Cafe Victoria

Reading: “What to expect when expecting” and “Daily Word”
Watching: My tummy grow and grow and grow…I started my 3rd Trimester this week.
Thinking about: How Matthias and I are going to find space for all our stuff! We are moving to an Apartment Home next week.
Thankful: For all the help I am getting from my family. My parents have come down to help pack, take plants to the new place, whatever they can do. Once again, I could not do it without them!
Looking forward to: Thanksgiving at my sister’s house. She is such a great cook and hostess!

Real Simple Magazine December question: How do you stay on budget during the holidays?

Ahh…no budget for me it is more about the rituals. I have a ritual where I buy my close friend Jennifer who lives in Boston a California Calendar and she buys me a New England Calendar. We have been keeping this tradition going since 1998. We met when I was doing my Junior year college in Rhode Island. I always buy a coffee cup for Imelda and Mercy in the business office from the Potter’s Guild Club Holiday Pottery Sale. A few years ago, I was buying everyone close to me the KFOG Live from the Archives CD. This year is number 16, so been thinking about that gift again. And what could be more of a ritual than Christmas cards!

Can the #48 Jimmie Johnson team win another NASCAR Season Championship and make it four in a row?
Let’s me explain something here…if he does, this puts him and his teams up there with San Francisco 49′s Super Bowl wins in the 80′s, or  Michael Jordon and the Chicago Bulls Championship wins in the 90′s and many other historic sports moments. This Sunday is the final NASCAR race of the season. They finish off at Homestead, Miami. Jimmy has the Pole. You go Jimmie! A Southern California kid from El Cajon, 34 years old. We could of gone to high school with Jimmie Johnson! Well…not me…I was living 8 hours away during high school but my fun point is that we are close in age!

Back in October, I presented the “New Advisor Workshop” at the CA Community College Student Affairs Association Student Leadership Conference at the Doubletree in Sacramento.  I always have a blast giving this workshop. It is a great way to meet the new advisors in the field and share our experiences. The following is the handout I gave to the workshop participants.

20 Fun, Helpful and often Truthful Student Affairs Advisor Survival Tips
for the New and Maybe Not So New Advisor.

1. Always give thanks!
2. Network! Become a member of Student Affairs Professional Groups such as CCCSAA and NASPA.
3. You know the campus pulse-communicate that with your Dean, Chief Student Services Officer/Vice President of Student Services or the College President. They want to know what is happening with the students.
4. Put your staff’s needs first. In the end, you will realize, they are the backbone to your department. Take care of them!
5. Know your student government’s constitution and by-laws like the back of your hand.
6. Know your student government and department’s budget, budget process, including signatures and history. I say, re due a form if you need to. Also, keep your own “balance, check book”.
7. Find and review College/District Policy related to student government
8. Learn the Ed Code (76060+) and Title 5 Regulations (51023.7). Key concepts “Student Representation Fees, Shared Governance, G.P.A. and Unit Enrollment”
9. Know thy Brown Act, Roberts Rules of Order and Parliamentary Procedure. (Don’t hide it; I know you love having agendas as much as student government.) You will be surprised, before you know it other departments committees will come to you’re for help on running an effective meeting.
10. Take time to understand the Student Senate…it will make a huge difference down the road.
11. Know and form a first name bases relationships with your business office, risk management, facilities, media center, public relations, print show, cafeteria, etc.before you know, you will realize how important that you know everyone on your campus.
12. Find your favorite Leadership Training Tool, Assessment, or Personality Test. A hot new one is Strengths Based Advising.
13. Email or Call on a colleague, which is what the CA Community College Student Affairs Association is all about! List Serve address is:  CCCSAA@LISTSERVE.CCCNEXT.NET
14. Have food available at as many meetings or events as possible.
15. Schedule weekly meetings with your student government president. Trust us on this one!
16. Keep developing yourself professionally!
17. Find your own personal way to leave work at work.
18. Create boundaries now. Students will think it is okay to call you after work. Keep it at work.
19. Accept your students Facebook invite AFTER they have left the college.
20. Follow your own advice once in awhile :>)

By Victoria Worch, Napa Valley College. This list has been adapted from Doug Barr, Saddleback College, 1997. He originally was part of developing these advisor suggestions for a workshop lead by Marilyn Kaeche, Mt. San Antonio; Joe Hudson, Canada College and Steve Robinson, College of San Mateo for the fall 1997 CCCSAA Student Leadership Conference, Sacramento. As we say in student affairs, add your own tips and suggestions to the list. If you can, try not to develop the wheel. There are plenty of us out there to help you.