Elaine Borrelli, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

Past Involvement in NACADA:

Years in NACADA: 7 years
Regional Activities/Offices Held, including accomplishments achieved while in office: NACADA Rocky Mountain regional meetings committees, presentations. Organizing committee that established NM Academic Advisors Association (NMAAA). NMAAA State Conference-various presentations, committees.  Advising Administration Commission Regional Liaison. Advisory Council to Rocky Mountain Region Chair. Rocky Mountain conferences - proposal reviews, conference committees.
National Offices Held and Accomplishments Achieved While in Office: Current member, NACADA Board of Directors, 2002-2003. Rocky Mountain Regional Representative to NACADA Board, 2000-2002.
Committee Activities and Accomplishments: Professional Development Task Force of NACADA Board;
Advisor Competencies and Responsibilities Task Force; NACADA Leadership (Mentor) Program - Leader;
Proposal Reviewer, National NACADA Conference.
Commission/Interest Group Activities and Accomplishments: Member, Advisor Training and Development Commission and Advising Administration Commission. Member, Theory and Philosophy of Academic Advising Interest Group and Assessment of Advising Interest Group.
Other: University of New Mexico activities-Advising Council member, various Retention and Student Services committees, Chair-UNM Advising Council; Instructor--Freshman Living & Learning Community; Director of Engineering Student Programs; Director of Women in Science and Engineering.  Other related activities and experiences-Community college instructor, Instructional computing consultant, small business owner.

We affirm the spirit of NACADA each time we say a reassuring word to a parent during orientation, each time we correct an error in the pre-requisites printed in a course catalogue, and each time a student takes a deep breath and admits to not having attended classes for more than a month.

We have crossed the threshold into our new organizational structure and have embarked upon the formulation of policies and standards at the core of academic advising.  We are challenged to construct a unified and unifying definition of "academic advising."  This is no small matter when we consider the depth and breadth of academic advising as it interweaves the lives of students, staff and faculty, their college, and the nature of learning itself.  It is a thorny issue that presents itself to us every day as we face the realities of our work duties and align them with our intention to create NACADA as an association that honors both the head and the heart as it nurtures and leads us.

When these discussions take place, I want to add your voice to the future of NACADA.