October 2, 2009 (Arlington, VA) – Jim Miller, coordinator of enrollment research at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, was voted president-elect of the Board of Directors of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) at its 65th National Conference in Baltimore, MD, Sept. 23-26, 2009. President-elect James W. Jump, academic dean and director of guidance at Saint Christopher’s School (VA), assumed the NACAC presidency following the national conference.
Miller will serve a three-year term, leading the organization of more than 11,000 members committed to the student transition from high school to college.
During his campaign for the position, Miller addressed the relationship between tight budgets and ethical practices. During economic downturns, he said, high school counselors and especially college admission officers must sustain their commitment to ensuring their adherence to NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice, a document that outlines best practices and standards in the college admission process. “The economic challenges presented to our organization, and to the schools and colleges we represent, might well provide a catalyst that leads us to focus even more intently on our strategic priorities,” Miller said in August as he was outlining his mission and vision for NACAC. The economy will continue to demand the attention of NACAC’s leaders as they face fiscal challenges.
“In times when admission officers and college counselors are anxious over yield numbers and budgets, NACAC is proud to support them with dedicated and experienced leaders,” said NACAC Chief Executive Officer Joyce Smith. “We are fortunate that Jim Miller will help lead the association with his committed approach to fair admission practices.”
NACAC also elected two new members to its Board of Directors. They include:
Phyllis Gill, associate director of college guidance at the Providence Day School (NC), and Mike Willis, director of college counseling at Bellarmine Preparatory School (WA), who began their service to the board following election at the NACAC Assembly on Sept. 26.
Gill, a NACAC member since 1988, co-authored NACAC’s Guiding the Way to Higher Education: Step by Step to College Curriculum. The comprehensive manuals target the different phases of college preparation with counseling aids and helpful instruction. As a member of the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling, Gill’s record of service included a term as board member, communications committee chair, and president. She is also a member of the College Board and the Task Force on Admissions in the 21st Century.
Like Gill, Willis also led his affiliate, the Pacific Northwest Association for College Admission Counseling, serving as president in 2001. His other duties as a member of PNACAC included Board of Directors member, NACAC Assembly Delegate, Regional College Fair Coordinator, and many other positions. As a member of NACAC, he chaired the Local Arrangements Committee in 2007.
About NACAC: NACAC is an Arlington, VA-based education association of more than 11,000 primary and secondary school counselors, independent counselors, college admission and financial aid officers, enrollment managers, and organizations that work with students as they make the transition from high school to postsecondary education. The association is committed to maintaining high standards that foster ethical and social responsibility among those involved in the transition process, as outlined in the NACAC Statement of Principles of Good Practice.