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NEA Higher Ed Conference

This year’s NEA higher education conference broke new ground, starting with a foray into on-the-ground union organizing.

Nearly 375 NEA higher education faculty and staff from across the nation gathered in Seattle March 5–7 for a historic NEA higher ed conference, held concurrently with the American Federation of Teachers’ annual higher education conference.

In addition to the usual NEA fare of more than 20 separate sessions on topics ranging from higher education policy and collective bargaining to professional faculty development, the conference provided for joint plenary sessions and policy brainstorming among colleagues of both organizations.

The conference was preceded by a joint organizing event at Western Washington University in Bellingham that sent affiliate leaders of both organizations to campus to talk one-on-one about the benefits of unionization.

NEA President Reg Weaver and AFT Executive Vice President Nat LaCour headlined the opening plenary session, fielding questions about education policy, political action, accountability, state funding crises, and the best response to a Cabinet secretary who labels the professionals with whom he works members of a “terrorist organization.”

Participants also took time to congratulate the second graduating class of the Emerging Leader Academy and to honor winners of the 2003 NEA Excellence in the Academy awards for articles on the art of teaching and promoting democracy.

May 17 will mark the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to desegregate America’s public schools. NEA has kicked off our own celebration to raise awareness about the opportunities opened up by that decision and the continuing need to make real improvements in public education at all levels today.

NEA believes there are societal and educational benefits in having racially diverse preK–12 and college-level classrooms. Diverse classrooms help reduce stereotypes and prejudice; offer students better opportunities for learning how to function in integrated environments; promote cross-racial understanding; and help students appreciate the differing cultural viewpoints, skills, and values they encounter.

For information on the Brown decision and events and activities NEA will take part in to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, visit www.nea.org/brownvboard/.

Challenges and Opportunities, State Legislative Views on Higher Education and The NEA 2004 Almanac of Higher Education are now available.

For a copy of Challenges and Opportunities, e-mail HigherEd@nea.org. Order a copy of the Almanac, including a CD-ROM containing the 2002–03 salary report, at HigherEd@nea.org or view it at www.nea.org/he/almanac.html.