Albert Matheny, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Past Involvement in NACADA:

Years in NACADA: 8 years

National Offices Held and Accomplishments Achieved While in Office:

• Chair, Professional Development Committee, 2006-2007

Regional Activities/Offices Held, including accomplishments achieved while in office:

• Presenter, Region 4 Pre-conference Workshop, Pensacola, FL 2002; Oxford, MS 2003

Committee/Task Force/Advisory Board Activities and Accomplishments:

• Chair, Administrators' Institute Advisory Board, 2005-2007 

Commission/Interest Group Activities and Accomplishments:

• Current Member — Advising Administration Commission, Technology in Advising Commission, Advisor Training & Development Commission, Assessment of Advising Commission

Other:

• Director, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Academic Advising Center, University of Florida — a 25-person operation advising over 14,000 students, including at-risk, exploratory, major, and preprofessional advising; involved in all aspect of undergraduate life on campus (except for student financial), including admission, housing, academics, enrollment management, athletics, graduation, career counseling. 

• Faculty member, NACADA Administrators' Institute, 2005, 2006, 2007
• Recipient, NACADA Outstanding Advising Administrator Award, 2003

Platform Statement:

• Highlight your previous involvement within this unit that will help you in leading this unit. What roles have you played within this particular unit as a member thus far?  

The primary focus of effective advising administration has to be on professional development of the advisors under one's supervision. That's why I've been involved in the Administrators' Institute (AI) since it was started. I attended the first one, and then became a faculty a couple of years later. After that, I was asked to serve as Chair of the AI Advisory Board, and have continued to serve as a faculty on the AI as well as developing the Seminar prior to AI.

In my job, I make professional development one of three equally important aspects of my advisors' road to promotion.

• What do you believe are the most important goals and initiatives for this unit in meeting the strategic plan for both the unit and the Association?

We must continue to offer new and interesting opportunities for professional development among our growing NACADA membership. This means that we have to keep an eye on developments in the advising field and in higher education generally. Once these are identified, we must use the vehicles at hand (Regional meetings, National Conference, AI, and Summer Institute) to give our membership the opportunity to comprehend and respond to these developments professionally.

• Why are you interested in serving in this leadership position or what influenced you to run for this leadership position? 

I was asked by the NACADA administration to stand in for the position when the previous occupant retired unexpectedly and left it vacant.

• Provide any additional comments or information (either personal or leadership-related) that you want potential voters to know about you that is not covered elsewhere in your platform information. 

To be honest, NACADA has offered me unexpected opportunities to develop as an advising professional. I come from a faculty background at the University of Florida where I taught and did research for 20 years before accepting the job of Director of the Academic Advising Center there. Immediately, I was told by all my staff that I HAD to get involved in NACADA. I have never regretted it for a moment. I did Summer Institute and AI, then I got more and more involved, and it really helped me frame my experiences at UF.

I learned how to become an advising administrator on the job, and I realize how important that NACADA exposure has been for me, learning how to do the job right. I would like to help others have the same good experience that I have had. I'm only as good as the people who work with me, and so anything I can do to make them more competent professionally makes me better, too.