www.aafcs.org
Fall 2013
THE FACS CONNECTING PROFESSIONALS.TOUCHING LIVES.
A M E R I C A N
A S S O C I A T I O N
O F
family & Consumer Sciences
Embracing and Managing Change: Race for Relevance In Race for Relevance, authors Mary Byers and Harrison Coerver provide a no-nonsense look at today’s realities Peggy Wild, CFCS, about how associations operate President and what they need to do to remain relevant into the future. Based on more than 40 years of combined experience working with more than 1,000 organizations, the authors examine five key areas where the traditional approach that organizations have taken in the past needs to be altered: focusing the organization’s governance on policy and goals, empowering the CEO and staff to implement those goals, defining the member market, focusing on targeted programs and services, and creating a fully-functioning technology framework. These principles were the kick off to thought-provoking discussions that led to conceptualizing the Academy of Family & Consumer Sciences (the Academy), which we continue to explore. The Academy model would be a significant new organizational structure and approach to partnering with multiple family and consumer sciences organizations in ways that reflect the realities of today’s market and workplace, advances in technology, and
individuals’ contemporary expectations for engagement in professional associations. The Academy model would create a structure that allows us to collaborate more effectively and produce maximum positive impact for the field of family and consumer sciences. Winning the race for relevance, for our association and for our profession, now and into the future, calls for higher levels of collaboration that could be achieved through the new Academy structure. Organizations, including Family & Consumer Sciences Alliance members, could become Academy partners. Every partner organization would have a seat on the Academy Council of Advisors. An elected Board of Directors would be responsible for governance of the Academy. Every member (individual or institution) of every partner organization in the Academy would automatically be a member of the Academy by virtue of their membership in the partner organization. Those who so choose would be able to join the Academy directly.
Thus, individuals and institutions not in one of the partnering organizations and those who want to provide direct support could contribute to strengthening the Academy’s “voice.” Based on the number of members of our FCS Alliance organizations, the Academy of Family & Consumer Sciences has the potential to represent more than 250,000 student and professional members and other individuals, all committed to a unified source and voice for family and consumer sciences. The Academy is a concept being collaboratively and collectively developed over the course of the coming year. We hope you will continue to provide input and help us shape this opportunity. To stay up-to-date on the Academy, visit www.aafcs.org/FCSAcademy.
Featured Items in this Issue WSJ Article Launches FCS Debate AAFCS 2014 Election Candidates Maximize Success with Pre-PAC Guide to Using the Policy Policy Tool Kit Announcements Nominate Peers for 2015 Election Ballot
2 3 4 5 6 7