ACUA is Community
May 18, 2020
"All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we're giving or receiving help, each of us has something valuable to bring to this world."
–Fred Rogers
The spring of 2020 will be remembered as the moment that our world changed, likely forever. The global coronavirus pandemic altered routines in fundamental ways, including how and where we do our work; how we educate our students; and how we connect with colleagues, friends, and family. It has been remarkable and inspiring to witness everything involved in making these changes possible—all the innovation, generosity, and grit coming together from so many people.
In response to these dramatic changes, ACUA leaders stepped up to create new ways to connect ACUA members with one another. In March, ACUA President, Julia Hann, and the ACUA Board launched the “ACUA is Community” campaign. This campaign is designed to help members feel connected during this challenging time and includes:
- Daily video greetings from ACUA board members. Board members share their thoughts about working remotely, promoting innovation, and increasing the ACUA spirit. Julia Hann launched this program with her first message on March 30th. These greetings are posted to ACUA social media channels, including Connect ACUA and Facebook.
- Pictures of ACUA volunteers working from home. If anything reminds us that we are all in this together, it is seeing the wide variety of ways to create a work space at home. No matter which institution you work for, or what state or country you are from, we are all sharing the challenges of staying engaged with our colleagues and remaining active at our institutions while being apart. (Also, it appears that many of us found that furry, four-legged colleagues and two-legged family members have come with our new office spaces.) Working-from-home photos are posted periodically on ACUA’s social media channels and will be published as a group later this spring.
- Increased use of Connect ACUA. Connect ACUA is an excellent resource during “normal” times and it has become even more important since the pandemic began. Members can post their questions or concerns and get quick feedback from peers at other institutions, which is a valuable tool in such a fast-changing environment. Ray Kahn, ACUA Communities Director, notes that “people are communicating more on Connect ACUA and it is great to see that amid something so unfortunate, we are finding comfort in one another and doing this together."
The impact that the coronavirus has had on higher education is significant, both in the short- and long-term, and seems to be changing every day. This has brought new risks, increased existing risks, and forced all of us to consider where and how to add value at this moment. Connect ACUA is the perfect forum for sharing information, asking for advice, and brainstorming new ideas.
Stay connected with #ACUAisCommunity on social media!
The “ACUA is Community” campaign is already creating meaningful connections, reducing isolation, and promoting innovative audit work. Personally, I have found that the board members’ video messages, and all the information posted on Connect ACUA, are helping me focus. With so much bleak news surrounding us about the pandemic, the economy, and the dramatic impact that both are having on higher education, it is easy to become distracted or feel helpless. By staying connected to my colleagues across the country, the “ACUA is Community” campaign reminds me that we are all still here doing work to support our institutions in whatever way we can.
So, how can each of you stay connected with the ACUA community?
- Follow, post, and reply to conversations on Connect ACUA. You can set a daily email notification that will send new posts to your inbox once a day, which I find convenient and informative. You will see colleagues posting questions and addressing issues that you may not have considered during this time or may have a solution for. Please share.
- Follow, like, and share posts on ACUA’s social media channels, including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
- Share your work-from-home pictures (furry friends and little helpers too).
- Reach out to the ACUA Board or any of the committee chairs with ideas or suggestions for promoting connection within the ACUA community. You can find us all on the ACUA home page.
Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay connected!
About the Author
Sonja Erickson
Sonja Erickson, CIA, CGAP, is a Lead Auditor with the Office of Internal Audit and Consulting Services for the University of Missouri System. In addition to her work with ACUA, Sonja volunteers as the Vice President for Membership for the...
Read Full Author Bio