Fortunately, I've learned from most of my mistakes and also try my best to learn from others.

In Student Government, very little is "new under the sun." The project or service you're trying to provide or create probably has been done or tried before. You can save your SG a lot of time and pain by learning from those who already have done it, perhaps better than you as well.

That's what ASGA provides: a way for you to connect with other SG leaders and advisors who are in the same boat, are dealing with the same issues, are struggling with the same problems. Those of you who are ASGA members, take advantage of the vast resources we offer. Our team spends thousands and thousands of hours updating information on colleges and universities so you don't have to!

How to connect...

Was looking at the SGA web site at Colgate University last night and noticed that the president and vice president both include links to their Facebook profiles. They have graphics next to their photos that encourage students to "friend" them.

This is the first time I've seen this used at an SGA web site, and I think it's a great idea.

Being a better leader is all about connecting with others who may know more than you or who can help you learn and improve. In this case, connecting with their peers is both wise and politically astute.

I encourage you to make sure your constituents can find you, can connect with you, and to make sure you have many ways of reaching out to them (phone, fax, e-mail, web, Facebook, MySpace, and more).