by Mark H. Sklarow, Executive Director, IECA

From the NATSAP Conference in San Diego

On Thursday morning we received a briefing by NATSAP’s government relations representative, Kristina Pisanelli. She both provided an update on the Miller bill as well as set the scene for the legislative landscape in DC.

Back in 2007 when the Miller bill was proposed, it contained a number of provisions that would have effectively closed therapeutic schools and programs. The most onerous provision would require programs to meet not only the laws of the state where they were located, but also all applicable laws for all the states from which current students permanently reside. This would have meant, for example that a program in Idaho might have to meet the laws of 32 individual states—a list that could change weekly.

That bill died with the 110th Congress. In January a new bill was introduced in the House and quickly passed the Education Committee and the House. THIS new version of the bill was greatly influenced by NATSAP’s legislative work, including the editing out of the provision noted above. Aspects of the new legislation are far more acceptable to NATSAP schools and programs, although it still creates a new government oversight that duplicates efforts already done by other agencies and in many states. It was this new version that was the subject of a debate at the IECA conference last fall.

NATSAP’s effort will now shift to the Senate, where no regulatory bill has yet to be introduced, although Senator Orrin Hatch has introduced an alternate bill. Hatch’s bill would create federal minimum guidelines but would leave the development of specific regulations and enforcement to the states rather than create a new level of federal bureaucracy. This is the approach that is supported by NATSAP. With the death of Senator Edward Kennedy, the newly installed chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is Tom Harkin of Iowa. A new bill would have to make it through Harkin’s committee and be approved by the Senate and reconciled with the House bill within a year.

Given the current legislative agenda: jobs, the economy, health care, terrorism, education, and more that were articulated during President Obama’s State of the Union address, it is unclear if the Senate will be able to tackle the issue of regulating therapeutic programs in this Congress.

It is also worth noting that with President Obama calling for a freeze in discretionary domestic spending, it may be less likely that the government would create a new bureaucracy as called for in the House version.

Prior to the start of this session, I had breakfast with a number of the members of IECA’s Special Needs Committee and we brainstormed the possibility of new PR initiatives. I look forward to sharing these after the matter has made its way through the committee and the IECA board.

by Mark Sklarow, Executive Director, IECA

Based on a request brought by the IECA Special Needs Committee, the Board of Directors met via teleconference last week. Knowing that members overwhelmingly view the TalkList as a valuable benefit (based on the January 2010 member survey), the effort focused on ways to make the TalkList both more valuable but also ensure that several current concerns are addressed.

Concerns focused on just a few specific area: (1) the tendency of some to reveal too much information in  a case study such that client confidentiality could be compromised; (2) the tendency of some to present so little background as to call in to question whether the person making the post is qualified or ‘did their homework’ before asking for assistance; (3) the actions of some in forwarding TalkList postings to individuals outside of IECA (often in schools or programs), a clear violation of the rules that members agree to support.

Board consensus was that the regulations established should be shared with members more frequently. It was felt that often members sign the TalkList agreement but forget expectations, like proper titles. There was discussion about online training that would review what constitutes a good case study posting: one that provides sufficient information but no identifying characteristics, and demonstrates the research done by the consultant prior to the post. It was also felt that members need to be reminded that it is unacceptable to forward postings outside the membership and that doing so is basis for being removed from the TalkList.

There was discussion about the possibility of creating a TalkList mentor group. Their role would be to assist those trying to frame a posting or to contact those who post something considered improper to explain why and provide assistance in changing to a more valuable post.

Many on the Board felt that there were more significant problems of members venturing into advising beyond their expertise. This was judged to be an issue beyond just the TalkList and will be addressed separately.

The Board will continue this work and create a series of proposals. You may share your thoughts in the comments section below this blog, or send your comments to IECA board president Diane Geller at dianegeller@gmail.com or to me at msklarow@iecaonline.com.

by Mark Sklarow, Executive Director, IECA

“The pace of change in programming within your association must be commensurate with the pace of change in your member’s world.”

This little bit of truth was but one of hundreds of things that IECA President-elect Dodge Johnson and I heard over the last two days. We were attending a symposium for chief elected officers and chief staff officers run by the American Society of Association Executives. Of course the above bit of knowledge comes with further awareness that we live in an era of unprecedented and unpredictable change. Does any IECA member really know what will be the major challenges facing them in their own practice in their own community in the fall of 2013? Yet somehow, we are told, the association must be preparing now for that unknowable reality. The job of officers and staff is to prepare our members for what the future holds and to be sure that we become a significant resource to help our members thrive in whatever challenge arises.

While the times may change and the daily realities of consulting work may change, the basic premise of what makes an association important to its members does not. Associations are about three things: (1) Community (2) Connections (3) Communication. Our commitment has always been for IECA to be the premiere community, widely recognized and respected as bringing together the leaders in the field to share experiences, knowledge, and to understand the changes taking place in admissions, education, and adolescent health. We are well aware that communities of consultants are easier than ever to create: organizations can start up, or gather online, but what IECA guarantees is that those who choose to join in OUR community are also well screened for competence, ethics, and value a commitment to the success of young people.

Over the last year we have tackled the last in that alliterative series—Communication—in new and exciting ways. This blog and social networking have enabled us to assist our members in this new frontier of possibilities. At the same time, we continue to print our newsletter and brochures. We have expanded opportunities for face-to-face networking through our Speed Meetings, and our College Fairs are larger than ever. It is this very diversity—allowing members to share and communicate in varied formats—that demonstrates our great success.

One of the first items shared with our training group was the unique nature of associations, where the primary consumers, owners, and workforce are all the same: the members. Members are indeed the leaders, filling all Board positions. They also serve as the volunteers that steer our committees, outreach to allied professionals, and help spread the word. And unique among all business systems, these same members are the primary consumers: paying dues, paying conference fees, and attending workshops and campus tours.

Of course we were also cautioned not to allow a situation develop in which members feel they are there to be “sold to” rather than “served.” I took this as a great caution and was reminded of the feedback we heard from many, including the Schools Committee to balance IECA’s fiscal needs with our commitment to serving members. It is a message we heard and to which we will respond.

Over the course of our two days, we were asked to identify one “mega” strategic issue that we expect IECA will confront in the coming years. Rather than pull one out of the blue, Dodge and I were able to access the results (so far) of our ongoing member survey of strategic initiatives. There we found our answer. Members overwhelmingly have identified our mega issue: expanding public awareness and hiring of educational consultants in their educational search, with an effort to ensure that IECA members are seen as the “gold standard” in the profession. It is this overriding member concern that will be front and center as IECA looks at what we need to do to ensure our members are prepared to confront the changes that are coming, as they pursue what the field will be like for them personally in the fall of 2013 and beyond.

by Mark Sklarow, Executive Director, IECA

I admit to being a person who is rarely satisfied with the way things are. I believe in the need to change and that includes both personal change and actions to ensure that the Independent Educational Consultants Association continues to move forward, developing new approaches, new programs and new initiatives so that we are always meeting member needs. Allow me to illustrate using just one example. Following an IECA Summer Training Institute in Claremont, California, I sat down with Sue DePra and Steve Antonoff to review the participant evaluations. They were off the charts with virtually every attendee giving the Summer Institute nearly perfect scores, and comments from most attendees that it was among the best training sessions they had ever attended. The three of us then spent the next two hours re-writing the curriculum, developing new interactive elements, implementing ‘labs’ and strengthening the program further. The result was taking a great training program and making it remarkable.

Now as I reflect back on 2009, I feel great about the excellent work of staff, Board and committee leadership, and volunteer members who combined to make it a great year. We advanced dramatically in our efforts to use social networking to promote IECA and the profession, and to improve communications. We initiated new program in learning disabilities and adopted our new Standards of Excellence. We implemented significant changes during our conference: from Speed Meetings to Conference Central and from point/counterpoint sessions to master classes. Participation among colleges has never been higher, and despite the economic downturn our membership is up, conference participation is up, and our training workshops were larger than ever.

But as I look ahead, I know what I want to achieve in the coming year for IECA and for my own work as Executive Director: to take IECA from a great organization to a remarkable one. Looking at the success of America’s most lauded associations, I hope we use their example to become an exceptional force for our members. To become ‘remarkable,’ I think Board, staff and volunteers need to meet these expectations:

• Member Service—we exist as an association for one reason: to meet the needs of our membership. That commitment to member service should always be the top priority.

• Align all services, conferences, and activities with IECA’s mission. That mission, unchanged in 30 years, is to help professional consultants to serve the interests of students and families in their educational decision-making.

• Seek feedback and input from members and our related constituencies. In the next several weeks, members will be asked to complete a strategic planning survey and a survey from the Education & Training Committee. These will set our priorities over the next several years. We have now begun to involve schools, colleges, and programs in conference planning and regularly seek their advice on programming.

• Be willing to fail. As we look to be innovative, creative, and dynamic, we must be willing to accept that success require risk-taking and that means we will fail from time to time. Such failure is inevitable and will lead to new successes.

• A nimble, flexible, national office that is able to meet changes in the marketplace and ensure that such changes are quickly and capably brought to our members to help them succeed in their own work.

• Building alliances with not-for-profit and for-profit companies, institutions, and organizations that will help us further our mission and better serve clients and students.

I look forward to hearing ideas from our members, colleagues, and families on how we can best serve each to make 2010 and IECA remarkable in the year ahead. Join us in this effort: volunteer, get involved in committees, affinity groups, or other efforts, and above all, offer your ideas on what IECA should be doing.

by Mark Sklarow, Executive Director, IECA, from the National Conference in NC

Here we are on the eve of the 2009 Fall Conference. Even before we officially open the gathering at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, we will have completed visits to more than 15 campuses by over 140 consultants, 130 attendees will have taken part in pre-conference seminars on financial aid, LD assessments, and customer service. About 60 participants will have joined in the first-ever IECA speed meetings and several groups, including Strategic Planning, Executive Board and the AICEP Board will have met.

Sound like a lot, considering the conference will not have been officially opened? Well, there’s more: 35 vendors will have been engaging arrivals in “Conference Central”;  Our IECA team will be providing information on a number of new member services and offering one-to-one assistance with social media;  AdmissionsQuest, in coordination with IECA, will have already begun its webcasting, blogging, tweeting, and more. All this after the staff prepared for months, and created what became more than 100 cases (!) of materials to be used in the days to come.

And how about more—all still in pre-conference mode! Some 140 IECA members will have attended an early arrivals dinner at Johnson & Wales University. There, all aspects of the program, from menu design, to food prep, to serving, to demonstration were created by culinary students. Other events, hosted by our Outreach Committee, invited very early arrivals to gather together for meals.

If that sounds exhausting consider that once we open the conference, more than 115 speakers and presenters will take part, including some international leaders in education theory. There will be 275 colleges and schools represented in our Thursday fair and another 215 programs for adolescents in our Friday Swap. New affinity groups representing tech-savvy members and international consultants will join our ever-expanding pool of meetings, gatherings and events.

Well over 1,100 attendees will take part in the conference and we hope each leaves with a personal sense that it was of great value to them. Putting on such a conference takes enormous effort, starting with our North and South Carolina members who served on the local host committee, our Board and Committee leaders who jumped in to help plan and execute, the consultants and schools who decided to take a chance on the Speeds Meetings or showcases, and the hundreds who signed up to be part of our first end-of-conference Master Class.

Yet much of the effort falls on the IECA staff. Most national organizations would have a staff of 4 – 8 working exclusively on such a conference. For us, it’s everyone in every department joining in to make it work. IECA has the best staff of any small association in the country. They work together to accomplish far more than organizations three or four times the size. Those in NC this week will see what they’ve accomplished. Be sure to thank them!

Have a great conference!

by Mark H. Sklarow, Executive Director, IECA

I attended several meetings yesterday in Washington DC which provided the opportunity to hear how our fellow associations—educational and otherwise—are faring. The two general areas of concern include how the economy has impacted membership and programming, and how social networking has resulted in membership losses, sometimes in significant numbers.

IECA’s experience has been quite different. While maintaining our significant requirements, our membership has been increasing at 20% a year with no significant loss due to the economy. As the profession becomes better known and the field more established, serious professionals continue to come to IECA for a sense of professional community, mentoring and education, and the assurance membership gives to families of an ethical, knowledgeable, professional source during an anxious time.

I also recognize the tremendous difference the IECA staff makes in our ability to attract and retain members. We have six full-time professionals working in our office outside of Washington, DC, all of whom work longer hours with greater intensity than anyone knows. Our ability to introduce new member services monthly, maintain a current listing of campus tour invitations, and assist those seeking membership is a tribute to Janice Berger, our manager of member services.

While many associations are losing members who have found they can associate through online resources, IECA’s manager of communications, Sarah Brachman, has made sure that IECA is in the forefront of using new media to engage our members, invite new members, and extend our reach into tens of thousands of families who find us through our Web site, blog, Facebook page and more.

At a time when most associations are reporting declines in conference attendance of as much as 40%, Rachel Diamond, our conference manager, has helped create a dynamic program with enhanced opportunities for learning and networking, so that our attendance at next month’s Charlotte Conference will be higher than either our fall or spring conferences last year. That she has been able to accomplish this while planning for her wedding—next week—is remarkable.

In the midst of all this planning, of course we are still mailing out SAT materials (an exclusive arrangement with College Board), Common App materials (another exclusive arrangement with The Common Application), marketing materials, STI certificates and all the other things that make our office operate smoothly, and our administrative assistant, Sheila Kirk, does so while remaining helpful, upbeat, and positive, with the scores of inquiries she gets from schools, parents, and consultants.

Behind the scenes but at the core of everything we do is Sue DePra, who may hold the title of director of education but whose role is far in excess of this: re-designing our data management system, coordinating all education and training initiatives, heading up the Summer Training Institute and Transitioning to Private Practice workshop—our two flagship programs for new consultants—and so much more. With incredible organization skills, she literally and figuratively puts her stamp on everything we do.

I also want to acknowledge the tremendous work that our volunteer board members, committee members and chairs, conference host committees, and others do to develop new ideas, new initiatives, and new approaches. They are truly the source of so much and the staff alone could not do this without them. Those starting our new affinity groups will be key to keeping our members feel connected as our growth continues.

So why this reflection right here, right now? Easy. Yesterday when I heard the stories, one after another, of associations shrinking and declining I pondered how fortunate I am to be working with the amazing professional staff and volunteers who have made the Independent Educational Consultants Association a national model of what to do, even during difficult times, to be a successful, thriving, growing organization. I am grateful!

by Charlotte Klaar, IECA Member (Maryland) and Chair, Board Development Committee

Each year when I receive my membership renewal from IECA and make the decision not only to renew but also to continue to be actively involved in the organization, I am amazed at the strides IECA has made in the preceding year. Now, some 15 years after I first became associated with IECA, I look back and see a transformed organization whose efforts have also transformed an industry. This transformation has come about through the work of our Executive Director, Mark Sklarow, and his staff and the efforts of the many involved members of the organization.

This past year has been a particularly meaningful one for me since I have seen efforts that I have been periodically involved with come to fruition, and others that began later show progress. This year, sets of competency documents for each of our constituencies have been finalized. The committees (College, Schools, Learning Disabilities, and Special Needs) each decided on these competencies, which were necessary to properly do the work of each specialty. This was an idea that began with the Education and Training Committee, and using the model that the Special Needs Committee had begun, under the leadership of Tom Callahan, asked that the other disciplines put together their competency documents. This is a huge step forward for the organization and for our members who will soon be able to look at the competencies to decide if they are truly up-to-date in the services they offer. More training will be available to those who want it.

The Board Development Committee (BDC) is another group that is working hard at adding to the professionalism of the organization, with particular focus on the Board of Directors who set the direction of IECA. Last year, under the leadership of Tim Lee, the BDC created instruments by which the Board can assess its own work, and for each Board member to assess his or her contributions to the Board and to the organization as a whole. In addition, a protocol was created to provide advance information on the responsibilities of a Board member, so that those asked to stand for election to the Board know the level of commitment required. This year the BDC created a debriefing document for former Board members and also distributed talent surveys to the sitting Board and committee chairs to create a database of existing member talents. Our next steps will be to examine the qualities required for each of the Executive Board positions, and to assess each position and its relevance in the changed environment that is IECA today.

There is no doubt in my mind that we are a more professional organization today than when I began 15 years ago. I am honored to be part of this changed organization and thank all those who came before me who sowed the seeds for this transformed profession.

by Diane Geller, President, IECA

Our Executive Board hit the ground running on Wednesday and came up for air only when it was time to return home. Although I did have my running shoes with me, Mark’s reference to “marathon” pertained only to our meeting—we were all so engaged in discussion that I never even made it to the gym!

We began our conversation with updates on the upcoming Charlotte conference, our recently completed and well attended Summer Training Institute, and a report on our financial picture. We are excited about our conference registration and membership numbers. All in all, an excellent report card.

Our agenda was full, but the overarching theme was our continued commitment to IECA’s role and responsibility in serving the profession, insuring that families are well served, and that we are maintaining and even raising our high standards. We are fortunate that committee meetings are no longer limited to in-person sessions at conferences; new technologies enable our standing committees to work and meet via teleconference between our fall and spring conferences. The Learning Disabilities committee has completed its lexicon and is developing a “top ten” competencies list. The Schools committee is promoting increased visibility at other professional associations and conferences and has embraced the “speed dating” model for schools and consultants at the Charlotte conference. The Special Needs committee demonstrates not only its hard work but also its tech savvy on its Facebook page. The Board Development Committee and the Nominating Committee are working on leadership development; the Directory Task Force will follow up on the Membership Committee’s suggestion regarding specialty codes. And, as always, our Outreach Committee continues to reach out at receptions and events. Members will soon be learning more about using new technologies for Web-based training and our “Standards of Excellence” document is nearing completion. We are thrilled with our affiliation with the University of California-Irvine certificate program in Educational Consulting and our College Committee is proud of our relationship with College Week Live where our members volunteer and are featured on a regular basis. We are forming an affinity group for consultants who work internationally and a task force is in the works for coordinating our members who do volunteer work and community service.

In all consultant specialties, community service is being initiated, consultants continue to visit schools, colleges, and programs, and opportunities for continuing education are being pursued.

by Mark Sklarow, Executive Director, IECA

(Attending the ASAE Convention in Toronto)

I heard Newsweek International Editor and CNN host Fareed Zakaria speak today. I was particularly taken by one of his opening lines: “The urgent will always crowd out the important.”

Zakaria was speaking about what Senator Obama had stated as his one over-arching goal in deciding whether to run for president: getting the U.S. out of Iraq. Of course what he has found is that on any given day dozens of other items both large (the economy) and less so (Somali Pirates) demand his immediate attention.

But isn’t Zakaria’s point true of us all. We may begin a day knowing what important task “must” be confronted, yet a panicked phone call from a client or a sick child or a broken air conditioner can quickly grab our attention.

On Wednesday afternoon the IECA Executive Committee will meet. Needless to say there are “important” issues to be confronted, but none of us will be surprised if some urgent matter dominates the 48 hours we have together. I for one hope that our cell phones don’t work in Canada or our Internet connections are just not quite strong enough, allowing us to shut out some of those urgent matters so the important ones can be discussed.

IECA’s 2009 – 2010 board of directors and committee chairs listing has been posted at: http://www.iecaonline.com/board.html