Holiday Break

Like many people in higher education, I'm looking forward to spending time with my wife and children over the Christmas break. The time between Christmas and New Year's is about the slowest time of the year for ASGA. Most of our members are home with their families and are enjoying a break from college and from their jobs in education. The number of e-mails, calls, and live chats slows to a trickle during this period. It's very quiet at our offices in Florida.

However, just like during the summer months, most colleges and universities remain open and some administrators and staff continue to work. While mid-December to mid-January is an "off" time for most student leaders and student affairs administrators, your institution usually remains open and continues to work on projects and programs.

Student Governments should be aware of this and make sure that they're in the loop on any decisions that are being made over the holidays and summer break. It's part of staying in touch so that you can better serve your constituents.

There's little worse than coming back from a restful holiday and finding that construction has started on a new building you knew nothing about!

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.