Letter from President Gail Mears

Dear NARACES Members:
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as the NARACES President. I am grateful to be part of a group of such talented professionals who share my professional interests! This letter updates you on NARACES projects, directions, financial status and the upcoming events.
NARACES goals for this year include:
- Increasing communication to members
- Revitalizing the committee structure
- Reinstituting NARACES Awards
- Planning a wonderful 2010 conference
- Reaching out to field supervisors and students.
2010 Conference, September 26-28th
Stuart Chen-Hayes, Lehman College of the City University of New York and NARACES President-elect, has been busy making plans with the board and with the conference committee for the next NARACES Conference “PROMOTING EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN K-2O SCHOOLS AND CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH SETTINGS: LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES”
Two Keynote presentations by two internationally known counselor educators will be featured; one focusing on equity-based k-20 school counseling and one focusing on equity issues in mental health counseling. Several pre-conference workshops on equity-focused school and mental health counseling are also planned. Programming that focuses on the needs of site supervisors and students (masters and doctoral) will empower and celebrate the folks in the field and our future!
The location is the New Brunswick Hyatt: http://newbrunswick.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp?src=google_propertyspecific_hhc_2008&s_kwcid=hyatt%20regency%20new%20brunswick|3309939848
This newly renovated facility and environmentally friendly site features a conference rate for rooms of $119.
The hotel is within easy walking distance of ten 3-5 star restaurants and the Broadway quality State Theatre and Crossroads African American Theatre.
Conference entertainment will include a performance by the New Jersey Gay Men’s Chorus and a musical performance in Mandarin by students of the Ying-Hua International Scho as well as two receptions and locally sourced “slow” food breaks.
We look forward to your ideas and participation. The call for programs, registration, and transit information are forthcoming. For more information email stuartc@lehman.cuny.edu.
Financial News
After 7 years of service as the NARACES treasurer, Steve Saiz of Plattsburgh State University has turned the reigns over to Richard Shin of Syracuse University. NARACES is in good financial shape. We offered 5 scholarships for the 2009 ACES conference and provided support for 6 members attending the Emerging Leaders Conference at ACES in San Diego.
Treasurer’s Report 8/31/2008-8/31/2009.
All deposits are in conservative CD accounts. Currently we own four Certificates of Deposit at Key Bank. The total value is $53,504.95
# of CD |
Value 8/31/08 |
Value 8/31/09 |
Maturity date |
Return |
18883 |
11,218.02 |
11,684.17 |
11/2010 (3yr) |
4.08 (+466.15) |
18909 |
11,362.32 |
11,747.17 |
11/2010 (15mo) |
1.14 (+384.85) |
18917 |
11.288.03 |
11,720.98 |
10/2010 (23mo) |
3.10 (+432.95) |
18891 |
10,540.20 |
10,590.02 |
32 day CD |
0.10 (+49.82) |
We also have a checking account at Key Bank. The balance of the checking account is $7,762.61. We deposited from membership and conference payments $13,522.00 for the reporting period. Our expenditures were:
Scholarships |
ACA Leadership |
Registration |
Postage |
Meetings/ |
5,400.00 |
666.30 |
230.00 |
16.09 |
16,839.22 |
Total expenditure for the reporting period is $23,151.61. Thank you for the privilege of serving as your Treasurer. Respectfully submitted, Richard Q. Shin
Awards
In order to better recognize our members, the NARACES Executive Council voted to reinstitute awards. A member survey sent out in September indicated that a majority of respondents were in favor of awards. Edina Renfro-Michel of Montclair State University has agreed to serve as the chair of the Awards Committee. Information will be forthcoming regarding award categories and criteria. Many thanks to Edina for stepping forward to launch this initiative!
Newsletter
Summer Reiner of University at Brockport, our awesome web mistress, has agreed to step in as the Newsletter Chair on the NARACES Executive Council. We will continue to distribute NARACES news and upcoming events on the web site. As part of our by-laws revisions we are considering a renaming of this committee to better reflect the on-line nature of our news dissemination. If you have not been to the NARACES site recently-make sure to check out our new look and the extensive updates to all sections. Did you know that we have 9 doctoral programs and 135 masters-degree programs in our region? All are now listed on the website.
Student Committee
Under the direction of our recent-past NARACES Student Representative, Elizabeth McDonald, Penn Sate University, we decided to institute a student committee. Members include:
- Megan Krell (University of Connecticut)---Student Rep. to NARACES Executive Council
- Melissa Rosenberg (University of Maine)
- Jennifer Sharp (Penn State)
- Julie Bates (Penn State)
- Lindsey Nichols (Penn State)
Gerald Novack (Ball State)
Claudette Ann Brown-Smythe (Syracuse Univ.) - Pam Wells (Plymouth State University)
Among other things, the committee will be actively engaged in conference planning, a needs assessment, and updating the Career Corner page of the web site. We welcome the new committee members and Megan as chair and send off Elizabeth with our best wishes and deep thanks for her many contributions to NARACES in her role as graduate representative.
Emerging Leaders
This year NARACES and NBCC supported six NARACES members to attend the Emerging Leaders Conference at ACES. Please join us in thanking and congratulating the following emerging leaders:
- Lindsey Nichols, Penn State University
- Leslie Kooyman Montclair State University
- Richard Shin, Syracuse University
- Susan Santiago, University of Rochester
- Melissa Luke, Syracuse University
- Tamara Sullivan, University of Rochester
NARACES Scholarships
I am pleased to announce that the following NARACES members were awarded scholarships to present at the ACES Conference in San Diego:
- Elizabeth MacDonald, Penn State University
- Hridaya Hall
- Susan Dodd
- Susan Santiago, University of Rochester
- Joshua Jones
Tamara Sullivan, University of Rochester
Congratulations to all of you!
Journal
ANARACES launched our on-line journal, The Journal of Counselor Education and Preparation, with the first edition in July. The second edition of the journal is now online at www.naraces.org. JCPS is designed to promote best practices and professional growth by providing a forum to showcase research, theory, and practice in counselor education and supervision. Many thanks to Bill McHenry, Shippensburg University, and the journal editors for their dedicated service! We hope that NARACES members will be frequent contributors to the journal!
I think this covers the NARACES updates. Please let me know if you have any comments, concerns, or suggestions: gmears@plymouth.edu I hope to see many of you at the NARACES meeting at the ACA conference in March and again in September in New Brunswick, NJ!
Warm Regards and all the best in the New Year!
Gail Mears
NARACES President
Plymouth State University