by Dan Gearan ERAPPA President
For as long as I have been in the organization, NNECERAPPA has been viewed as a leader in the APPA Organization. NNECERAPPA meetings rival those of some regions in the size and quality of the programs. We also have a tradition of providing leadership at all levels of the APPA organization. This year I am proud to continue that tradition serving as the ERAPPA President with the support of some really great NNECERAPPA colleagues. I would like to share with you what some of these folks are doing to help you be successful at your institution.
Dale DeBlois from Colby College is currently the ERAPPA Vice President for Chapter Affairs. Dale meets regularly with the Chapter Presidents, including Anita Bailey, the current NNECERPPA President and the 9 other ERAPPA Chapter Presidents. He brings issues that they have to the attentions of the ERAPPA Board and also passes on what APPA and ERAPPA has going on. This is important to you and your institution as many of the programs APPA and ERAPPA offer are made available through the Chapters.
Steve Peary from University of Maine is currently serving a dual role. Steve represents NNECERAPPA at the ERAPPA Technology & Communications Committee. He is also the ERAPPA Representative to the APPA Information and Research Committee. Steve participates in conference calls and attends meetings of both Committees. The APPA I&R Committee supports great programs like Facilities Performance Indicators or FPI, which this year has a great Energy and Sustainability Assessment tool. They also support research projects that provide valuable information to help us all do our jobs better.
Rick Battistoni from Saint Michael’s College is also currently serving a dual role. He represents NNECERAPPA at the ERAPPA Professional Development Committee and he is also the ERAPPA Representative at the APPA Professional Development Committee. Professional Development is at the center of what the APPA organizations are all about. The ERAPPA and APPA Annual Conferences, APPA U, APPA Toolkit, Drive-in Workshops are all great programs available to you through in part the work of these committees.
Connie Simmons from Phillips Exeter Academy, in her role as NNECERAPPA Membership Chair, serves as the NNECERAPPA Representative to the ERAPPA Membership Committee. The Membership committee monitors membership renewals and works to increase membership through highlighting the benefits of the organization. They work to make sure all types of organizations are represented. K thru 12, Community Colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities are underrepresented areas that Membership has been working on.
Leading the Region is both a challenge and a pleasure. The challenges we face are echoed across the region. The poor economy has put us all in difficult positions. But this makes the work we do in NNECERAPPA even more important. We all need to become more efficient in providing the services to our Institutions. NNECERAPPA, ERAPPA and APPA provide the tools you need to accomplish this. It is a pleasure to work with people dedicated to not only helping their own institutions advance but also the profession they work in.