As we reflect on the past year, 2017 was a year of change for CCBO. We have welcomed a lot of new board members as well as new staff to our team in Charlottesville. Together we hosted webinars, ran a very successful conference (hope you got to hold the baby alligators!), and welcomed new members. But we also reflected on what could be even better. What can we do to give our members the tools and resources they need on campus? How can we impact the community college environment across the US and Canada? How can we ensure institutional sustainability through the work we do at CCBO?

All of these questions are the focus of 2018 - with committee meetings kicking off and annual conference registration opening just around the corner, there’s a lot of energy in the air here at the office. We are exploring ways to bring you more year-round engagement, including more webinars and an online community. As part of the only organization that responds to the unique needs of community college business officers, we invite you to contribute to the success of your peers’ institutions by submitting an article for the Bottom Line or sharing a successful project done on your campus through a webinar. 

We are also asking that you connect with others in your area. Do you meet with other business officers from your state or region? Do you have peers at other colleges in the area who are not a part of CCBO? Invite them to join and make CCBO an even stronger network of professionals that you as a member can count on. Peer to peer discussions can be some of the most beneficial ways to improve your campus’ operations, so help your fellow CCBO members by inviting others in your area to join and contribute to our robust and connected network of community college business officers. 

I wish you all the best this semester and in the new year. Here’s to a vibrant 2018!