Welcome to the Sponsored Program Administration Network

by Linnéa E. Allison, SPA Chair 2004

Within the greater NAFSA community, SPA strives to provide a home for the continued professional development of members working with sponsored students, scholars and trainees. It also serves as a vital link between the association, academics, the training community, sponsors and donors, programming agencies and global partners. SPA created a web site to share professional resources and materials, provide information on critical issues affecting sponsored programs and engage members to think about and help shape policy issues. The SPA Steering Committee hopes that you will find the information on the web site valuable and encourages your feedback so that the site best reflects members' professional needs and interests.

As NAFSA moves to strengthen the association and ensure that the organizational structure continues providing quality products, services and professional opportunities for its members, we can expect many changes ahead. Some of them are already in progress. SPA has merged with ADSEC, ATESL, and OSEAS to form the new Recruitment, Admissions and Preparation Knowledge Community (RAP) that works with student and scholar access and mobility. The creation of a new Knowledge Area that brings together the work and mission of four distinct yet overlapping areas will allow for increased synergy and communication on issues common to its members in each area. During the restructuring process, the SPA steering committee will work to ensure that SPA interests and professional needs are heard and addressed in the Strengthening Task Force Working Groups. Updates on the progress of the restructuring plan as it impacts SPA will be sent to members listed with a SPA affiliation in the NAFSA database.

Until the restructuring is complete, SPA will continue the work it has always done to provide substantive and timely sessions at the annual and regional conferences. The SPA committee welcomes any ideas for session proposals and is happy to provide direction or advice as needed. The SPA committee will also continue its commitment to the regions. This means including SPA-related sessions in the regional conference programs, having SPA become part of the regional newcomers' sessions, and making sure that SPA is identified in all conference materials distributed within the regions. While SPA may have a different face in the future, the Committee remains committed to the issues affecting sponsored programs and hopes that together we can raise awareness of these issues and strengthen the work of SPA within NAFSA.

As always, the Committee hopes to see you at SPA events during the national conference, including the SPA town meeting and reception. We look forward to your feedback in helping us continue to serve the needs of SPA members.