AD HOC COMMITTEES WILL OFFER MEMBERS NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
By Todd Rinehart, NACAC President

Today I am excited to introduce the rosters and chairs for the four new ad hoc committees. This announcement represents a new way of doing business at NACAC, as well as new opportunities for members to engage and develop their leadership skills.

As most of you know, for more than two years, NACAC has been working to replace our standing committees with a new process for creating meaningful, short-term, and high-impact projects that could enlist a wide range of members.

The members have spoken loud and clear—in the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee on Leadership in College Admission and in comments made during the CEO’s 2020 Listening Tour—saying they want more engagement, transparency, and inclusiveness in the association’s programs and decision-making. In launching the ad hocs, our aim is to offer members a chance to contribute in meaningful ways to new NACAC programs and policies. Each committee addresses a critical topic.

The new committees, comprised of approximately 20 members each, were drawn from a list of 382 volunteers. In creating the rosters, NACAC looked at all 382 applicants and weighed a variety of factors, including race and ethnicity, geographic and affiliate representation, and skill sets, as well as applicants’ stated preferences for committee assignments. We also endeavored to include a substantial number of members who had not been active in NACAC leadership positions before. 

Draft rosters were prepared in collaboration with the committee chairs and their staff liaisons, and final decisions were made by the Board of Directors. View more information and the rosters for:

• Engaging Public High School Counselors (co-chairs: Jennifer Nuechterlein, Hunterdon Central Regional High School, New Jersey, and Candice Mackey, Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, California)
• Serving Next-Generation College Counseling and Admission Professionals (co-chairs: Emma Adebayo, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, and Julie Chapman, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee) 
• Developing Programs and Services for College Counseling and Admission Professionals at Rural and Small-Town Schools and Colleges (co-chairs: Peggy Jenkins, Palouse Pathways, Idaho, and T. Peaches Valdes, Hamilton College, New York)
• Reimagining the NACAC-Affiliate Partnership (chair: Mark Steinlage, St. Louis University, Missouri)

The names of volunteers who were not selected for this first round of ad hoc committees will remain in a database for future projects and opportunities. 

About the Committees

The development of these first four ad hoc committees grew out of recommendations from the Ad Hoc Committee on Leadership in College Admission and insights gained from the CEO’s 2020 Listening Tour. The initial committee topics were selected by the NACAC Board of Directors, with additional committees planned for launch by early 2022. Please contact governance@nacacnet.org to suggest future committee topics.

Each committee will be made up of 20 member volunteers selected through an application process. The committees may also include appointed individuals who are able to provide a diversity of viewpoints or special expertise. Two members of the NACAC staff are assigned as liaisons for each committee.

Committee meetings will begin this summer. Most committee members will be asked to serve for 6–9 months with the option of extending the committee's work if necessary.

Given the urgency of the issues associated with reimagining the NACAC-Affiliate partnership, including decisions about the future of the Assembly and the role of delegates, that committee will work on an accelerated timeline. An initial report of each committee's progress will be presented during the 2021 NACAC National Conference in September.