Notes from 4/7 Strategic Planning Meeting at Wheelock College

In attendance: Shannon Roberts – Emerson College; Diana Cutaia and Steph Smyrl – Wheelock College; Kirsten Britton and Bianca Whitworth – Boston College; Jessica Huntley – Great Northeast Athletic Conference; Shanna Kornachuk and Kristan Strout – Harvard University; Jessica Gould – Regis College.

Ideas:

* Provide support and help strategize on issues

* Create website blog to generate topics and discussion groups; have in person meeting  

    based on hot topics

* Create a virtual network that translates into a local base

* Discuss potential partnership with NACWAA.  Become a chapter of NACWAA?

* Form committees; Have board be comprised of committee chairs; Have co-chairs on committees to

   spread out the work; 4-5 members on each committee (in addition to chairs).

* How big do we want to get?  Do we want to invite High School ADs?  Do we want to charge a fee? 

   As we expand our network look to include ADs from all of New England?

Goals for Group:

1. Social Networking
2. Career Advancement & Support
   1. (Strategy) Through Professional Development Opportunities
   2. (Strategy) Through Focused Meetings, Structured Agendas, New Facilitators
3. Information Dissemination
4. Advocacy
   1. Local Policies

Committees and Chairs:

1. Social – Chair: Kristan Strout
2. Communications/Public Relations – Bianca Whitworth
   1. Distribution of Information (Jobs, Events)
3. Advocacy – Steph Smyrl
   1. What issues affect the group and how can we collectively make a difference?
4. Website – Diana Cutaia
5. Organizational Structure – Kirsten Britton
   1. Fiscal, Membership, Sponsors (etc.)
6. Professional Development Events – Jessica Gould

Next Steps:

* Diana will connect with NACWAA to see how they may be willing to help us

* Kristan will connect with their intern who may be able to help us design a new logo

* Shannon will send out email regarding usage of website, and committee sign ups (all communication

   will happen through the website moving forward)

Notes from 2/19 meeting at MIT

In attendance: Shannon Roberts – Emerson College; Julie Soriero, Barb Bolich, Lisa Murray, Summer Hutcheson, and Michelle McLeod – Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Kirsten Britton and Alison Quandt – Boston College; Deb Morris – Boston University; Jessica Huntley – Great Northeast Athletic Conference; Mandy Nicoles – Pine Manor College; Mindy Mangels – Wellesley College.

Round Table Discussion:

Working with a difficult colleague

• Defined difficult as someone who keeps you from getting your work done.

• Conflict is not bad, in fact can be good.  Gender differences cause reactions to vary. 

• Suggestions: communicate directly, have a mediator if needed; work on managing outcomes as opposed to behavior; learn to prioritize.

• When managing colleagues older than you, it is very important to have mutual respect, it takes time to earn their respect so be patient

• Getting back to people in a timely fashion; what is a timely fashion?  Needs to be clearly explained from the top so that all are aware of the expectations.

Also discussed difficult situations and how to approach your Athletic Director with an issue

• Ask yourself how important the issue is?  Is it important enough to bring to their attention?
• Approach it with the mentality that it is business related and not personal
• Confront when you have an issue that is important to you otherwise it will fester; for example I don’t understand why you said A when B happened
• Write out a plan and organize your thoughts, take time to prepare for the meeting; then when you present the issue it will be well thought out

Notes from 2/4 meeting at Simmons

In attendance: Shannon Roberts and Jessica Adams – Emerson College; Diana Cutaia and Stephanie Smyrl – Wheelock College; Shanna Kornachuk and Kristan Strout– Harvard University; Nellie Pineault and Amy Lampe – Babson College; Jessica Huntley – Great Northeast Athletic Conference; Debra Morris – Boston University; Ali Kantor and Erica Mastrogiacomo – Simmons College; Mandy Nicoles and Martha Deusser – Pine Manor College

Round Table Discussion:

Brainstorming

• Recognizing Student-Athletes (how to work within budget limitations while not making the cuts obvious to student-athletes.)
  • Provide individual recognition, within budget limitations
    • Welcome Back Night: at half time of basketball game once students are back, recognize all fall conference honors.  AD reads small blurb about each individual athlete
  • Revamp banquets (instead of dinner reception, now dessert reception)
  • Recognition by pictures on the walls throughout the athletic department

• Meals
  • Many departments are trying to use student meal plans for as many missed meals as possible; requires planning ahead but lessens spending of meal money as student is charged meal instead of department charged money; schools are finding out that $10 is not enough to feed male athletes but budgets are too tight to offer more

•  
  • One way to stretch preseason/winter break money: tap into parents to make elaborate meals after practice; parents are allowed to share the meal with the team and it allows them to see their son/daughter during preseason.

• Possible way to bring in revenue
  • Web stream games, using fresh video, linked through athletics website provides sponsorship opportunities during streaming

Next events: Monday 2/9 at Boston College vs Maryland Women’s Basketball Game

Thursday 2/19 at MIT 7:30am

Notes from 1/21 meeting at Mount Ida

In attendance: Shannon Roberts - Emerson College; Diana Cutaia - Wheelock College; Shanna Kornachuk and Kristan Strout- Harvard University; Katie Zuman - Mount Ida College; Kirsten Britton, Monica Capobianco, Christina Connelly, Alison Quandt and Julia Walsh - Boston College.

Round Table Discussion:

Today's economy and the impact it's having on your department

Ways to slim down your budget without truly impacting your programs:

• Eliminate Poland Spring delivery
• Cut down on outside help (ex. Card swipers, game management part-time staff)
• Revamp work study hours
• Shutting down on Fridays in the summer (no lights/air conditioning etc.)
• Vacation days - cut back for athletic department, since they are not being used (and the money is being held aside)
• Extending uniform replacement (most schools going to 4 year cycle now)
• Online film exchange: Express play/Dragonfly/Next play (eliminates mailing and time) can be completed immediately following the game
• Less out of region play = less travel costs (more vans, less buses); but also now creates cross town rivalries

Other information:

• It was suggested to add job postings link to our website
• Logo is being created (any suggestions or interest in helping please let us know!)