The length of term is three years: one year each as chair-elect, chair, and past chair. During the year as chair, NAFSA work will average three to five hours per week but vary considerably from month to month. Peak months are January, March-June, and December. The chair-elect year hours are one to two hours weekly and will increase modestly during June-August for the preparation of the work plan for the upcoming year. Past chair hours are two to five hours monthly and will increase modestly in April/May to prepare for the Annual Conference (including the Symposium on Leadership) and during November/December/January to facilitate team leader transitions.
Peak months and duties are:
All years:
- Ongoing: Participate in regularly scheduled team calls and regularly scheduled Chair Stream calls
- January: Prepare for and attend the Washington Leadership Meeting (WLM)
- May: Attend team meetings, support the Symposium on Leadership, and lead related Open Meetings and sessions at the NAFSA Annual Conference
- July-September: Contribute to the development and review of proposals for the following year’s Annual Conference
Chair-Elect:
- January-March: Recruit applicants for Chair-elect position
- July: Attend Summer Coordination Meeting (SCM; update work plan for following year
- August-September: Recruit applicants for open team positions
- September-October: Review and appoint candidates for open team positions
- November-December: Begin preparations for WLM; onboard new members
Chair:
- January: Prepare for and attend WLM; assist with an orientation and onboarding of new members; compose first Chair Update message to be distributed in January/February
- April-May: Prepare for/attend/lead team meetings at the NAFSA Annual Conference; provide mid-year work plan report; compose mid-year Chair Update message to be distributed in June
- June-July: Begin planning next year’s Symposium on Leadership
- October-November: Complete end-of-year work plan report; compose end of year Chair Update message to be distributed in December
- Ongoing: Mentor and support Chair-elect
Past Chair:
- Ongoing: Lead diversity & inclusion outreach, recruitment, and engagement efforts on behalf of the KC
- Ongoing: Lead IEL KC subcommittee(s)
- Ongoing: Mentor and support Chair
NAFSA Meetings
Chairs/chairs-elect/past chairs are asked to attend key leadership meetings: Washington Leadership Meeting, Summer Coordination Meeting (chair-elect only), and NAFSA Annual Conference as well as virtual meetings convened throughout the year by their committee/knowledge community. For the Washington Leadership Meeting, NAFSA provides reimbursement for travel, per diem, and lodging expenses when held in-person. The Summer Coordination Meeting is held virtually for chairs-elect. For the annual conference, NAFSA provides complimentary registration to the chair and chair-elect; any costs for travel to/from the annual conference, as well as meals, and lodging for meetings before/during/after the conference, are the responsibility of the chair/chair-elect/past-chair and are not reimbursed by NAFSA. Other operating expenses members incur in their offices/at home, such as copying, phone calls, etc. are not reimbursed. Large copying jobs should be referred to staff. Conference calls are set up by staff.