Winter Newsletter                                                              January 2011

In this issue...

PT from PT:

Presidential Thoughts from Phil Trout

Happy Winter!

As I write these “presidential notes,” it is during one of the coldest weeks of the winter.  So allow me this opportunity to warm things up by talking about the latest MACAC activities – it’s a topic that brings a smile to my face!!

The month of January is a great time for reflection and planning – it’s that time of year when we naturally think about the wonderful accomplishments of the past year and the seemingly limitless possibilities of the new year.  Let me cite a few of the highlights of the past three months for MACAC:

a)     The annual Financial Aid Workshop, held on the campus of the University of St. Thomas on January 12, was a great success – with 120 participants from high schools and colleges throughout the state.  The Professional Development Committee continues to provide outstanding personal learning opportunities for our members, with sessions presented on important topics.  Next up is our annual Spring Conference on May 16, with a special reception on Sunday, May 15, on the campus of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.  Look for an invitation from our PD Committee to submit a conference session proposal in the next few weeks!

b)     Our MACAC delegates to the National Assembly at this fall’s NACAC conference in St. Louis were exceptionally well-prepared and sought after for their opinions by other state and regional affiliates.  I was proud to be seated with them in Assembly.  Next up for the governance of MACAC is a change in board structure, based on a new policy adopted by NACAC to limit the size of the Assembly.  This means that MACAC will go from five delegates (in addition to the President and President-elect) to three delegates. Photo-NACAC 2010 Assembly Delegates: Phil Trout (Pres.), Dan Tomhave (Delegate), Rachelle Hernandez (Pres-Elect), Kerri Carlson (Past-Pres. and Chief Delegate), Joan O'Connell (Delegate), Tina Proctor (Delegate), Don Westphal (Delegate).

c)     The Fall MEF program attracted a record registration and attendance at 25 sites throughout the state. Next up for the MEF Committee is the implementation of lead retrieval electronic scanning during one week of the spring fairs.  This exciting new venture will improve the quality of communication for high school students by eliminating the redundant rewriting of personal information.  The college fair automation scanners will be provided by TRC, the same company that assists the National College Fair program – it’s our plan to use this technology at the Twin Cities NCF in Fall 2012.

d)     The November MACAC Board meeting included an opportunity for all committees to reexamine the Strategic Priorities document, adopted by MACAC in April 2010. That discussion proved particularly illuminating and energizing, as committee chairs examined their progress on achieving several goals for the association.  Once again, we used the approach of partnership and collaboration to help facilitate our planning for future projects and programs.  I look forward to giving a “State of the State Affiliate” report in May at the Annual Conference! 

I want to give a “shout out” to everyone to join our Government Relations Committee for this year’s "Day on the Hill" at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul on Wednesday, February 23.  This is a well-organized, one-day event that makes it easy for anyone to participate. MACAC's wonderful Government Relations Committee organizes a fun day that begins with an informational session, followed by pre-scheduled group appointments with state legislators and ending with a wrap-up session and analysis. It’s easy and free to sign up for the Day on the Hill program on the MACAC website.

In the spirit of good governance, I challenge all members of MACAC to take the time to promote and support the work of our profession, whether at your own institution, in your community or through the legislative process.  I am so very thankful for the continued good work of our MACAC committees and programs!

With my best wishes to you all for a great year in 2011,

Phil Trout
MACAC President
phil.trout@minnetonka.k12.mn.us

        MACAC Board Members in St. Louis

Photo - Dan Tomhave, Assembly Delegate and Co-Chair of Technology Committee; Don Westphal, Assembly Delegate and Tri-chair of National College Fair Committee; Steve Schaefer, Chief Financial Officer; Phil Trout, President; Desiree Keenan, Secretary; Rachelle Hernandez, President-elect; Katie Voller-Berdan, Treasurer; Tina Proctor, Assembly Delegate; Kerri Carlson, Past President and Chair of the Governance & Nominating Committee; Joan O’Connell, Assembly Delegate (Missing from the photo:  Joy Rockwell, Treasurer-elect)

Day on the Hill: Let Your Voice be Heard! 

The 2011 legislative session began on Tuesday, January 4 following the 2010 elections that brought significant change to the Minnesota Senate, House, and Governor’s Office.  Collectively, our newly elected government faces a $6.2 billion deficit. 

Though these are challenging times, MACAC has a great opportunity to change and influence education policy. We sincerely hope that you'll join us for MACAC's 2011 Day on the Hill, to be held Wednesday, February 23 at the Kelly Inn/State Capitol. At the time we wrote our newsletter submission, 30 MACAC colleagues had already signed up for this important day of advocacy.

If you haven't done so, register for the event here . All registrations must be complete by January 31, 2011.

Photo: Kevin Rusk with one of his representatives, DOH 2010

The Day on the Hill schedule includes:

 7:45 - 8:30: Registration & Breakfast at
Best Western Kelly Inn
161 Saint Anthony Ave
Saint Paul, MN  55103-2362
(651) 227-8711

8:30 - 10:15: Legislative Update, Advocacy Training,
& Discussion of MACAC's priorities      

10:30 - 2:45: MACAC Legislative Appointments               (lunch on your own)

3:00: Wrap-up and Happy Hour at Kelly Inn                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Look how much fun we had in 2010!

 First-time attendees and veterans are all encouraged to lend their support to MACAC’s government relations activities.  This is an exciting and free professional development opportunity! You’ll meet many wonderful and committed colleagues, “rub elbows” with your elected officials, learn more about the legislative process, and advocate for important change in higher education policy.  That’s all in one day!

Please join us this year for the 2011 Day on the Hill, sponsored by your Government Relations Committee.

Spotlight On...Mark Narayan, University of St. Thomas

How did you get to where you are today?

After graduating from UST, my wife and I moved to New York in order for Lindsay to attend Syracuse University to earn her master’s degree. While living in New York, I held careers in both operation management and financial management, and upon returning to Minnesota, pursued the same career path.  However, a friend of the family suggested that I look at possibly working for a University.  I was intrigued so I applied for a position at UST, my alma mater, and five years later, I know I made the right choice. 

 How long have you been involved in MACAC and what are some of the biggest benefits you’ve experienced as a member?

I have been involved with MACAC since I joined the Enrollment Services team at UST in 2006.  I still remember my first introduction to MACAC at Gustavus Adolphus College where I attended the annual Admission Counselor Institute (ACI). I have greatly benefited from attending many of the conferences organized by MACAC as part of my professional development and would suggest to it anyone in this career.

 You’re also a member of MnACC—how did you become involved in both and how have both memberships helped you professionally?

I first learned about MnACC (Minnesota Association of Counselors of Color) around the same time I was introduced to MACAC.  I felt that both organizations would help support me in my career.  My involvement in MnACC has been a tremendous growth opportunity both professionally and personally.  I have had the privilege of serving on the MnACC Executive Board for the past four years.  My first appointment was as the Development Chair where I was responsible for creating a financial plan for MnACC and fundraising for the MnACC Scholarship Program.  Last year, I served as President-Elect and in June of 2010, I become President of MnACC.  Both organizations offer an incredible amount of growth for anyone interested in becoming more involved.      

 Where is your favorite spot to vacation and why?

Since I am a huge Disney fan, I would have to say Walt Disney World.  However, I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel outside of the continental United States and have greatly enjoyed vacations to London, China and Hawai’i.

Professional Development Update

The Professional Development Committee has been busy planning many events for MACAC members. Having just completed a successful Financial Aid  Workshop, we look forward to the culminating event of our year, the spring conference.  

The 2011 MACAC Spring Conference, “Cultivating a Life of Learning” will offer an array of sessions designed to address current needs and trends in college counseling and admissions, as well as showcase best practices of our profession. This day and a half conference will be held at the University of Minnesota's Campus on               Bryan Karl, Mike Vandenberg, Bryan Gates-2010
May 15 & 16, 2011.

 

Admission Practices: Can They Do That?

While the May 1^st deadline has been established to protect the right of students to decide between offers of admissions, financial aid and scholarships, it can be challenging to determine what represents a violation of the sanctity of May 1st.  Luckily, NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice (SPGP), with its Mandatory Practices, Best Practices, and Interpretation of Mandatory Practices sections, defines ethical behavior and helps secondary school counselors and college admissions counselors to protect the students they serve.

Consider the following scenario:

A secondary school counselor is contacted in July by an irate parent, who complains about a major urban university.  It seems her son, who had paid his enrollment and housing deposits well before May 1 had just been notified that he cannot be placed in freshman on-campus housing.  The options offered to her son were to room in a triple with two upper classmen or to stay in transfer housing at a satellite campus, a 20 minute-subway ride from the main campus.  Has the university violated its agreement with students?

Based on the information we have in this scenario, there is no violation of the SPGP. However, if it is determined that the university did not provide “accurate information about opportunities/selection for institutional housing, deadline dates for housing deposits, housing deposit refunds, and describing policies for renewal availability of such institutional housing” (Interpretations of Mandatory Practices II, A, 1, e) then a violation would have occurred.

In addition to the SPGP, the MACAC Admission Practices committee is a resource for you.  Please contact Amy Desmond (adesmond@bsm-online.org)  or Janet Morales (moralesj@augsburg.edu), Admission Practices co-chairs, with any concerns or potential violations.  

Membership Updates: Good to Know!   

Current membership stands at 452, and we are looking forward to seeing all of you at Day on the Hill on February 23 and the Spring Conference at the University of MN-Twin Cities on May 15-16. Please continue to encourage colleagues to join MACAC and take advantage of these and other benefits of membership!

Naviance Users: Unlike last year, Naviance grant recipients are now required to request to activate their MACAC membership.  If you are unsure whether or not your membership or a colleague's membership is active this year, please contact one of the Membership chairs below.

 Mentorship Program: The Mentorship Program is continually accepting applications.  The MACAC Mentorship Program seeks to assist in building connections between new members and those who have been involved in the profession and/or organization for several years. The goals of this program are to strengthen the profession, strengthen the organization and have fun in the process! The Mentorship application and FAQ can be found here.

 Transferring Memberships:  What?! A Member of your staff left to pursue other career options? Were they a MACAC Member? Interested in assigning their membership to a new staff member?  There are times during the membership year when a staff member leaves to pursue to other career options and the vacancy is filled with a new staff member.  If you or your staff has recently experienced this, you may want to consider transferring their membership to the new staff member. Our Membership year runs from July 1 through June 30. 

 For more information, contact either one of the MACAC Membership co-chairs listed below.

Dan Davidson                                       Jennifer McCormack

Central Lakes College                       St. Catherine University               

218-855-8290                                      651-690-6934

ddavidso@clcmn.edu                        jmmccormack@stkate.edu

What Have You Done for Me Lately, MACAC?
High School Counselor Perspectives

The first few years in the school counseling profession are incredibly challenging. Sometimes, it feels like trying to skip up a mountainside, blindfolded. You don’t even know if it’s possible to do, and can’t see it getting any easier in the near future. For me, this was no ordinary mountain - it was Mt. Everest. I was hired at the brand-new Twin Cities Academy High School in 2006 as a first-year counselor. Not only did I need to overcome the difficulties any new counselor faces, but since the school was new, I didn’t have any history, policies, or procedures to fall back on.

I remember the first MACAC conference I attended. I felt completely clueless and, to be candid, incompetent! I had no idea what people were talking about. Common App? NCAA? Early Decision? Navi-what? But it wasn’t long until some counselors invited me to join them at their table. As we conversed over lunch, questions were answered, email addresses exchanged, and feelings of isolation diminished.

MACAC has been my “sherpa,” guiding me up the mountainside of college counseling. MACAC professional development opportunities are fantastic.  As Cloquet High School counselor Lee Oling says, “MACAC conferences and workshops provide wonderful, up to date information regarding current and relevant issues for high school counselors.”

For me, the most valuable part of MACAC membership has been networking and learning from other counselors. Rachel Olhoff, counselor at Minnetonka High School, agrees.  She says that her involvement with MACAC helps her to “paint a better picture for each student when I know who they are talking about when they visit campuses.”  Jen Landy from Wayzata High School appreciates having connections to college admission personnel and being able to call or email them with questions or issues during the admissions process.

High school counselors also have much to contribute to MACAC.  There are several committees that need our input.  We can also get involved with Naviance User Groups, the Leadership Development Program, and the new Mentorship Program.  Thanks in part to my experiences with MACAC, I now feel like I’ve made it over the summit and although I still need to proceed with care, the blindfold is off and I can confidently move forward on my journey.

Holly Garnell is the licensed school counselor at Twin Cities Academy and Twin Cities Academy High School, two public charter schools in St. Paul.

MACAC Members: Seen and Heard 

In this section, we share your news with MACAC colleagues.  E-mail Jane Nordhorn to have your news included in the next newsletter.

·         Shawn Reid is the new Assistant Director of College Counseling at The Blake School.

·         A few updates from Iowa Lakes Community College:

o    Roger Guge retired from the admissions department in July 2010.

o    Danny Acosta left the admissions department to pursue a job in Florida in December 2010. 

o    New admissions counselors include:  Heather Asmus, Johnathon Jordan and Andy Soper

·         Lauren Weber from St. Thomas is engaged!  Fiancé, Ben Olson (another St. Thomas alum) proposed at the Apple Jack Orchards on October 1. The big day is 10-08-2011.

·         Allison Lewis (formerly Allison Tracy), an Outreach Coordinator for Hennepin Technical College was recently married on October 23, 2010.

·         St. Kate’s welcomes Ashley Harville to their admission team!

·         Mary Sue Walker is the new college coordinator for Providence Academy.

Save the Date!

MACAC Board Meetings for 2011
Thursday, February 17: Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield
Tuesday, April 12: Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato 

Professional Development Events for 2011
Day on the Hill: Wednesday, February 23 at the State Capitol
Spring Conference: Monday, May 15-16 at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus

Who writes this newsletter, anyway?

If you're curious about MACAC connections and communications, have ideas for future newsletter content or are wondering what it's like to be on a MACAC committee, all paths point to External Relations!  E-mail Jane Nordhorn with your ideas or to find out more about this opportunity.