Meet Clayton Smith, AACRAO's new SEM Conference Director

In a way, professional conferences are like a New Year’s Eve gathering. They provide the opportunity to reflect on the growth and themes of the last year, and to anticipate what comes next and make plans to do better.

Also--like any good New Year’s party--conferences bring us together with friends and acquaintances, giving us a chance to deepen professional connections and forge new ones.

This year’s AACRAO SEM Conference in San Antonio is an ideal occasion to embrace both these reflective and forward-thinking impulses because it is the last conference under the direction of three SEM veterans--Susan Gottheil, Jay Goff, and William Serrata-- who have helped steer the conference for the better part of a decade. AACRAO thanks them for their commitment and vision, and is also excited to step into the next era of SEM with the announcement of the new SEM Conference Director Clayton Smith. (Read Smith’s bio here.)

Smith was chosen following an international search and multiple announcements of the position opening to the AACRAO membership.  Tom Green, AACRAO’s Associate Executive Director for Consulting and SEM, assembled a search committee of AACRAO members, including a Board of Directors representative, to review the candidates and recommend finalists.  

“We are extremely pleased and fortunate to have Clayton take on this important role for AACRAO and the SEM Conference,” said Green,  “His extensive career in the United States and in Canada, combined with his scholarship and expertise in SEM, are truly unique and a great fit to lead the SEM conference into the future.”

“I’ve been the ultimate AACRAO beneficiary, thanks to colleagues who have been tremendously helpful over the years,” Smith said. “So much of what I’ve done today has happened because I had people at AACRAO believing in me.”

“I see this opportunity as my chance to give back to AACRAO and my SEM colleagues and to continue my own SEM journey,” Smith said. “I want to recognize and appreciate the work of those who have gone before--including Susan, Jay and William--as well as Bob Bontrager, who was legendary. It’s a special pleasure to follow these longtime colleagues whose advice I continue to cherish.”

6 potential ways to evolve AACRAO SEM

“We need to continue the aspects of the conference that have proven successful,” Smith said. “And we need to find new ways to enhance professional expertise through the conference.”

Toward that end, here are a six things you might expect from future SEM Conferences (Smith takes the helm for 2017):

1. Provocative plenaries. It’s important that the conference speakers “don’t just toe the party line” on the issues facing the profession, Smith said.

“We must keep bringing in excellent keynote speakers--thought-provoking leaders who really challenge our thinking, like this year’s David Kalsbeek,” he said.

2. Range of expertise. Another key to the success of the SEM Conference is that it provides robust professional development at all levels--from entry-level to senior management positions.

“SEM will continue to deliver skill development and content for the young professional as well as sessions for senior-level planners,” Smith said.

3. Year-round professional development. Smith imagines strengthening the learning that takes place at the conference by finding ways to connect it with other AACRAO professional development opportunities, such as the webinars, online classes, SEM-EP certification and more. (View those opportunities here.)

“I’d like to find ways to help people stay engaged in SEM professional development throughout the year,” Smith said. “Instead of one-and-done, the conference can be a springboard to stay connected to each other and pursue other learning opportunities.”

4. Mentoring and coaching. Teams at SEM receive specific, consistent mentoring throughout the conference.

“In the past, we haven’t stayed connected to those teams throughout the year,” Smith said. “I’d like to explore ways to increase SEM mentoring--both for teams and for individuals--throughout the year.”

5. Widening the reach of SEM. SEM is growing beyond its historical focus on “student fit”--recruitment, admissions, financial aid and orientation--to include a broader perspective on student success. SEM is becoming a cross-campus partnership with student affairs, faculty, residence life and others to provide more thorough, thoughtful and nuanced service. It has also shifted to a welcome and necessary focus on understanding the needs of diverse student populations. Future conferences will likely have expanded offerings on serving online learners, underserved populations, international students, and more. In addition, Smith added, there may be more outreach and networking with colleagues abroad.

6. Advisory committee. Is mentorship desirable or practical? Can the conference be usefully woven into other AACRAO professional development opportunities? What student or professional populations need more attention? What are the emerging topics in the field?

Formally or informally, Smith will be actively seeking out feedback about these and other ideas as he steps into this new role.

If you have thoughts about what would make future SEM Conferences even better, please fill out the emailed survey after the conference, or talk with Smith and other colleagues in person: Join the AACRAO SEM Conference, Nov. 6-9, 2016, in San Antonio, Texas. It’s a wonderful opportunity to assess your SEM efforts up to this point, compare notes with peers, and set a polestar for the next stage of your campus’ SEM journey.