The SAIR annual conference in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina, October 22-25, 2005 promises outstanding professional growth opportunities once again. SAIR 2005 Conference Program Chair, Jim Eck of Rollins College, and his Conference Planning Committees have worked diligently in preparing quality pre-conference workshops; plenary addresses by nationally and regionally renown key note speakers; paper presentations; panels; software demonstrations; luncheon roundtable discussions; a gala opening reception; and finally a most special event. Make your plans soon since we anticipate that all three of our hotels and the special event will sell out.
At the May 29, 2005 SAIR Board meeting in San Diego, important decisions were made regarding prominent activities of SAIR. Larry Jones, who served as our voluntary SAIR/IHE liaison in a most outstanding way since 1992, retired from the Institute of Higher Education (IHE) at the University of Georgia on April 1, 2005. His multiple duties for SAIR included editorship and production of SAIRMAIL, maintenance of member and past member databases and the coordination and mailings of newsletters, election ballots and other correspondence. Additionally, Larry has been an ambassador to our profession by regularly attending and presenting at various state conferences for 30 years. Larry will be honored by the SAIR Board in a ceremonious manner at Charleston.
In an effort to continue significant duties performed by Larry Jones, the Board approved the part time staff position of Communications Specialist to be responsible for the production and editing of the SAIR web site, the SAIR Newsletter, and SAIRMAIL. Additionally, the Treasurer will be responsible for maintaining all of the databases related to membership. I am pleased to inform you that Darla Keel, Web Specialist at the University of Memphis, has accepted the position of Communications Specialist for SAIR. Darla has been an active member of SAIR for several years and has been our newsletter editor the past year and associate newsletter editor previously. She received her undergraduate degree and also a Master of Arts in English/Professional Writing from the University of Memphis. Additionally, Darla was elected Secretary for TENNAIR and is serving as their web master. We are most pleased to have Darla Keel join SAIR in this new role.
I look forward to seeing all of you in Charleston in October.
Ross Griffith
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South Carolina again plays host to the annual meeting of the Southern Association for Institutional Research. Our conference convenes on October 22, 2005, in the historic district of Charleston at the Francis Marion Hotel. Thanks to the expertise of our members, SAIR 2005 promises to continue the conference’s tradition of excellence as we have amassed a potpourri of engaging pre-conference workshops, plenary sessions, concurrent sessions, and special events. My colleagues from the South Carolina Association for Institutional Research have assumed several leadership roles related to this conference such as coordinating local arrangements with the incomparable guidance of Lisa Pace and Pam King of The Citadel and Chris Mee of Coastal Carolina University.
Accreditation, Assessment, Community College, Institutional Research, Planning, and Technology are the tracks for SAIR 2005. The conference theme, “Engaging Challenges as the Paradigms Shift,” reflects the flexibility and adaptability that defines our profession. Whether participating in a workshop or exchanging ideas with colleagues during luncheon roundtables, expect to leave the conference on October 25, 2005, with new tools and techniques for adjusting to the fluidity of higher education.
Insightful pre-conference workshops take place on Saturday and Sunday, October 22-23. Workshops will provide hands-on training related to SAS, institutional effectiveness, Access, program assessment and continuous improvement, IPEDS, and serving as an institutional effectiveness evaluator for the Commission on Colleges.
Ride in a carriage as part of the Special Event on Monday, October 24, followed by dinner and dessert at the legendary Boathouse Restaurant. After dinner transportation to the Francis Marion Hotel via motor coach is included in the cost of the special event.
2005 is the year to attend the annual SAIR conference in Charleston, South Carolina. We look forward to seeing you in Charleston, South Carolina.
Jim Eck
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Miscellaneous Conference News |
Want to volunteer to be a session facilitator at the conference?
Please contact Mary M. Gunn at 843-349-2733 or send an email to mgunn@coastal.edu. |
Want to apply for a SAIR Travel Grant?
Travel Grants are due by August 1, 2005 to Cathy Tanner
Send your name and institution/organization of employment, a brief resume/curriculum vitae, a statement of how the grant will contribute to your professional development, and a statement describing your financial need to ctanner@bishop.edu. |
Have some conference questions?
Please contact
Jim Eck, Program Chair
(407) 646-2375
jeck@rollins.edu
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