Meeting Minutes: Counseling Directors Association
Spring 2000 Meeting Report
The Spring meeting of the Counseling Directors Association was held February 18, 2000 at Fort Valley State University. Dr. Myldred Hill, Director of Counseling and Career Development and Dr. Cynthia Sellers, Vice President of Student Affairs sponsored the visit. Topics covered included the following.
- The need for a workshop on software that assists counseling center staff with efficient scheduling and note taking.
- The need for a workshop to train evaluators for the peer review process.
- New forms and procedures for the peer review process.
- The extension of an invitation to the directors of counseling centers in private higher education in Georgia to join us for a joint meeting.
- Ways of introducing counseling centers within the orientation process.
There was an expressed interest among many directors for more information on software that is currently sophisticated enough to handle scheduling and note taking issues specific to counseling centers. The two systems that generated the most interest included those used by Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia. The members asked Dr. Tom Parker from Georgia Tech and Dr. Steve D. Brown from the University of Georgia to put together a workshop that we could attend this Spring to preview both systems. Both individuals agreed to the request.
Dr. Joy Evans presented the new draft of the Peer review Checklist composed from the Standards for Counseling Centers. The Peer Review Checklist is to be used as an outline to help counseling centers staff discuss and evaluate areas of strengths and weaknesses before completing he Site Visit Checklist that Dr. Steve Brown presented in the last meeting. Current procedures for requesting site visits and the evaluation process were discussed. Dr. Steve Brown presented a hand out on the procedures. The counseling center directors requested a workshop this summer of fall to train directors to become effective members of the evaluation team. More information will be forthcoming after the workshop is planned.
A few directors of counseling centers within the private sector of higher education of Georgia have expressed an interest in the organization of the Counseling Directors Association for the University System of Georgia. They would like to organize a CDA similar to ours for the institutions in the private sector. In addition to our normal two sessions a year, we have decided to extend an invitation to the directors within the private sector to join us for a joint third meeting. Together, we will decide on an appropriate date and time.
Other issues discussed included ways to introduce counseling service information into the orientation programs, counseling services as a means of student retention, and the challenges of combining counseling services and disability services.
We would like to thank Dr. Myldred Hill and Dr. Cynthia Sellers from Fort Valley State University for their wonderful efforts at hosting our last meeting. We will be meeting this summer for one or two workshops and again in the coming academic year for two scheduled meetings and one joint meeting with the directors from the private sector of higher education in Georgia.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dr. Joy D. Evans
Chairperson
Counseling Directors Association