Clay Schwenn, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Past Involvement in NACADA:

Years in NACADA: 5 years

National Offices Held and Accomplishments Achieved While in Office:

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

Committee/Task Force/Advisory Board Activities and Accomplishments:

Commission/Interest Group Activities and Accomplishments:

• Current member — Technology in Advising Commission, Advising Student Athletes Commission, Advising Business Majors Commission
• Current Member — Probation/Dismissal/Reinstatement Issues Interest Group
• Member, Advising Student Athletes Commission Steering Committee

Other:

• Activities at University of Washington —
  • Co-Producer, University of Washington Advising Podcast
  • Chair, Association of Professional Advisers and Counselors
• NACADA National Conference Presentations —
  • Presenter - "Three Ways to Think About Transfer/Transition" (2006, Commission-Sponsored, Advising Transfer Students Commission)
  • Presenter, "Transfer Readiness: Meeting the Challenge" (2005, Commission-Sponsored, Advising Transfer Students Commission)
• Participant, Academic Advising Summer Institute, Portsmouth, VA, 2004 

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?  

Having been a member of the Technology in Advising listserve since May 1996 (when "shoes@udel" ran the show), I've been actively engaged in applying technology to the process of advising for quite some time. Back then, IRC and email were relative newcomers to advising, and our field worked hard to make these applications work to our benefit. It strikes me that the conversations advisers are having about social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, etc.) are remarkably similar to the conversations we had in the mid-90s about email advising. The conventions we use, the nature of the interactions and the language we use (who knew salutations and closings could be interpreted so many different ways?) evolved out of those early discussions. In the same way, Podcasting, Social Networking and video chat have the potential to enhance the ways we interact with students by making them more informed, by making our knowledge more accessible and by meeting students in the spaces (virtual or otherwise) they inhabit.

At the UW and beyond, I've been vocal in shaping those discussions about technological interactions and creative in their application to insure that the technology serves us, not the other way around.

• 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?

One of the missions of NACADA's strategic plan is to "Anticipate the academic advising needs of twenty-first century students, advisors and institutions." The Technology in Advising Commission has been anticipating these needs through a variety of applications. For the UW, podcasting has become more than just a buzz-word; it is a useful tool for helping students become more informed and engaged in their education, even without being in a classroom or an adviser's office. My view of the application of this technology is not that it is a race to be first, but rather a time to broadcast our experiences and discuss what works well and what needs additional attention.

Additionally, it was clear from the discussion at the Technology in Advising Commission meeting at the NACADA National Convention that our membership is concerned about database management and ways to extract information more effectively. During the discussion, it became clear to me that some campuses have invested money in "off-the-shelf" programs without necessarily asking advisers about their needs, and more importantly, the students needs. Perhaps the Technology in Advising Commission should investigate the time commitments needed to make these programs work for individual campuses, with the hope of helping administrators evaluate the true cost of the purchase. Not only would it give us the chance to "advance the body of knowledge on academic advising", but it would also bring advising into a discussion of how we can effectively support institutional missions and vitality through technical applications.

Finally, cross-campus communications seem to be a thread that runs through all of these discussions. At UW, we have created tools that have enhanced our advising record keeping and encouraged cross-campus communication regarding students. The foundation to enhance our ability to communicate in a timely and effective manner with our colleagues has been built at a variety of institutions, and I think the time has come for us to come together as a commission and document some of the best practices, technological challenges and positive outcomes as more campuses begin their own efforts to build these systems.

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

One of the rewarding things about the NACADA National conference is the opportunity to connect with your colleagues and learn about the great things they are doing. What I discovered at the most recent conference was that I was doing a lot of teaching about the applicability of podcasting and social networking to advising. I think the chair of the Technology in Advising Commission serves an important role not just in setting the agenda, but also serving as a resource for people who view technology as a hurdle. I'd like to help lower that hurdle, not just by serving as a resource, but by connecting people who are attempting to create similar advising resources. I didn't set out at the conference to earn a nomination, but having been nominated, I look forward to the opportunity to teach and serve the commission and the organization at-large.

• 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. 

Please feel free to check out the UW Advising Podcast either through iTunes or by pointing your browser to http://depts.washington.edu/advpdcst/AdvisingPod/ You're also welcome to add me as a friend on Facebook.