NEA Higher Education Program

• NEA Membership and Benefits
• National Resources and Staff

Ensuring Your Voice is Heard

The National Education Association puts the strength of 2.7 million members and the experience of more than 145 years of educational advocacy to work for faculty and staff. No other professional organization or union can claim so long and strong a record of effective representation.

NEA is the largest college and university faculty and staff organization in the United States, representing more than 115,000 higher education personnel—on campus, in state legislatures, and in Washington, D.C.,where many critical decisions about higher education are made.

The cohesiveness of NEA higher education membership is particularly important now in light of the constant challenges and threats to our professional and economic rights. NEA strongly supports the efforts of faculty and staff to safeguard intellectual freedom, professional integrity, tenure, the right to a voice in academic governance.

Through its strategic priorities, NEA works to improve teacher quality and student achievement and to increase the capacity of institutions and associations to tackle tough educational and professional issues.

From Maine to Hawaii and Michigan to Texas, NEA chapters represent faculty, academic professionals, and education support professionals in every type of institution. NEA provides professional advice, support, and assistance on key economic issues such as salary and benefits,pay equity, and institutional finances. NEA offers support and advice on such key professional issues as academic freedom, tenure, and the role of faculty in institutional governance.

NEA represents more faculty and staff through collective bargaining than does any other organization. Collective bargaining may be the most appropriate method of resolving problems in higher education. The strength of the collective action of the faculty provides a check and balance for the institutional power of the administration, to ensure faculty voice and expertise are heard and accepted on campus.

Where collective bargaining is not an option, NEA and its state and campus affiliates have used the Association's political , public relations, and research expertise to win increased funding and to strengthen the rights of faculty and staff.

NEA helps its members

• Assure quality of the profession
• Establish strong local Associations
• Develop and implement collective bargaining activities
• Lobby legislature on areas of concern
• Ensure due process rights through grievance and arbitration programs
• Obtain legal assistance
• Enforce academic freedom through an effective tenure process
• Improve their economic security
• Enhance collegial governance on campus.

Your Voice for Political Power

NEA lobbyist know how that many key decisions on the future of higher education are mad by politicians, rather than by academicians. Faculty and staff need a strong, reliable voice to carry their recommendations to state capitals and to Washington, D. C. On the federal and state levels, NEA is a respected voice for the concerns of education and educational professionals.

On Capitol Hill, NEA lobbyist work effectively for increased financial support for higher education, including reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, the mainstay of higher education funding, and for increased funding for research. In addition, NEA lobbyist monitor legislation on issues such as tax reform, retirement, health care, intellectual property , distance education, internationalization, and other subjects that have a significant impact on all higher education personnel.

NEA also works for increased student aid so that more students will be able to afford a college education. NEA recognizes that such aid is essential to provide educational opportunity for women and minority students.

In elections, the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education supports pro-education candidates for federal offices, as well as political parties and organizations involved in the electoral process to help elect pro-education candidates and pass pro-education measures. All contributions are donated; none comes our of dues.

Over the years, better than three of every four candidates recommended by NEA have been elected to Congress and to state legislatures. Faculty and staff in higher education need to support and participate in this political process to ensure that the values represented by higher education and those who provide it are supported in our country's legislative processes.

Your Professional Resources

NEA is the largest employee association in the country. Its size and resources allow it to provide its higher education members a wide range of free services and resources.

The NEA's Office of Higher Education (OHE), based in Affiliate Capacity Building, coordinates the efforts of staff assigned to higher education activities in other NEA departments. Staff in OHE ensure the development and delivery of NEA-sponsored programs for higher education members and affiliates. They assist the states with organizing membership and chapter development through the NEA regional offices, work with higher education governance, and work in coalition with other associations and unions.

Higher Education Publications

NEA provides higher education members with various publications throughout the year:

• Advocate – The NEA Higher Education Advocate published six times a year, contains information on national local, and regional events and issues in higher education. Its "Thriving in Academe" section provides tips and advice on pedagogical and professional issues.
• Thought & Action – This well-respected journal, published twice a year, is refereed by an eight-person faculty review panel. It is designed to provide faculty, staff, and students with an enlightened balance between theory and practice on issues in higher education.
• Almanac of Higher Education – Published annually, the Almanac provides NEA higher education members with current information on the entire scope of American higher education. It contains up-to-date information on faculty salaries and benefits, the economic conditions in the states, faculty workload, trends in bargaining, and information on non-faculty professionals on campus.
• Other publications – NEA publishes monographs under the series title of Academic Justice & Excellence. Monographs in this series analyze current issues facing faculty and staff in higher education. Members are notified of publications through the Advocate and the NEA higher education web site.

Higher Education Research Center

The Center provides data and other research products to the NEA higher education affiliates. The Research Advisory Committee, composed of higher education leaders and staff, meet twice a year to review products from the Center and to make recommendations about additional research needs.

Legal Advice and Liability Protection

NEA's legal staff has effectively argued that academic freedom should be recognized as a constitutional right. As a result of NEA litigations, tenure is now viewed as a property right protected by the 14th Amendment.

The Association's Legal Services Program protects members subject to dismissal or severe sanction and provides legal advice on other issues.

NEA higher education members are automatically protected by a $1 million professional liability policy at no extra cost. This liability insurance protects members in case that arise from the performance of their professional duties.

National Conference

Each year since 1983, on the first weekend in March, the NEA sponsors the National Conference on Higher Education, which brings together educational and political leaders and experts along with faculty and staff to discuss issues confronting colleges and universities. The theme of the conference each year deals with an issue that is vital to the interests of higher education.

Leadership Development

The day prior to the higher education conference, faculty and staff leaders convene to discuss issues pertaining to governance and to develop leadership expertise. In addition, the NEA sponsors an Emerging Leader Academy, open through nominations to new or emerging leaders within the NEA higher education community.

Critical Issues Seminar

Each year NEA brings together local leaders and national experts to discuss emerging issues in higher education and to explore NEA's response to these issues. Participants recommendations are forwarded to the Advisory Committee on Membership.

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