Rob Mossack
	Lipscomb University Nashville, TN
	Platform Statement: Highlight the goals you accomplished and the work you did while serving as a Unit Chair or Division Representative. In addition, highlight your involvement in all areas of the Association, demonstrating your experiences that make you qualified to serve in this position on the NACADA Board of Directors.

I have had the good fortune to serve in NACADA leadership roles since 2003, including both the Regional and Administrative divisions. This experience has provided me with the chance to witness first-hand the diversity of personalities, ideas, interests, skills and talents that contribute toward NACADA's status as the premier professional association related to academic advising--maybe even the premier higher education organization in the country.

Serving as Chair for Region 3 (Mid South) provided the opportunity to build personal relationships with NACADA members from the five states comprising the region. Membership grew from around 300 to around 575, and we were able to enjoy a record attendance at the 2005 Region Conference in Louisville, KY. We began an awards program to recognize outstanding advisors in the region, and attempted to encourage the individual states to reach out to their members with state meetings and drive-in conferences. Frankly, our accomplishments can be attributed to a strong region steering committee, and I would like to think that I served as an effective facilitator for that group during my term in office.

My experiences as Chair of the national Awards Committee were more administrative and decision-making in nature. It provided personal challenge to work with the Oversight Committee in tweaking policies and rules to make the awards process more efficient and fair. In addition, the years I served on the Awards Committee have brought a great appreciation for our colleagues who are doing great work in the advising field, both in personal interaction with students and in programming on their campuses. Reading nomination packets is a great way to find encouragement and motivation for your own efforts. In addition, I think that those four or five years on the committee gave me a "feel" for what's going on relative to advising on campuses all across the country.

It was an honor to be asked to serve on the task force for Core Values in 2003. It was stimulating to be involved in an exchange of ideas with colleagues regarding the underlying values we as an association want to express regarding our work.

I am excited to have the chance to serve on the current New Leadership Orientation Task Force. Having been a "new" leader myself several years ago, I appreciate fully the anxiety that one can feel when stepping into a role without much knowledge of what is to come. Hopefully we can create a program that will help our future new leaders be prepared and have a lowered level of anxiety as they enter their leadership roles.

I also consider my involvement in the Commission/Interest Group Division very valuable, particularly my membership in the Small Colleges and Universities Commission. More than once I have received valuable insights, data, and ideas from colleagues, either on the listserve, or through personal conversation. But information isn't the only valuable benefit of membership in the commissions and interest groups--it's also the relationship networks that are built. It's always a good thing to know people in other places who share your experiences and interests.

What do you believe are the most important goals and initiatives for the Association in meeting its strategic plan and what do you feel you can contribute to this position in meeting these goals and initiatives?

As I said in a previous "platform statement", I am very appreciative of the work that has been done the past few years by the Board and various committees and task forces in formulating NACADA's strategic plan. Now that we've had several years of focus on the plan, we are starting to realize a definite direction as an association, a direction that is coherently centered around important themes and goals. I don't believe we can rest on our laurels; the organization is experiencing phenomenal growth in both numbers and programs, and it will be necessary to constantly revisit and revise the strategic plan to keep it relevant and meaningful.

Areas of particular personal interest:

1. One of the greatest services NACADA can provide for its membership is the opportunity for professional development, whether it be through conferences, institutes, and workshops, or through the encouraging of professional networking and relationship-building. I would advocate strongly for a continuing emphasis in this area.
2. I believe strongly that NACADA is the premier professional organization for the field of academic advising (and frankly, for academic support of all types!). We need to continue to work hard to be an organization that is respected, recognized, and looked to for leadership in the higher education community. In other words, we need to always be sensitive to and ready to act on opportunities to impact that community (the Consulting and Speakers Service is a good example). I also endorse taking every opportunity to build collaborative relationships with other higher education associations, making sure NACADA has a "place at the table" when important issues are discussed on a national level.
3. For NACADA to thrive as an organization, it is imperative that we continue to encourage and develop a new generation of leaders. I certainly endorse our Emerging Leaders Program (and I hope to get involved in that myself), and think that expansion of that program would be a real possibility in the future. We also need to explore every opportunity to create more leadership positions within the organization--at every level. We are an association with almost 10,000 members, and we certainly have an abundance of talent to utilize! It's incumbent on the current leadership to create ways to use that talent.
4. Related to the first point (and even the second), I believe that it's time to "legitimize" academic advising as a profession (not that our work isn't already truly legitimate and valuable). As a licensed professional counselor, I understand the impact that some type of certification can have in terms of professional prestige. Now that we have the certificate and master's programs in advising, hopefully we can continue the quest for some type of national advisor certification standard.

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

I truly love being a part of this association--I feel strongly that my professional well-being has been enriched immensely since getting involved in NACADA. I genuinely enjoy my leadership involvement, because it gives me an opportunity to give something back in return, and maybe even engage in a little "paying it forward" as well.

I would like to think that, because of my varied experiences in the organization, I have something to offer in serving as the Vice President. I would look forward to the opportunity to interact with the members of the Council, and through them the leaders at the region, commission, and committee levels of the organization.

More than that, I am interested in serving the general membership, especially at the level of formulating ideas, bringing members' interests to the table, and helping NACADA set a course that will help our profession to thrive and grow (and gain the respect it deserves), and then help us grow as individuals in that profession. I would consider it an honor to be able to serve in that way.

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. 

I do believe that my overall professional experiences can contribute to effective leadership in the organization--I have a real appreciation for the work of ALL of our members. I've been in the classroom and can identify with concerns of faculty advisors. I've carried an advising load and worked with academic support programs. Finally, I've served the past six years or so in an administrative role. In "strengths" language, I'm a "learner," "analytical," "communication," "individualization," and "responsibility"--all qualities that I think serve me well in leadership.

Past Involvement in NACADA:

Years in NACADA: 9 years

National Offices Held and Accomplishments Achieved While in Office:

• Board of Directors , 2007-2010
• Chair, Awards Committee, 2005-2007 —
  • Responsible for leading committee in decisions regarding the policies and procedures of the NACADA Awards Program.
  • Expanded the size of the "oversight" committee.
  • Reworked guidelines for several awards, and initiated changes on several nomination forms.
• Chair, Region 3 (Mid-South), 2003-2005 —
  • Region membership increased from 300 to almost 600
  • Record attendance at 2005 regional conference (Louisville)
  • Worked with state liaisons to increase outreach to members through state meetings, drive-ins, etc.
  • Worked to expand outreach to affiliated organizations in region.

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

• Region 3 (Mid-South) Steering Committee, 2003-2007
• Presented at Region 4 Conference, 2007
• Region 3 (Mid-South) Conference Proposal Selection Committee, 2004, 2006
• Region 3 (Mid-South) Conference Committee, 2006
• Presented at Region 3 Conferences, 2003, 2004, 2005

Committee/Task Force/Advisory Board Activities and Accomplishments:

• Member, Awards Committee (Oversight Committee), 2004-2007
• Member, New Leader Orientation Task Force (current)
• Member, Awards Committee- Faculty Advising Awards, 2003-2005
• Member, Core Values Task Force, 2003

Commission/Interest Group Activities and Accomplishments:

• Current member — Small Colleges and Universities Commission (reader for annual conference proposals, 2005); Advising Administration Commission; Appreciative Advising Interest Group; Probation/Dismissal/Reinstatement Issues Interest Group
• Past member, Faculty Advising Commission

Other:

• Attended all NACADA Annual Conferences since 2002 (also attended 1995)
• Presented at TN/KY State Drive-in, 2005
• Presented at Annual Conference in 2004 (Cincinnati)
• Recipient, Summer Institute Scholarship (2001), attended 2001 Summer Institute (Vancouver)
• Participant, NACADA Leadership Program, 2002-2003
• Presented on advising and strengths at Gallup's National Strengths-Based Campus Conference, 2005
• Activities at Lipscomb University:
  • Significantly increased academic skills workshop offerings, 2005-present
  • Initiated and funded campus Advising Awards program, 2003-present
  • Campus coordinator for Strengths program, 2003-06
  • Restructured probation programs, 2003
  • Restructured supplemental instruction/tutoring programs, 2001
  • Restructured advising protocol/program for deciding students, 2002-present
  • Increased use of technology in disseminating advising-related information to students