October 2003

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. President’s Message
2. A Message From PR and Membership: Help EACE grow!
3. EACE Co-Sponsors Employer Roundtables with NACE
4. Fall Professional Development Programs
5. Interested in getting involved in EACE but haven't had the opportunity?
6. Book Review
7. A Message From the Liberal Arts Network
8. Building Bridges Through Partnerships: Annual EACE Conference
9. THANK YOU SPONSORS!
10. A Message from WACE

1. President’s Message

As EACE moves into fall, the Committees, Networks and 2004 Annual Conference Chairs and Team Members have already presented and had approved their goals, objectives and budgets and are fully engaged in planning a broad array of programs, workshops and services that will provide the membership with high quality professional development and networking experiences. More detailed programming information will be distributed by the respective Committees and Networks through Bridges, the EACE listserv and website.

“Building Bridges Through Partnerships” is the theme of the 2004 Annual Conference scheduled for August 8 – 11, 2004 at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sharon Powers and Tom Tarantelli are leading a team of Enthusiastic, Action-Oriented, Creative and Energetic (EACE) Committee Chairs and Team Members. The conversations, ideas and thoughts that were shared during their face-to-face meeting in Pittsburgh, PA on July 28th will translate into a combination of solid employer and college programming, potential new program formats, numerous opportunities to network among colleagues as well as the ability to explore new products and software. In addition, recreational, cultural and social events with the “Pittsburgh flavor” are being planned. The Conference Committee has already locked in their conference logo which will be highlighted in this issue of Bridges. Finally, the 2004 Annual Conference website will soon be connected to the EACE website. Stay tuned for the postcard as well as other announcements through the EACE listserv, website and Bridges.

Major steps have been taken with our new association management firm, Technical Enterprises, Inc. (TEI). Matthew Brink, Director of Technology and Information Management, John Fracchia, Technology Resources Committee Chair and I have been working closely with Scott Sherer, President of TEI. As a result of TEI’s ability to provide a more comprehensive and significantly better level of service for our membership, the EACE Board of Directors voted in August to discontinue EACE’s participation in the Universal Database (UDB). As a result, the membership database, directory and EACE website have all been moved. Improved functionality includes the ability to handle/showcase the following online:

• Registration for all programs and conferences;
• Management of all financial transactions;
• Membership directory that can be updated on a timelier basis better ensuring accuracy of members’ records (The directory can also be downloaded for members who desire a hard copy);
• New member applications and membership renewals;
• Ability to conduct and tabulate surveys;
• Ability to create file libraries to more efficiently manage the reports, records, forms, materials, brochures/flyers that are utilized by EACE.

In addition, there are plans in the works for a new version of the EACE website as well as making Virtual Meeting Technology available.

I would also like to introduce Tracy Burr, who is our new EACE Managing Director replacing Ed Grochowski. She can be reached at (414) 908-4940, ext.106 or t.burr@eace.org. She is looking forward to working with the entire EACE membership.

Becky Weir, President-Elect and I attended the Presidents’ Roundtable, which includes the president and president-elect of each of the regional associations and NACE in San Antonio, Texas this past July. It was a very productive meeting and the information exchange allowed us to examine the global issues facing our profession. Some of the topics discussed included the potential collaboration of NACE and the regional associations on Annual Conferences (NACE in 2005 moves to an annual conference model – MWACE & NACE will collaborate in 2005), declining membership (particularly among employers), membership fees, sponsorship and revenue generation, etc. In addition, the major focus of this meeting was the discussion of the recommendations highlighted in the Task Force on Regional Association Relationships report (Marv Roth is our EACE representative) and the Past Presidents’ (2002 – 2003) response to the report. The decision called for the Task Force to continue their work and propose potential relationship models by December 1st. The Presidents’ Roundtable will look at these models at the next meeting in January 2004 in California.

EACE is a truly dynamic professional association fueled by the passion and energy of a wonderful group of professional colleagues and friends that creates opportunities for networking and the sharing of ideas, strategies and practices. Please become an active member in EACE – your talent and expertise is so vital to the maintenance of EACE’s premier status. Also, you will personally and professionally benefit in so many ways.

It is a wonderful privilege to be serving the EACE membership and association. Thank you for your confidence and support.

Marianne Tramelli
President, EACE 2003 - 2004

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2. A Message from PR and Membership: Help EACE grow!

You can help EACE engage as many new employer members as possible during the upcoming year!  How? 

• Create a link from the employer section of your Career Services Office web site to the EACE web site.  We hope to have all college members participate in this important initiative.  If you are interested in creating a link, contact John Fracchia at JFracchia@ithaca.edu to learn more!
• Include EACE membership materials and conference/professional development  information in packages for your on-campus recruiters  and/or upcoming career fairs.  If interested, contact Marilyn Natili at natili@cup.edu.  Please provide your contact information along with the number of employers you will be working with.
• Does your campus have a graduate program in human resources, counseling, student development/affairs, or college/university administration?  Provide the program director(s) with information about EACE, our scholarship program, and our diversity initiatives!  Contact Marilyn Natili at natili@cup.edu for materials.
• Will you be attending a national or regional human resources conference or meeting this year?  Take EACE materials along to share with colleagues who might not know about EACE! Contact Marilyn Natili at natili@cup.edu for materials.
• Why did you join EACE?  There are lots of great benefits to being part of EACE!  What one reason was most compelling to get you to join?  What would you tell a prospective member (employer, student, or college) about why they should join?  Send me a quick e-mail with your reason.  You can even click here to send it right now:  mcrouch@richmond.edu.  It will only take a minute.
• Word of mouth is key!  Please tell your career services and human resources  colleagues about EACE and the benefits of the connections and collaboration it provides.  Help us build a stronger, more beneficial association for all members!

Watch the EACE web site and your e-mail for details about these and other exciting initiatives.  For more information or to join either the Public Relations or Membership Committee, please contact:

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3. EACE Co-Sponsors Employer Roundtables with NACE

Join your colleagues for an employer roundtable, a half-day session where colleagues share the latest recruiting information and issues.  What makes the roundtable unique is that you and other college recruiting and staffing professionals will set the agenda.  Come prepared with questions and suggestions for this moderated discussion. As a participant, you'll gain valuable insights into enhancing and distinguishing your program.

Popular topics at recent roundtables around the country have been: diversity recruitment strategies, use of technology in recruiting, image building, and benchmarking staffing activities. It's the perfect opportunity to network and find out what your competition is doing!  These roundtables are co-sponsored by NACE and EACE.

Upcoming Roundtables:

• October 8, 2003 - Washington, DC - Sponsored by Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC)
• November 6, 2003 - Upper Saddle River, NJ - Sponsored by Pearson Education
• December 4, 2003 - New York, NY - Sponsored by Ernst & Young
• December 11, 2003 - Northern Virginia - Sponsored by American Management Systems, Inc.

For more information and to register, please visit http://www.naceweb.org

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4. Fall Professional Development Programs

For more information, please visit http://www.eace.org.  Registration will be available on-line approximately eight weeks prior to each program.

Assessment and Evaluation:  A Practical Framework
November 2003
Central Connecticut

This workshop will provide a framework to begin assessing and evaluating the effectiveness of your Career Center or recruiting program, including practical advice on what to look for, how to measure it, and how to use the information effectively to enable change.  In addition, a panel of employers and college representatives will share best practices and "lessons learned" from the assessment process.  Topics to be covered include experiential education and recruiting programs from both the employer and career center perspectives, as well as placement statistics.

Working for Your Uncle
December 2003
Philadelphia, PA

The Federal Government is the nation’s largest employer and “Within the next few years, the first wave of baby-boomers will be reaching the retirement age. In fact, 30% of the Federal workforce will be eligible to retire in five years and an additional 20% could seek early retirement. However, that does not mean that 50% of the workforce will leave at once. But it does mean that agencies must start planning for the workforce of the future.” (excerpt from the OPM Workforce Planning website) Speakers from several federal agencies will discuss current and future opportunities, new initiatives and special program for our students to pursue.

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5. Interested in getting involved in EACE but haven't had the opportunity?

The Professional Exchange Committee is looking to expand it's membership so we can provide excellent summer exchanges in a variety of locations with a wide range of topics/industries.  It's a great excuse to make contacts with places that you and your students would like to learn more about!  Each member is responsible for the recruitment of 2 Summer Exchange sponsors but the content of the event is planned entirely by the host site.  Once the sites are recruited, members simply keep track of the registered attendees, send confirmations and directions, as well as coordinate the evaluation of the event.

Please contact Bridget Bowers at bridget.bowers@villanova.edu or 610.519.4062 if you are interested in either becoming a member of the committee or if your school or organization is interested in hosting an exchange!

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6. Book Review of...

Milnes, Joan. (2003). Field Work Savvy: A Handbook for Students in Internship, Co-Operative Education, Service-Learning and other forms of Experiential Education. WA: Pleasant Word. Pp. 138. ISBN 1-57921-571-8. $12.99

Gay Roland, Reviewer

Field Work Savvy by Joan Milnes is a handbook for students preparing to participate in a field based learning experience. It is a user-friendly guide for high school and college level students. Ms. Milnes has researched the whys and hows of making a field experience successful for students and employers. This handbook provides the students’ faculty coordinator with a comprehensive preparatory plan to ease the transition from the classroom to the world of work.

The book’s seven chapters transition smoothly from “Getting Started,” which acknowledges the anxiety students experience when first faced with the prospect of actually having to go into the real world, to the final chapter of reflecting on what the experience was really all about. Students will welcome the many templates for writing letters of introduction, résumés, reference lists and portfolio construction.

Instructors will be able to bring real life scenarios into the classroom utilizing the many tips gleaned from insider information provided by experienced students, workplace supervisors and professionals in the field. These tips, scattered throughout the book, are identified with the amiable icons of a pointing finger aimed at advice or “pointers” and a magnifying glass inviting the reader to “Take a look…” at examples from the field.

Seasoned professionals and newcomers to the arena of field-based learning will find this publication an asset for classroom teaching. No matter what the experiential learning experience is called from internship, practicum, clinical, service learning to cooperative education, Field Work Savvy is a tool that will provide students and instructors with the framework to insure the work experience is a positive one for all participants.

Field Work Savvy: A Handbook for Students in Internship, Co-Operative Education, Service-Learning and other forms of Experiential Education

by Joan Milnes is endorsed by the National Society for Experiential Education. The Table of Contents and the Introduction for Students can be viewed at www.nsee.org.

Gay Roland has over 20 years experience as the Director for the Cooperative Education/Internship program at North Shore Community College in Danvers, Massachusetts. She has established partnerships with over 1,000 companies in the local area providing a broad spectrum of work-based opportunities for students.

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7. From the Liberal Arts Network

Our Network plans to roll out a great line up of "Road Trips to the Real World" series this January break.  A big thanks goes out to our Network members who are hot on the trail of putting together the employer site visits.  If you have ideas for employers you would like to see, please contact the chairs: Minda Heyman mheyman@goucher.edu or Jessica Hartley at stonejg@bc.edu.

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8. Building Bridges Through Partnerships: Annual EACE Conference

Kick Off to 2004 Academic Year

The 2004 annual conference, August 8-11, 2004, promises to be a great way to energize for the new academic year! The Conference Planning Committee met in July at the site of next year’s conference in the beautiful and  historic Omni William Penn Hotel in the heart of downtown PITTSBURGH, PA.  Plans for next year’s conference are taking shape and will include new and  exciting opportunities specifically for employers and for seasoned career  center professionals.

The committee is planning a conference that will:

• provide strong professional development opportunities for both employer and college members
• provide networking opportunities
• take advantage of the conference’s urban setting and it’s cultural and culinary offerings (as many of our committee members did in July)!

Please visit the EACE Web site at http://www.eace.org for conference information.

SPONSORED BY: Long Island Resources

In response to the challenging employment environment, two Long Island Career Services Firms – Career Consultants and Career Ideas, have partnered to launch www.nassaujobs.com and www.suffolkjobs.com

The new Long Island wide career resource portals will provide free services such as job posting to both employers and job seekers. “The resources will be broad in reach but local in focus. These sites provide access to interest inventories, occupational information, college and scholarship information as well as industry information for the region are available on the site and free.

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9.THANK YOU SPONSORS!!!!
The EACE 2003 Annual Conference Committee would like to thank the following organizations for generous contributions to make this conference a reality. EACE, Inc. truly appreciates your generosity and commitment.

10. A Message from WACE

Greetings EACE members!

Please join us for the annual Western Association of Colleges and Employers (WACE) 2004 Conference in Newport Beach, CA. Below, you will find our Save the Date "postcard" for the January 20-23, 2004 Annual Conference. Our theme this year, is "Changing Tides, Riding Waves". The festivities will kick off the day after the Martin Luther King holiday and will include a pre-conference workshop this year for the first time in several years. The website is filled with information on the conference including information on keynote speakers, a printable registration form and information for potential exhibitors. January will be here before we know it and we want to see you there! Get out of the snow, the ice, the gloom, the mist and get on down to Southern California for the terrific networking, collaboration and Continuing Education WACE is known for across the country!

For more information, please log on to: www.wace.net

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Bridges Editors: Ingrid Peterson Deborah Rothstein