Committee: Teaching, Learning and Scholarship Knowledge Community (TLS KC)
Position: Coordinator, Content Team, 2024 & 2025 Annual Conference Committees
Term Dates:
- TLS KC Leadership Team: January 1, 2023 –December 31, 2024; Two-year term, renewable once
- ACC: January 1, 2023 (for AC2024) – June 2025 (for AC2025)
The Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship Knowledge Community (TLS KC) focuses on curriculum internationalization, research that informs practice, and intercultural communication, and serves faculty, administrators, graduate students/post-docs, researchers, intercultural trainers, cross-cultural counselors, and other professionals in international education.
The TLS KC coordinator serves as one of five coordinators appointed to represent each of the Knowledge Communities on the Annual Conference Committee (ACC) Content Team. The coordinator participates in the creation of professional development sessions and workshops for the NAFSA annual conference. S/he is appointed by the TLS KC chair, in coordination with the ACC chair, and is charged with specific responsibilities on the ACC Content Team, while concurrently serving on the full ACC and on the TLS leadership team.
Last Updated: August 2022
Major Functions and Responsibilities
Within the framework of NAFSA’s Strategic Plan, this position will:
- Serve as a core member of the Annual Conference Committee and contribute to the development of a comprehensive and cutting-edge professional development program to serve the broad annual conference audience.
- Develop content priorities specifically reflecting the needs of the TLS KC.
- Solicit proposals for sessions, workshops, and posters that fit the conference theme, board directives, and NAFSA’s Strategic Plan, and advance knowledge and skill-building for the field of international education and exchange.
- Recruit and lead a team of skilled volunteer reviewers for proposal review and manage the review and rating process for TLS KC session and workshop proposals within the required time frame.
- Read and review all TLS KC submitted proposals and develop a ranked set of TLS KC sessions and workshops.
- Collaborate with other ACC Content Team members to create a balanced and comprehensive program of sessions and workshops.
- If necessary, help develop sessions and workshops on topics of importance not otherwise represented through the normal selection process.
- Assist in encouraging presenters to attend to adult learning needs and multiple learning styles.
- Help promote the annual conference program to the TLS KC Community and encourage networking and participation.
- Serve as a communications liaison between the TLS KC and the ACC to ensure that the professional development needs of the audience members served by the TLS KC are met at the highest level possible within the limitations of the conference program.
- Participate as an active TLS leadership team member.
- Communicate regularly with the TLS leadership team about activities related to the ACC.
- Confirm TLS KC priorities for conference content with the TLS KC team, building from the TLS KC work plan and retreat reports.
- Collaborate with and support the TLS KC in leading special sessions for the TLS KC, such as the TLS KC Update and network events and meetings.
- Work with the TLS KC team to ensure that high-quality networking opportunities are provided for the TLS KC audience throughout the conference.
- Work closely with the TLS KC staff partner, conference program staff, and academic affairs staff.
Commitment
- Participate in conference calls, virtual meetings and e-mail communication with TLS KC leadership and staff.
- Participate in monthly conference calls, virtual meetings and e-mail communication with the ACC and conference program staff.
- The average time commitment is one to two hours per week. Busiest time is in the summer and fall, especially with proposal recruitment in July and August and proposal review and ranking in September and October.
- Prepare for and attend the Washington Leadership Meetings (WLMs) in January 2023 and 2024.
- Prepare for and attend post-conference meetings at the NAFSA annual conferences in late May 2024 and 2025.
- Prepare for and attend the ACC fall meeting in October 2023 and 2024.
- Foster an inclusive environment in alignment with the NAFSA Diversity and Inclusion Statement.
Expense Reimbursement
- Travel, per diem, and lodging expenses are reimbursed for attendance at the WLM and ACC fall meetings (if held in person).
- Conference registration fees are waived for the conferences that the Coordinator helps plan (2024 and 2025).
- Other operating expenses incurred at work office or home, such as copying, phone calls, etc., are not reimbursed. Large copying jobs should be referred to staff. Conference calls and virtual meetings are set up by staff and covered by the association.
Qualifications
- Broad knowledge of the professional needs of members served by the TLS KC, as evidenced by prior regional or (inter)national service to this knowledge community
- Recommendation by the TLS KC chair
- Enthusiasm and ability to mobilize colleagues to develop strong session, workshop, and poster proposals
- Strong management skills, especially in leading volunteers in the proposal review process
- Ability to make a 24-month (2 year) commitment for the TLS KC and a 30-month (2.5 year) commitment for the ACC (2.5-year total)
- Prior attendance at three or more NAFSA annual conferences
- Willingness to adopt organization-wide perspectives and TLS KC strategic priorities
- Willingness to adopt association priorities and perspectives on volunteer development and management
- Demonstrated experience with effective strategic planning, management, networking, and delegation
- Strong coordination, analytical, oral and written communication skills
- Ability to work effectively with a team and with NAFSA staff in an outcomes-based environment
- Commitment to access and respond to e-mail in a timely fashion as well as communicate using online electronic tools/systems plus the online workspace structure
- Willingness to participate in NAFSA meetings; ability to travel to NAFSA meetings (if held in person)
- Manage unconscious bias in the assessment and decision-making process
- Recognized by peers for being energetic, innovative, and visionary
- Valid NAFSA membership through the length of the leadership term
- Ability to meet the volunteer commitment outlined and planning calendar deadlines
- Prior experience as a proposal reviewer
Applications
After the deadline, all applications are reviewed by peers on the leadership team of the committee or knowledge community.
For more information on the process, please visit the Volunteer Leadership FAQ.