It’s easy to understand how a volunteer, committee, and/or workgroup could get wrapped up in its own work. That is, after all, the goal - to have you working so intentionally on your projects that forward progress on goals and objectives is made and desired results are realized. At the same time, this inward focus can sometimes cause volunteers’ efforts to become narrow; it becomes easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. We’re lucky that this hasn’t been a significant problem for AFA over the years, yet it is worth mentioning. Why, you might ask?

Our very own Lea Hanson, Essentials Editor, writes about this in March’s issue of Essentials (2006), sent just last week. Using Bolman and Deal’s (1997) framework for organizational development, Lea highlights one of the pitfalls facing organizations that have personnel in numerous, very specialized roles. As a volunteer driven organization, AFA is organized in this manner. We have nearly 250 volunteers with specific tasks, working within predetermined timelines. One shortcoming associated with AFA’s adoption of this framework is that with increased specialization, our collective efforts may lose sight of the Association’s mission and vision. As a result, unit goals (i.e. workgroup or committee tasks) become the focus instead of the organization’s overall goals.

Now, before we all start to question AFA’s structure and processes, we need to remember that the way we are organized works for us – it has to, considering our limited staffing (currently two full-time professionals and one part-time administrative assistant). We don’t need to throw the proverbial baby out with the bath water. Instead, let us reflect on the lesson Bolman and Deal provide and work to become aware of and in tune with the greater workings of all the Association’s “units.” In doing so, volunteers will have a stronger connection to AFA’s mission, vision and goals, and in turn, the organization has a greater chance of meeting them.

I mentioned above that we have nearly 250 volunteers advancing the work of the Association. Each of you reading this is wearing one specific “AFA hat” (or, if you have volunteered for multiple opportunities, you may be juggling several AFA hats!), be it as a member of a committee or workgroup, an elected officer, or in a role somewhere along that spectrum. It’s important to remember that while your primary “AFA hat” drives your everyday work on behalf of the Association, it is the bigger picture – the culmination of all volunteer efforts - that will yield us great results.

With that in mind, I want to share a summary of the work being done by our AFA volunteer corps this year. I’ve categorized our lengthy volunteer roster into general areas to help make sense of the sheer magnitude of work taking place. As Amanda Bureau and I wrote last month, your work is critical to the progress of the Association and instrumental to the success of our Strategic Plan (2006). I’m sure you’ll agree that the scope of your efforts is impressive.

Membership & Marketing

Our five Regional Directors and the regional Membership Marketing & Recruitment Teams are hard at work reaching out to current and prospective members across the continent. They have set a goal to increase membership by 10% in 2006 and are well on their way. There are currently six State/Local Area Meeting Planning Committees in areas where the membership has requested such meetings to assist in networking and educational efforts. Together, these volunteers help create “connectivity” - a foundation of the Association - by personally reaching out to members and providing opportunities for them to connect with and assist each other.

Resource & Program Development

The value of any association lies within the programs and services it offers its members. AFA is no different and therefore we have a cadre of volunteers at work creating new resources and enhancing existing ones. The Virtual Seminar Series Committee continues its coordinating role for the April and May programs, while at the same time planning for the 2006-2007 series.

Our 1^st 90 Days Program Workgroup is moving out of the creative stage of its work toward the late-summer 2006 implementation of a program designed to assist new professionals as they begin their first jobs. Our mainstay publications – Essentials and Perspectives – and their respective editorial boards continue to churn out relevant articles on important issues for your work. Along with the editorial team behind Oracle: The Research Journal of the Association of Fraternity Advisors, they produce some of the most tangible benefits of membership – high quality publications that enhance members’ knowledge, skills, and awareness. Two strategic plan workgroups are making progress on resources as well – we look forward to seeing the fruits of their labor when the Media Readiness Guide and Self-Advocacy Education Guide are completed later this year. Last but not least is the Conference Committee, comprised of over forty volunteers and led by eight committee chairs. They are hard at work creating AFA’s premier educational program – the 2006 Annual Meeting. Their sights are set on New Orleans and the endless possibilities for professional development that lie ahead.

Administrative & Executive Support

Perhaps less “glamorous” but of equal import are the administrative and executive support committees – the Association could not function without the dedication of these volunteers. The Leadership Diversification Workgroup is focusing on ways to diversify the Association’s membership and in turn the volunteer and leadership pools. Their work will no doubt influence that of the Nominations and Elections Committee, whose purpose is to recruit and recommend outstanding candidates for Association leadership positions. The Awards & Recognition Committee and its nine subcommittees are focusing on how to best recognize outstanding achievement and contributions of AFA members and interfraternal colleagues. Our Liaisons are busy this conference season; many are attending meetings as formal representatives of the Association, reporting back on potential partnerships and issues of mutual interest. If you read your most recent issue of Perspectives, you know that 2006 is a special year for the Association. The 30^th Anniversary Committee is dreaming up ways to honor this occasion throughout the year, culminating with a celebration at the Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Finally in the area of administrative and executive support come our Technology Workgroup and Media Scanner. As we strive to be savvier in these areas, we will rely on these volunteers for their expertise and recommendations to help the Association use technology to educate and build community among our members.

Research, Assessment & Advocacy

AFA has made great strides in the area of research, assessment and advocacy. Not long ago we would have deferred to others to tackle conversations related to these topics. Today, our understanding of and commitment to research, assessment, and advocacy are light-years ahead of where we were just five years ago, though we acknowledge we still have a lot to learn and accomplish. The volunteers serving us in this area are critical to our success. Our Assessment/EBI Committee is working on a resource to raise our collective “assessment IQ.” The Research Committee continues to focus on identifying important areas for research, mechanisms for funding research, and educating the membership on the importance of conducting and using research to inform practice. The Profession Research Workgroup has been charged with compiling existing research and recommending future research that will assist AFA in advocating for the profession and its members in advocating for themselves. The Profession Advocacy Workgroup has been asked to develop an Association driven advocacy campaign to increase the funding, support, and status of those advising fraternities and sororities. Their initial work has led them to believe that it is ultimately our members, when armed with the best information that is grounded in data gathered by AFA, who will have the most success in advocating for the profession.

We can’t wait to see where 2006 – and all the work you are doing on behalf of the Association – will take us. Helping move AFA and the Volunteer Management Plan forward is our Volunteer Coordinator, Anne Arseneau. She and Amanda Bureau, AFA Director of Member Services, have committed themselves to making the volunteer experience meaningful for you so that in turn, the Association can maximize the benefits of your work. We hope that this overview of our “big picture” has helped you see the interconnectedness of all volunteer efforts. Each of you is playing a particular role within the Association.  Your work, when combined with those of almost 250 others, will ensure our progress toward achieving AFA’s mission, vision, and goals. What a wonderful “big picture”– thank you for helping us paint it.

References:

Bolman, L.G. & Deal, T.E. (1997). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice and leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers.

Kraft Fussell, S. & Bureau, A.S. (2006, February). So… about that strategic plan? The AFA Volunteer. Retrieved March 14, 2006, from http://www.fraternityadvisors.org/The_AFA_Volunteer/200602/Strategic_Plan.aspx.