Welcome to the new NYSACAC Newsletter! Please feel free to send any feedback or suggestions to [email protected]. We hope you enjoy the Newsletter!

- NYSACAC Newsletter Committee

From the President's Desk

Hello NYSACAC members… and Happy Spring!

What a thrill to be writing from a part of NYS that enjoyed the path of totality of the recent solar eclipse. Hotels were sold out everywhere as “eclipse chasers” wanted to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience … just like this June, when our “conference chasers” race to Molloy University to be part of our Annual Conference and Coming Together Conference! Come for a day, or come for the week. It’s the best professional development you’ll find in NYS.

There’s so much to celebrate within our organization.

In addition to successfully transitioning to a regional representative model following our recent election, the myriad in-person and virtual events held around the state have been outstanding and well attended at every location. Beyond our college fairs, regional forums, Legislative Advocacy Day, and Winter Institute, our SIGs have been hosting virtual meet-ups to discuss topics and issues relevant to the work we all do. Please remember that, as a NYSACAC member, many of these events are free (or heavily discounted) for you. We’re always looking to expand our membership and engage with folks from the farthest reaches of the state. Encourage your colleagues - and those you meet in your admissions travels - to consider membership. I promise it will be money well spent!

With the great work happening across the many committees that keep the association afloat, there are always challenges when leading a non-profit, volunteer organization. As you’ve undoubtedly discovered when planning events on your campus, the cost of doing business has increased significantly since COVID. Our Executive Board is committed to making fiscally sound decisions and recently met with our financial advisor for fiduciary advice and assessment regarding our investments and expenditures. Additionally, contracts are becoming more complex, and insurance, risk, and liability are scrutinized to insure that we don’t put undue risk on our organization when running the signature events that make NYSACAC a lighthouse for others.

As we head into the final stretch of the admissions cycle and academic year, I want to personally thank the hundreds of volunteers and leaders that work tirelessly, mostly behind the scenes, to provide the rich and diverse professional development offerings for our members. We truly benefit from your energy and expertise, and we couldn’t do it without you.

Hope to see you in June!

- Heidi Green, NYSACAC President

2024 NYSACAC Coming Together and Annual Conference

Mark your calendar! The NYSACAC Annual Conference and Coming Together Conference will take place June 4th - 7th at Molloy University in Rockville Center. On-campus housing is limited and not guaranteed. For more information, please see the housing accommodations process on the conference website

Keynote Speakers: Our inspirational keynote speakers, Dr. Reine Sarmiento, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management at CUNY, Dr. Donna Linderman, Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Success at SUNY, and Dr. James Lentini, President at Molloy University will discuss the current status of higher education.

Conference Agenda: Our agenda is packed with educational sessions, and networking opportunities. Review the schedule and plan your itinerary to maximize your conference experience using the detailed agenda on our conference website.

Connect with your peers and vendors for some fun social activities in the evenings, participate in engaging educational workshops, and explore the latest products and services offered by our sponsors at the exhibition area. You will not want to miss these events!

The Early Bird registration deadline is May 17th, so register today!

-Dave Follick, NYSACAC President-Elect

Why should you come to the annual conference?

E-Board Elections

The Executive Board elections concluded on March 28th. All eligible voting members were encouraged to cast their ballot to select the next leaders of the Association. This year's election included the inaugural Regional Representatives for secondary (IEC, high school, CBO) and post-secondary (college).

In addition, we've elected a President-Elect, VP for Finance Elect, and VP for Professional Development. The general membership will be notified of the results at the General Membership Meeting in June, which takes place during the Annual Conference.

- Chris Doyle, Immediate Past President

Upcoming Events

April 16, 2024: NYSACAC College Fair, Our Lady of Lourdes High School

May 21, 2024: Ketchup Series: What to Expect at Conference!

June 4-5, 2024: Coming Together Conference, Molloy University

June 5-7, 2024: NYSACAC Annual Conference, Molloy University

July 17-19 2024: Camp College, SUNY Geneseo

August 5-9, 2024: Summer Institute

September 7, 2024: Student Leadership in Admissions Conference

VP Updates

Our collective communications committees are working on many different things, including preparing all the communications, social media, and forms behind our outstanding annual conference. I want to thank all my co-chairs - Brenna May, Anna Ragno, Hannah Kingsley, Kate Gildard, Madison Morgan, and Brian Gleitsmann - for all their hard work over the year!

-Bryan Rothstein, VP for Communications

Co-chairs were hard at work over the last several months hosting in person and virtual events across the state. Winter Institute co-chairs Rob Oliva and Sheryl Kavanagh hosted Winter Institute sessions in upstate NY at Syracuse University and downstate at St. Francis College. Professional Development co-chairs Caitlin Domagal and Kory McBride hosted a virtual Student Leaders in Admission Forum which focused on training and retaining student ambassadors. They also hosted regional forums at Fordham University and the University of Rochester which focused on counseling students with physical disabilities, and with mental health in mind. School-College-CBO co-chairs Erica Doherty and Makenna Gagnier hosted two virtual "Ketchups" and are looking forward to sharing more about what to expect at the Annual Conference.

- Lisa Searle, VP for Professional Development & Plannin

Committee Updates

College Fairs: A huge thank you to the institutions that hosted the NYSACAC college fairs this year: Sarah Lawrence College, St. Francis College, SUNY Maritime, and Our Lady of Lourdes High School | We have created a NYSACAC College Fair Registry! We hope that by providing a running list of college fairs for the Spring 2024 recruitment season and future cycles, we can increase access to important information for all members as we plan our calendars. Please submit information regarding your upcoming college fairs and events to be added to the registry!

Coming Together: We have worked to create a well rounded program of educational sessions designed as a space for professionals to engage in critical conversations to enhance our practice of equity, access, and success in secondary and post-secondary education. Our sub committees have finalized this year's conference logo, created informational outreach materials, picked a theme for the social, and are currently working on registration outreach. | The theme for this year's social is 90's throwback! Pull those matching track suits and flannel shirts out of your closet and get ready to do the Macarena all night long!

Professional Development: NYSACAC’s Professional Development Committee encourages you to save the date for our first in-person SLA conference since 2019! Both professional admissions staff and student staff members are encouraged to attend the event held on Saturday, September 7 at St. John’s University in Queens. | We are seeking workshop proposals around our theme of “Learning and Leading Together” More information about the conference and theme can be found on our website. | The Professional Development Committee is also seeking volunteer committee members for planning and day-of assistance. Please complete the form or email [email protected], if interested!

Scholarship Committee: The scholarship application is now open! Scholarships will be awarded to deserving students throughout New York State who have overcome barriers, succeeded with limited resources or are under-represented. If you know of any students who will be starting college in the Fall of 2024 or transferring to a new college in Fall 2024 and fit the criteria, we urge you to nominate them through our website.

Summer Institute: Summer Institute 2024 will take place from August 6th-9th, 2024. It is an intensive mentor-based experience that brings together emerging professionals from all sides of the desk and energetic, seasoned mentors to grapple with a wide range of admission counseling issues. Participants will learn best practices, share expertise, develop creative approaches to new and not-so-new problems, establish networks, and review ethical standards for our profession. Please stay tuned for more information! If you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected]

Technology: The Technology Committee is constantly updating the NYSACAC website with new information, but we also want to pay homage to our history as an organization! Our History section could use some additional information and we are always looking to fill the gaps in our Annual Conference Sites list. Reach out to [email protected] if you have anything to add!