| These uncertainties complicate planning
processes for governments, for businesses, for educational institutions,
and the colleges and departments composing them. Engaging people
in planning processes, especially long-term strategic planning,
is difficult amid the myriad of uncertainties that surround
us. Nevertheless, we must plan in order to achieve goals
and objectives, to maintain productivity, and to ensure our
viability in our respective positions of endeavor. Likewise,
we must plan for the future of FASS, the Member Societies,
and Client Member support. Under the able leadership of Past-President
Bob Wideman, Jim Lauderdale, and the FASS Strategic Planning
Committee, a new Strategic Plan has been completed. Following
extensive discussion and review at the September 2002 FASS
Board meeting, final revisions were made and the 2003 to 2009
FASS Strategic Plan was unveiled and distributed in January
of this year.
Implementation began last fall, even before the final plan
was released, as a result of FASS Board approval of several
initiatives. These included approval to hire a Director of
Education and Information Resources, approval to work with
the Executive Directors to establish a Joint Managing Editor,
approval to create a Membership Coordinator position, and
to add needed staff support for the Executive Vice President
Scientific Liaison. The prioritization of elements in the
Strategic Plan began during development of the Plan, and continued
with discussions at the Joint ADSA/ASAS Board meetings in
Detroit in February. This was a small first step, however,
because we need to ensure that all three founding Member Societies
would participate in the prioritization process.
Discussions in Detroit spurred on the plan to fully engage
the societies in prioritization of FASS Strategic Plan elements
at our mid-year meeting in Savoy, held March 28, 2003. The
FASS Officers created a working list of priorities that was
shared with Society Presidents (their Boards) and EDs mid-month,
and the request was made to have FASS Board members bring
input from Member Boards with them to the meeting in Savoy.
We must be reminded that individual Member Societies are working
toward advancement of three FASS missions: association management
and services, education and information resources, and government
liaison in Washington, DC, while also implementing their Strategic
Plans. This is a joint effort that must be coordinated in
a manner that includes full, equal input from all Member Societies.
I encourage all of you to regularly look at the FASS web
site for updates on all FASS activities, as well as progress
with implementation of the Strategic Plan, and to bring questions
to your President, Society Board members, or Executive Director,
as they occur. Open, timely communication is critical for
optimal achievement of all our goals. Chuck Sapp is implementing
an enhanced awareness/training activity for new FASS Board
members to facilitate efficient transfer of information and
effective use of time spent at FASS Board meetings. Please
let us know if you have ideas regarding how we can maintain
optimal awareness of FASS effort, outcomes, and impacts, for
all our founding society members.
Don Beerman |
