SRA International Annual Report

SRA International reached new heights in 2007, and we are pleased to provide you with an annual report that highlights some of our major accomplishments. To review the full report,  click here. The letter from the president that appears in the report is provided below.
 

Letter from the President

Dear SRA Member:

This year we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the founding of SRA International. In anticipation of this historic event, my predecessors and the members of the board of directors undertook a review of the needs of the profession and the members of our Society. In doing so, the leadership saw both a vibrant and growing Society and one in need of a transformation.

We needed to refocus our efforts and become an organization that is capable of keeping pace with the ever evolving challenges of the globalization of the research enterprise. Although those caught up in these changes often found and may continue to find them to be somewhat unsettling, it is a necessary part of the growth of our profession and our professional Society.

We have taken bold action to complete the transformation as set out in our strategic plan. We revamped the governance structure to make the organization more nimble and better able to respond to a fast-paced environment. We reached out to our chapters and sections and identified the elements of success and how we all can be better partners in being successful. There were sweeping changes at the executive office to include restructuring of staff roles and responsibilities, investing in new IT systems, revising policies and procedures and, most importantly for the future, establishing new standards of performance and expectations of excellence. I am certain that some of these changes were difficult for those involved. At the end of the day, we all came together and charted a new course and positioned SRA International to reach new heights in service to the professional research administrator. I applaud everyone who was a part of the process.

At the beginning of my two years as president, I set several goals one of which was working with the chapters and sections to expand and enhance the society’s educational and professional development program. Over the course of the past year, working together with our section and chapter officers, we came to better understand their local and egional needs and the essential elements and services that they needed to be successful. In response, we have put in place the practices and policies needed to create a solid foundation for success at our section and chapter meetings. The addition of two new chapters in 2007 is a testament to the needs of a growing membership and also the energy and vital participation of all of us in advancing the training and professional development of our community. I anticipate that we will continue to reap the benefits of these efforts in 2008.

I also set a goal of continuing the development of an academic curriculum for research administration that builds on SRA’s Body of Knowledge (BoK). The editors of and contributors to the BoK and have donated a tremendous amounts of time and talent to this important endeavor, and I want to personally acknowledge their superb work and thank them. I would also like to thank the annual meeting co-chairs and the BoK editors for working together to ensure that the sessions and workshops at the annual meeting are focused on the elements of the BoK.

One of the most gratifying successes of the current year is continuing growth and success of the Journal of Research Administration (JRA). Our Journal is the premier academic publication addressing the educational and professional needs of research administrators around the globe. JRA, published both in electronic and in printed form, continues to be visually stunning and, most importantly, intellectually challenging and stimulating. We owe a great debt of gratitude to the editor, the entire editorial staff, and to the authors who have contributed to the growth of our understanding of the field.

Our successes this year foretell what the next 12 months hold for the society – new challenges and continued success in meeting the educational and professional development needs of our members.

Now we begin the process of creating a new strategic plan, which presents an opportunity for all of us to help define how SRA can best serve the needs of its membership. As president, I offer you a challenge. In the coming year, how will you contribute your ideas, service, and energy to the development of our profession? I ask that you be responsive when called upon to provide input and act to help meet the needs of your colleagues and friends.

It has been a pleasure to serve as SRA’s president, and I look forward to continuing our efforts to better understand and meet your educational and professional development needs through the remainder of my term.

Sincerely,

Philip V. Spina, CRA
President
SRA International