Steering Committee

Duties and Responsibilities

To review the NCA’s long-term goals and to develop objective ways to measure the NCA’s progress in reaching them.

History & Board Actions

V32.1 11/3/00
The Board utilized a modified group process to identify long-range goals. Goals identified:
Group I
Improve communication
Improve conflict resolution skills
Involve a greater circle of members in NCA activities
Be more proactive to make sure our Newfs are placed in responsible homes
Continue to work toward improving the health of our dogs
Encourage good sportsmanship at all NCA/AKC functions
Encourage continued education of new Newf owners in all areas
Group II
Work toward focusing on and achieving the objectives in the Constitution
Provide leadership and direction for all NCA activities
Group III
Continue to build on health and health-related programs
Improve and expand breeder education programs
Reach out to non NCA members
Expand NCA Charitable Trust
Define benefits of being an NCA member
Group IV
Healthier Newfs
Educate breeders and owners
Better communication
Have a high proportion of litters bred by NCA members
Have the Board concentrate on long-range goals
More information on health/soundness

V33.1 12/1/01
Steering Committee to complete its job description. Reassess NCA’s Committee policies and bring any recommendations to April 2002 meeting.
V34.3 4/3/03
Job description changed to remove the designation of “once a year” to “as appropriate” for reports to the Board.
V36.1 10/30/04
Task the Steering Committee with working with the Board to produce and update on an annual basis a document that defines NCA goals, strategies for meeting those goals, and
measurements for success. The document might be prepared and updated according to the following schedule:
• No later than one month before the fall face-to-face meeting: Steering Committee submits to the Board key goals and strategies for recommendation.
• Fall face-to-face meeting: Board discusses and finalizes goals and strategies.
• No later than one month before the spring face-to-face meeting: Steering Committee submits to the Board final document with goals and strategies and introduces measurements for meeting those goals.
• Spring face-to-face meeting: Board finalizes the strategy document for the coming year.

Back

Current Activities

2008 Steering Committee Annual Report by Mary Lou Roberts, Chair

Last spring, the Steering Committee got off to a fresh start, and this summer the NCA Board approved a new job description: The Steering Committee will work with the NCA Board to produce and update on an annual basis a document that defines NCA goals, strategies for meeting those goals, and measurements for success. The document might be prepared and updated according to the following schedule:
• No later than one month before the fall face-to-face meeting: Steering Committee submits to the Board key goals and strategies for recommendation.
• Fall face-to-face meeting: Board discusses and finalizes goals and strategies.
• No later than one month before the spring face-to-face meeting: Steering Committee submits to the Board a final document with goals and strategies and introduces measurements for meeting those goals.
• Spring face-to-face meeting: Board finalizes the strategy document for the coming year.
The committee is now moving forward with this schedule and will, before this year’s National, present to the NCA Board a document that outlines this committee’s thoughts on what the NCA’s major challenges are and what our primary goals and objectives should be; enumerates possible strategies that can be implemented to meet those goals, securing appropriate input from other NCA committees; and describes methods and metrics for measuring the NCA’s success in meeting those objectives over time. The process of developing and refreshing a strategic plan for the NCA will be an ongoing one that will require much thought and input from the Board, other NCA committees, and the membership.
We are faced with many challenges: changing demographics,
an aging membership and volunteer base, technology that pushes potential puppy buyers to the Internet, a weakened economy, a decline in the number of people who show and work their dogs, a public that needs more education on many levels, additional funding for health research, finding volunteers and money for rescue, and more. Our hope is that the Steering Committee will be able to help the NCA become more proactive (rather than reactive) in charting a course that will best serve Newfoundland dogs and the club and its membership.