Committee: Education Abroad Regulatory Practice (EA RP) Committee 
Position:   Chair/Chair-Designate
Term Dates: Three year term  

In the first year, the chair-designate assists the chair in managing the work of the EA RP Committee, ensuring that the interests of the field are being well served and that the committee meets the assigned outcomes from the NAFSA Board of Directors. In the second and third years, as chair, this position effectively manages and leads the work of the EA RP Committee and oversees of the EA RP’s two subcommittees. This position is appointed by the vice president for public policy and practice. The committee is charged with identifying government-related practices and procedures that affect education abroad professionals. The Board has assigned the following outcomes to this committee:

  •  Develop and maintain a system to receive regulatory practice issues related to education abroad programs and students from members and other sources.
  • Identify regulatory and practice issues that need action through regulatory liaison by staff, or members as requested by staff.
  • Identify practice items to be referred to knowledge communities for action through further education and practice resources.
  • Assist the vice president for public policy and practice in communicating to members on regulatory practice issues.  
  • Identify long-term public policy issues and forward them to the vice president for public policy and practice for consideration

Position updated June 2019

Major Functions and Responsibilities
  • Maintain attentiveness to regulatory practices affecting education abroad by observing, prompting, and participating in online discussion forums and reading NAFSA.news.
  • Manage the work of the EA RP Committee, ensuring that the interests of the field are being well served and that the board-assigned outcomes are met.  
  • Recommend qualified and available applicants for open committee positions to the EA RP chair and the vice president for public policy and practice, who appoint EA RP Committee members.
  • Participate in NAFSA’s Washington Leadership Meeting (WLM), NAFSA’s annual conference, and regular teleconferences of the committee.
  • In collaboration with the EA KC team and other EA RP committee members, solicit and propose annual and regional conference sessions and poster sessions related to government issues of interest to conference participants.
  • Participate in liaison calls with NAFSA staff and government officials as necessary or designate other EA RP members.
  • Identify emerging issues or problems cited by the committee, staff, or membership that may require the creation of a task force or liaison work with the U.S. federal government.  
  • Work with others to identify key issues for the vice president for public policy and practice or NAFSA staff.
  • In summer of chair-designate term, prepare the EA RP work plan for the following year (chair year) to achieve outcomes in support of NAFSA’s strategic plan and those assigned to EA RP by the board.
  • Plan and facilitate periodic teleconferences with the committee.  
  • Participate in subcommittee conference calls as needed. 

All NAFSA leaders are expected to foster an inclusive environment and seek to learn and understand the multicultural perspectives of the committee/team, our constituents, and stakeholders to align with the NAFSA Diversity and Inclusion Statement. An expression of leadership in this area includes:

  • Engaging the committee/team to identify and implement strategies for increased personal outreach, recruitment, and onboarding for all, especially diversity-focused and underrepresented groups
  • Increasing accessibility and participation from underrepresented groups, individuals, and institutions
  • Expanding educational content within the committees’ purview through intentional outreach and recruitment of diverse presenters and institutional types in partnership with various NAFSA groups

 
NAFSA: Association of International Educators is a professional association driven by its Strategic Plan as established by the Board of Directors.  The success of the association depends on the productive engagement of three key constituencies: the Board, member-leaders, and staff.  Member-leaders are advocates for the association’s mission, vision, values, diversity and inclusion, and ethical principles. They align their work closely with the Board through its vice presidents and with staff to carry out the Strategic Plan. Member-leader roles are guided by objectives assigned by the Strategic Plan, by outcome accountabilities outlined in the Standing Rules, and by position descriptions for specific roles.

Relationships
  • This position collaborates closely with other NAFSA leaders to enhance work efforts across the association. 
  • This position partners closely with the NAFSA staff partner assigned. Effective relationships reflect and include responsiveness to phone calls/e-mail correspondence, timely delivery on responsibilities, open communication and mutual respect among other characteristics.
Commitment
  • The appointment is for a total of 3 years: 1 year as chair-designate and 2 years as chair. Eight to 10 hours of work per month is average. Peak months are January for WLM preparation, May for the annual conference, and summer for regional conference proposal and annual conference proposal coordination.
  • Meet with the EA RP Committee at WLM in January and at the annual conference in May. Visit the EA RP subcommittees at the annual conference. (Travel and per diem for WLM is provided by NAFSA.)
  • Expected attendance on EA RP conference calls and contributions to cross-collaborative projects.  
  • Attendance at EA RP pre-conference meetings at the NAFSA annual conference in May. 
Qualifications
  • Demonstrated expertise in an area of education abroad work and knowledge of related government agencies  
  • Management skills in planning, delegation, and resource management  
  • Willingness to adopt organizationwide perspectives and EA RP strategic priorities
  • Willingness to adopt association priorities and perspectives on volunteer development and management
  • High strategic planning, management, networking, and delegation experience
  • Strong coordination, analytical, oral and written communication skills
  • Ability to work effectively with a team and with NAFSA staff in an outcomes-based environment
  • Manage unconscious bias in the assessment and decision-making process
  • Ability to meet the volunteer commitment outlined and planning calendar deadlines
  • NAFSA membership for the length of service