News from the AUBER President
Marshall J. Vest
Feb. 2004

The goals for AUBER during 2004 are three-fold: improve communications, explore partnering opportunities with other organizations, and expand membership. I'm pleased to report that progress is being made in all three areas, thanks to the engagement of the Executive Committee and members at large.

Communications. When was the last time you explored the association's web site <http://www.auber.org>? Nicole Gislason and her team at the University of West Florida have done wonders in transforming the site into a major communications tool for members-chock full of useful information that is updated regularly.

What can you do now at AUBER.org? You can search the membership database to see which units are active in a particular program area, such as survey research, forecasting, impact studies, or some three dozen other categories. You can:

• create e-mail lists for various categories that you can paste into your e-mail message TO field;
  
• update membership directory information for your unit directly into the database;
  
• access program information about AUBER conferences and other events of special interest;
  
• review lists of past award winners and honorary members;
  
• see membership of various committees;
  
• read featured member profiles;
  
• link to other sites of interest, such as COPAFS, NABE, and state LMI sites; and
  
• keep abreast of AUBER news.

Have you discovered links to information presented during individual sessions at AUBER's annual meeting last fall? Many presenters provided their PowerPoint presentations and links to papers and other resources. Simply navigate to the 2003 program <http://www.auber.org/conf/Auber/2003fallconfprogram.htm> and follow the links!

The Web Advisory and Technology Committee, chaired by Maile Nadelhoffer from The University of Arizona, is brainstorming on how to make the web site even better. Ideas include implementing a web-based survey tool that can be used to query members about special questions, as well as to gather information for the annual member ship survey; exploring installation of an AUBER-based Google search tool of members' web sites; and reviewing what features should be accessed by members only.

I think you'll agree that AUBER.org is well on its way to becoming an important communication stool that members will visit frequently.

Partnering Opportunities. In recent years, AUBER has sought opportunities to interact with other organizations in an effort to provide added value to its members, and to connect with other groups interested in regional economic issues. We have developed sessions at scholarly meetings such as regional science associations, cosponsored events with federal reserve banks, and participated at AACSB meetings, to name a few.

During the past four years, AUBER has joined NABE in cosponsoring the Spring Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., where attendee shear from top policymakers, including the likes of Alan Greenspan. This year Bruce Kellison and his committee are developing three AUBER sessions: one a state fiscal policy update, another on the impact of offshore outsourcing, and a third high-lighting new developments in federal/state statistics. The dates are March 25 and 26, so make your reservations today!

NABE is offering a new skill development seminar on the use of economic statistics. Targeted for young professionals, the sessions will feature members from federal statistical agencies. The dates: May 2-4 in Orlando.

Also noteworthy, Tennessee State University is hosting an International Symposium on Urban and Regional Issues May 6-8 (see the Events Calendar).

Jeff Collins and his Committee on Relations with Other Organizations a re-exploring additional opportunities with organizations such as ACCRA, NAMTAC(changing its name to University Economic Development Association, or UEDA),RSAI, WRSA, WEA, SRSA, COPAFS, and AACSB. (Sorry for all the acronyms, but my pen is running out of ink.)

Membership. Jerry Conover's committee is working to identify and recruit other university-based organizations with similar interests (AUBER traditionally has been comprised of units housed in business colleges). Today, many units are spread throughout the university, with some reporting to the vice president for research or the president.

With the addition of individual memberships a couple years ago, AUBER can now accommodate faculty who are not part of an organized research unit as well as non-university researchers who share our interests in applied research. Jack Kleinhenz, Chief Economist of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association, is our newest individual member.

Jerry's committee also is working toward developing a new membership survey that will be administered annually. Plans are to incorporate this into the website to make it easy for units to respond. Many thanks to all AUBERites who are working to make AUBER work better.

Marshall J. Vest
The University of Arizona

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