|
| Home | Mission & Vision | Members | Resources | Events | Governance | About Us | Search |
|
The Executive Forum seeks, through its work, to enhance  the capacities of the Executive Directors, the effectiveness of their agencies, the strength of the non-profit sector, and the quality of life in the community.The Executive Forum (EF) of Western Connecticut State University is a partnership between the University and the private non-profit human service sector. The Executive Forum is itself a collaboration, joining together faculty from the Department of Social Work (School of Professional Studies) and the Management Department (Ancell School of Business). This joint venture, with the University serving as a conduit, identifies and makes accessible expertise, resources, supports, and other mechanisms for capacity building in the non-profit sector. The key values of the Executive Forum are: Neutrality, provided by its being sited in a university, by its not being a funding source, and by its providing a safe harbor in which executive directors can address with their peers their concerns and their organization's needs,
Collaboration, provided internally by the joint efforts between two departments and two schools within the university, and externally by its relationships with agencies, funders, and other involved parties, and
Respect, that is, the promotion of high regard for the capabilities, functioning, and limitations of all involved parties.
The EF organizes its activities into five key roles: Educator: Through workshops, presentations, think tanks and discussion groups on specific topics the Executive Forum provides opportunities for Executive Directors to develop and enhance their managing skills, to explore ideas, to think innovatively, and to learn from experts in many fields.
Convener: By convening ad hoc groups on specific topics or by creating specific groupings, the Executive Forum draws attention to issues cutting across private, public, and governmental domains (e.g., affordable housing).
Networker/Broker: The Executive Forum enables Executive Directors to meet with one another both formally and informally to exchange experiences, concerns, and suggestions. The Executive Forum is a safe harbor for harried executive directors looking for mutual support. The Forum also connects disparate parties with common interests (e.g., "Dialogs with Funders").
Advocate: The Executive Forum sponsors meetings with elected officials at the local, regional, and state levels and identifies and advocates for issues affecting the non-profit sector (e.g., depressed salaries of executive directors).
Academician: The Executive Forum contributes to academic and professional enhancement of non-profit management. Courses on non-profit management, a possible graduate certificate program, and linkages with the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) programs are being explored and developed.
Back to top |
2005 - Published by Gremi0 Computing |