From the Co-Editors
Our “From the Co-Editors” writings have typically included a summary of the articles included in the specific Journal issue, periodically spattered with a few commentaries and an article from a guest author from time to time. As this is our last issue as co-editors, we forego that format to use this space for final thoughts as we exit our roles.
We inherited the responsibility as co-editors of the NACADA Journal in October 2009 from Gary Padak and Terry Kuhn following their six-year tenure. The first Journal issue that featured us as co-editors, Volume 30, Issue 1, in 2010 had been cultivated by Gary and Terry, who left us with the majority of the articles in hand for the issue. Not only did they put us ahead of the game as new co-editors but they also handed over the baton after making significant strides as co-editors. Their innovations included a presentation on writing for the Journal that was subsequently offered at most NACADA regional conferences and the NACADA annual conference. This presentation has evolved into a “Writing for NACADA” session that continues as a standard offering at NACADA conferences and as a part of the Publication Guidelines on the NACADA Journal web site. We knew we had big shoes to fill, and we did our best to build upon their accomplishments to further the Journal and advance advising as a field and profession nationally and internationally.
During our tenure as co-editors, we expanded the size of the Journal Editorial Board to include more manuscript reviewers, we offered a special topics issue titled “Perspectives from Personality and Social Psychology on Academic Advising,” we ushered in the currently used Peer Track manuscript review system, and we conscientiously published a mix of theoretical pieces, empirical research articles featuring qualitative and quantitative methodology, and international works on advising. Our goal was to build upon the work of Gary and Terry while injecting our own character into the Journal. We hope we succeeded.
Obviously, we could not have accomplished our goals alone. We have worked with an outstanding group of Journal Editorial Board members during our seven years, all of whom have volunteered countless hours toward keeping the Journal the primary peer-reviewed advising publication offered in higher education. In addition to this great group of colleagues, we heavily relied upon two other individuals almost daily. First and foremost is Marsha Miller, whose official title at the NACADA Executive Office is Assistant Director for Resources and Services: Author Support, but the title Sherpa should be included as she guided us time and again through the highs and lows of this enterprise. We would not have been successful with the Journal without Marsha's patience, dedication, and counsel. The other person without whom the Journal would not endure is Nancy Vesta, copy editor extraordinaire, who not only serves as copy editor of the Journal but for many other NACADA printed publications. We sincerely thank them both for their advice, tolerance, professionalism, and friendship.
We are pleased to be leaving the Journal in the hands of two accomplished incoming co-editors, Susan Campbell and Wendy Troxel, both expert authors and researchers as well as leaders in the field of academic advising. Because of recent globalization and an increased scholarly focus of academic advising in higher education, no better individuals could assume these roles.
Thank you all for the opportunity given us to provide leadership for the scholarly journal of the association over the past seven years. It has been a ride we will not soon forget!
