Greetings friends!

For those of you who attended the 2009 ECAC-SIDA Workshop in Avalon, N.J., last week, I hope that you had an enriching and rewarding week with your peers.

As you settle back into the daily grind at your respective institutions, I ask you to add three important items to the top of your to-do lists. These requests will help the ECAC-SIDA executive board and the workshop organizing committee to continue to put on first-class workshops for you each June.

The first is to please take some time to send thank-you notes to our sponsors, and, when possible, to consider using their services. This year, ECAC-SIDA had 24 sponsors. Without the ongoing sponsorship of these companies and conferences, it would be impossible to continue to keep the workshop at such affordable levels, particularly in years where the event is held in more expensive locations. It is also important that our vendors know that the ECAC-SIDA membership appreciates their involvement.

You should have received a document in your registration bag containing the names and addresses of all sponsors for this year—most with email addresses. If you need another copy, simply click here. Additionally, please click here for a sample letter which you are welcome to use or to tailor when sending thank you messages.

Looking ahead to the 2009-10 year, Cape Cod will again be another expensive workshop and the Marketing Committee is always seeking volunteers and other assistance. If you are interested in serving on the Marketing Committee, please email ECAC-SIDA Marketing Chair Ira Thor at ithor@njcu.edu.

However, even if you cannot join the committee, there are ways that every ECAC-SIDA member can help. If you see a company that you work with at your individual institution that is not currently a sponsor of ECAC-SIDA, please contact Ira or any member of the executive board. Their services may be of interest to other SIDs and could potentially be a future ECAC-SIDA sponsor.

The second request is to please complete and submit a workshop evaluation--and THANK YOU to those of you who have already submitted your evaluations. The executive board and the workshop organizing committee plan for future workshops using the comments and criticisms that we receive from you, the membership. If you have suggestions for a table topic, want to serve as a panelist for an issue that you feel strongly about, or have an idea for anything else related to the workshop, let us know on the evaluation.

The final request I have for you is to please make sure to take some time for yourself, not just now during the less-stressful summer months, but throughout the academic year. In my opinion, this is as important, if not more, than any press release we write or media guide we design.

If at any time you have anything you'd like to discuss related to our profession, please don't hesitate to contact me or any member of the executive board. We are happy to hear your thoughts and ideas.

I wish each of you a safe and enjoyable summer!

Adrienne J. Mullikin
Hood College
2009-10 ECAC-SIDA President