To those not on the “front line” of opening:

The opening of another academic year is an exciting time.  Even after more than a decade of opening weeks, I still get that mixture of nervous and excited “going back to school” feeling in my stomach.  I can easily recall the earlier days of my student affairs career filled with weeks of training, high energy team building, camp experiences, orientation activities, and late night programming.  We’d complain a little about the long hours, but thoroughly enjoyed witnessing teams being built, people connecting, and new students starting such a meaningful and formative time in their lives.  Being a part of it has always been and continues to be a privilege.

When I moved into a role that was more administrative, I remember feeling a bit lost when the beginning of the year came.  I remember my first staff camp when I didn’t have a team of students I supervised directly.  I was a big part of the planning for training and the beginning of the year activities; however, when the time to implement was upon us, I played much more of a supporting role than someone in the middle of the action.  For those of us who are just making this transition to a role that requires a step back from the front line or those of us who made this transition a while ago, this time can still make us feel a bit lost or longing for the days when we were more in the think of the nitty gritty details of what’s happening.

We all must embrace new roles and become comfortable with the ambiguity this change presents.  As I have reflected upon my own process of taking a step back from the front line during the opening of the year, I came up with a few reminders for myself that may even be helpful for others.

Reject the impulse to micromanage.  Sometimes our desire to be involved may motivate us to get a little too engrossed in the implementation of things our professional staff teams have well in hand.  Our well-intended efforts could easily cause more confusion and undermine the hard work done by staff implementing the programs and services we ultimately oversee.  Trust your team to implement the vision created and be proud of their efforts to make your shared vision a reality.

Be open to direction.  Providing direction may be an inherent part of our daily tasks; however, that certainly doesn’t mean we can take a little direction as well.  The beginning of the year is a great time for us who have taken a step back to meet and greet students and family members; help move boxes, equipment, and/or stuff envelopes; and/or participate in social media campaigns.  Before writing this I just had my picture taken with my boss and our Chancellor holding signs describing what we got involved with our first year in college – an idea a member of the team I supervise came up with and asked me to do.  I will be helping our move in crew stay motivated, and will also be handing out t-shirts and other swag to new students at events.  All of these opportunities help make the beginning of the year happen and show all members of your team you are willing to pitch in and help the greater good.

Embrace the role of supporter.  The beginning of the year is an exciting time, but also stressful for new professionals, graduate students, and undergraduate staff members.  Take time to remember how much you appreciated supervisors and supervisors’ supervisors noticing the great work you were doing during the opening of the academic year.  The support we provide those on the “front line” can help sustain their efforts and maximize the impact our staff can have on our new staff and students.

Similar to the parents of our incoming students, our roles have changed, but that change doesn't mean we aren't still needed.  By supporting our team, trusting in their ability to carry out our shared vision, and allowing ourselves to be directed toward tasks that support the greater good, those of us who have taken a step back from the "front line" can still play a significant role in the excitement of the beginning of a new academic year.