Those SAA members who pay attention to organizational matters are aware that we’ve been talking for the past eight months (or more) about refreshing our 2010-2014 strategic priorities. Yeah, I know … you may be saying ho hum and yawn … that’s kind of how I’ve felt about my past experiences with strategic planning. But IMHO we’ve done some very strong work so far that can add up to some meaningful directions and changes in where SAA concentrates its efforts. And we’re ready for your feedback on our draft. Deadline is April 23rd.
So what have we been up to, and what’s in store? In short: your dedicated, hard-working Council started in earnest last fall when we closely examined the data from the 2012 member survey (the data are very much reflected in our draft plan), then spent 1.5 days in January at which we worked with an excellent consultant (Kathy Henrichs), and we’ve been slaving over an evolving draft ever since. This stuff ain’t easy. How to say something meaningful about near-future directions without just spouting organization-o-babble? Our work won’t be finished until next summer after the Annual Meeting in New Orleans in August, but this is an important moment for you to weigh in on the high-level outline of the plan.
Please, oh please, take a look at what we’ve done so far and send feedback: via a comment right here on this page, or on the SAA website page where the document is posted, or submit the comment form, or send a direct message to me, or speak up on the Archives and Archivists listserv, or however you please. Just do it, please! (Did I say “please”? enough times? 🙂 )
Many thanks in advance for helping us chart the best course for your professional organization’s future.
Off the Record 
Thanks for this opportunity to comment on SAA’s Strategic Priorities –
I’d like to comment in particular on Strategic Priority #2: Diversity – the relevant text is copied-and-pasted below.
In particular – the bit: “- Consider reconstituting the Diversity Committee to include stakeholders from….”
I’m the Co-Chair of the SAA Mentoring Program – and we as a SAA body have talked about our role in potentially diversifying our profession. The importance of Mentors connecting with, encouraging, and nurturing diverse new – and continuing – archivists is key to the important movement forward in making our profession more representative of the public that we represent and serve.
SO:
If I could humbly submit that the Mentoring Program might like to be a part of the Diversity Committee.
Thank You SO Much,
Alison Stankrauff
SAA Mentoring Program Co-Chair
Alison Stankrauff
Archivist and Associate Librarian
Franklin D. Schurz Library
Indiana University South Bend
P.O. Box 7111
South Bend, Indiana 46634
(574) 520-4392
astankra@iusb.edu
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STRATEGIC PRIORITY #2: DIVERSITY
Issue Statement:
The relevance of archives to society and the completeness of the
documentary record hinge on the profession’s success in ensuring that
its members, the holdings that they collect and manage, and the users
that they serve reflect the diversity of society as a whole.
Desired Outcome #1: The Mosaic Scholarship will evolve into a program that encompasses a broad set of activities, including conference attendance, enhanced mentoring, and cohort development, and the number of Mosaic Scholarships that SAA (and/or the SAA Foundation) offers will increase to ten by FY 2013.
Measurable Activities:
a. Charge an appropriate appointed group to coordinate work. (FY 2010)
– Consider reconstituting the Diversity Committee to include stakeholders from, e.g., AACRT, NAAR, LACCHA, LAGAR (recommended by the respective component’s chair), cycled so that one stakeholder appointee rotates on/off per year. (Council, Diversity Committee, Doyle;
February 2010)
– Charge a 6-person work group of the Diversity Committee to develop a three-year work plan for
expanding the Mosaic Scholarship program, including scholarships and the possibility of internships or fellowships, per the desired outcome, with a draft to the Council by February 2011.
(Tibbo, Work Group, Staff; June 2010 – February 2011)
I may be a bit biased as chair of the Diversity Committee but after a first read of the draft strategic plan 2013-2018, I noticed that the word DIVERSITY is not mentioned once or maybe I missed it. More comments to come.
Bergis Jules, I believe it’s listed as part of the Advocacy goal.
Is it possible to add more about helping cultivate leaders from within the profession? I can appreciate the need to not get too specific in a strategic plan, but this is a good opportunity to be more emphatic on the need for leadership development. Not only will this help SAA to be sustainable as an organization, but it will also help sustain the profession in general.
Bergis, the word also appears in the 2nd sentence of the mission statement, which makes it implicit throughout the strategic plan: “It promotes the diversity and value of archives and archivists in society.” That said, we’d be happy to hear your specific suggestions about how/where to pay further explicit attention to diversity in the document.
Sasha, leadership development would be a terrific addition, perhaps as a “tactic” (strategic planning-speak) under “Create opportunities for members to participate fully in the association.” (4.3) Thanks for the suggestion!