Message from
the Chair

Sandy Fowler

Assistant Dean for Research​

College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

University of Wisconsin Madison

Challenged accepted! This is the response I want to hear from members when I say 'get involved' with the region. One of my goals as Chair is to increase member involvement and get all of our 1,686 regional members to partake in NCURA activities. Why do I want you to get involved? It is all about connections. Connections create networks and learning opportunities. Connections allow us to share and grow our knowledge and our community. We all need community and NCURA is one of the best communities I've been a part of. I want the same for all of you.  Well, how can you get involved? While volunteering to sit on a committee or at spring and annual meetings is a great way, there aren't 1,686 volunteer slots available. Check out the volunteer matching tab for a matching tool though if you are interested in where you can volunteer. Getting involved also means partaking in regional activities. See the event tab on the Region's website and sign up for a Welcome Wednesday, register for a webinar, or submit a proposal for the spring meeting. If you are a seasoned research administrator, consider signing up to be a mentor with Mentoring Our Own (MOO); you can also be a mentee if feel you aren't quite there yet to be a mentor - you don't have to be new to RA and NCURA to be a mentee. Nominating and voting for our future leaders or even becoming one of our future leaders fits the criteria too. Reach out to me, any board member, or committee chairs and share ideas you may have. We welcome input.  Make sure to bookmark the Region's website and join the Region's community at NCURA's Collaborate. How to do that is at https://collaborate.ncura.edu/tipsandtricks297. Our Collaborate site only has 195 members currently using it. I would love to see that number grow! Can I get 1,686? Another challenge accepted? Find Region IV on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Connecting and engaging with other members on social meeting counts as being involved.  Lastly, two of the coolest ways to get involved are to show off your region pride and by attending the spring meetings. Just above this blurb is a link to purchase regional swag and the next spring meeting t-shirt. The 2026 meeting will be held in St. Louis, MO from April 19-22. The theme is "A Confluence of Ideas, Excellence in Research Administration." Save the date and watch the website for updates!