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Higher Ed’s Emerging Leaders

The NEA Higher Education Emerging Leader Academy has graduated its first class and is now recruiting for the next academy.

The more than 350 NEA higher education members and guests who braved a rare March snowstorm in Washington, D.C., to attend the 20th anniversary NEA Higher Education Conference weren’t disappointed.

In addition to choosing among more than 20 conference sessions on myriad higher ed policy and faculty development topics, the attendees were challenged by NEA President Reg Weaver to do their part to help NEA increase membership, took part in the Association’s first Higher Education Leadership Academy graduation, and honored winners of the NEA Excellence in the Academy awards.

Graduates of the first class of higher education emerging leaders came from 18 states and included 32 faculty, academic professionals, and higher ed support professionals. Already the graduates are on the move: recruiting members and increasing higher ed visibility. The class orchestrated a book drive as part of NEA’s Read Across America campaign, and distributed books to three Washington, D.C., area schools. ESP graduates Ann Garcia (MI), Eugene Smith, and Tycina Washington (NJ) presented at the NEA ESP conference in mid-March, and Armando Vasquez-Ramos from California was recently elected to the board of the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE).

The Emerging Leader Academy helps participants build and refine their leadership, communication, organizing, and planning skills. Candidates must be NEA members who work in higher education, show leadership potential, and either have never held office or are elected officers who have served no more than two years.

Nominations are made through the state Associations. For more information, contact Valerie Wilk at vwilk@nea.org or 202/822-7110.

The NEA 2003 Almanac of Higher Education is now available. In this 10th anniversary edition, Almanac authors address many issues of the past that still confront higher education today.

The changing academic workforce has serious implications for faculty workload and unionization. Current economic conditions put intense pressure on states to cut higher education expenditures. Professional development and the use of technology raise questions about effective collective bargaining language.

Order a copy of the Almanac, which includes a CD-ROM containing The 2001-02 faculty salary report, at HigherEd@nea.org or view the entire Almanac at www.nea.org/he/almanac.html.