NIRSA educational events name changes

By Mary Callendar

In an effort to embrace NIRSA’s strategic values—specifically in the area of Global Perspectives—and in an effort to better align the Association’s professional development offerings, the NIRSA Board of Director’s has moved to endorse name changes for a handful of NIRSA educational events.

Beginning July 1, 2013, the name NIRSA will replace the term National in all of our Association’s professional development events.* The names of our events now reflect an open, welcoming atmosphere to all NIRSA members—not just those from any one nation—and affirm the broadening international appeal of NIRSA educational events.

Additionally, the NIRSA Board of Directors agreed that aligning all NIRSA educational events under the title of Institute will provide language reflective of the events’ similar overall formats and management, while allowing for the educational content of each event to be continuously developed and specialized. Going forward, the word Symposium is being dropped from NIRSA educational events and replaced with Institute.

*NIRSA’s School of Recreational Sports Management will also be updated to reflect NIRSA’s global perspective. However, Faculty of the School are currently reviewing the name of this signature NIRSA event in a broader context, to ensure the title best reflects the curriculum and goals of this event.