Tims AL

DURING HIS 18 YEARS, THE LONGEST SERVING PRESIDENT EXPANDS AND RESHAPES THE ROLE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

WHEN AL TIMS became director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota, he said, he had no idea the position included another title — president of the board of directors of National Scholastic Press Association.

The board governs three divisions: National Scholastic Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press and the Minnesota High School Press Association.

“Somehow, they just forgot to mention that, and it wasn’t until I was well into the director’s job that I discovered I was to oversee the organizations,” Tims said.

Earlier in the school’s history, the associations were housed in Murphy Hall, the journalism building. “The faculty was more involved,” Tims said. “But in the late ’80s, the focus in journalism schools was on research faculty more than a skills faculty. The visibility of the organizations drifted away.”

Things were running smoothly for NSPA/ACP, he said. “The attitude became ‘let them do their own thing.’”

It turned out Tims’ tenure as board president, from 2000-18, was the longest in the organization’s history.

“Before I was president, the board didn’t have much of a role,” Tims said. “The organization functioned on its own and wasn’t very visible on campus. When I learned it was part of my job responsibility, I looked into the infrastructure, and it seemed like some attention was needed.”

So Tims and the staff worked to establish a board of directors, review existing policies, create other policies and develop a more visible structure for the organization. The vision — to serve the needs of students — remained as constant as it had since 1921.

“Putting students first was always at the forefront,” Tims said. “I worked hard studying the files and understanding the history. I learned we always needed to ask — ‘Is this in the interest of the students?’

“Whether we were developing contests or providing critiques or finding ways to hold down the cost of the conventions, the focus was on student needs,” he said.

Tims looked to partner organizations Journalism Education Association and College Media Association for guidance on structure and policies. He also hired Heidi Christianson, an attorney and former assistant attorney general in Minnesota who regulated charities and private foundations.

She worked with NSPA throughout Tims’ tenure. He said she provided expert counsel and was instrumental in establishing best practices policies and procedures in concert with the board.

As the staff and board developed new materials, including an evaluation form for the executive director, Tims said he realized a special set of tools was needed for the executive director.

“Maintaining symbiotic relationships with our partner organizations, managing a young staff and overseeing contracts and the budget made it clear, the executive director needed to be a leader and not just a manager,” Tims said.

“High school journalism advisers might bring one set of tools, like knowing the field and being familiar with the partner organizations, but they might not have the skills needed for managing staff and negotiating contracts,” he said. “On the other hand, people with those managerial skills might not translate into the culture of student media.”

The more Tims learned about NSPA, ACP and MHSPA, the more he recognized their value to the journalism school, he said.

“The organizations have a home, and they serve as a link to what is happening in colleges and high schools,” Tims said. “That’s important because their presence provides the school with a link to the future. Faculty members who serve on the board gain a new perspective in terms of what’s going on in student media.”

During his 18 years as board president, Tims said the organizations faced challenges. From CMA looking for a new alignment to JEA’s interest in revenue to difficult personnel decisions — there was more than enough stress to go around, he said. Having an active board helped ease the situations.

“The reality is that over the years, the board brought credibility and maturity to the organizations,” Tims said.

“I loved watching when the board was fully engaged with new and better ways to serve students and collaborate with partner organizations.”

Tims said he was proud of where the organizations were when he left in 2018 but that the work wasn’t done.

“Before 2000, the organizations had a healthy foundation. Now they have a legacy,” Tims said. n

Celebrating Success

Board president Al Tims presents a Pacemaker award, the association’s highest honor for student media, to editor Caitlin Burns of the Kansas State University Royal Purple at the 2012 ACP/CMA convention in Chicago.

Convention Business

Managing registration for high school conventions was an NSPA responsibility. Ann Akers, associate director, looks over records with Albert “Flip” DeLuca, board member and Al Heider, NSPA staff.

Workshop Instructor

As an award-winning adviser in Iowa and California, Ann Akers taught at the NSPA Summer Workshop at the University of Minnesota from 19821990. In 1983, she instructs students in the Newspaper Production Lab.