President's Letters

Opportunities Afforded a UCEA President

James Broomall, UCEA President 2004-2005
(UCEA InFocus, May 2004)

During our recent Annual Conference in San Antonio, colleagues and friends overwhelmed me with their congratulatory sentiments. Some took the conversation another step forward and asked with an air of politeness: "Why did you want to be President of UCEA?" As an over 20-year veteran of the Association, my answer is two-fold. First, it is to give back in some small measure to those who have contributed to making UCEA the premier continuing higher education association. Second, it is quite simply to have the institutionalized opportunity to contribute personally to the evolving face of our field of practice and theory.

It is indeed true that at no time have the opportunities and challenges facing higher education in general-and our professional and institutional members in particular-been greater. Working closely with our national office staff and members who give willingly of their time and talent has renewed my sense of optimism that we are more than up to the transitions before us. While economic cycles, demographic shifts, and stakeholder demands are constantly in flux, our traditions of responsiveness, accountability, and academic integrity are a constant in UCEA. Within this framework, I have identified three initiatives for the coming year.

UCEA Initiatives, 2004-2005

Customize Professional Development Opportunities. Professional development is the essence of our mission. Given the diverse career stages and needs of our members, we propose a tiered approach to career growth that will parallel it. A committee is working on a leadership institute that will build on our established Executive Assembly and Summer Institute. Also, I have asked the Commissions to identify one "deliverable" (i.e., a white paper or session at the national conference in Boston in 2005) that is a content-driven source for professional development.

Foster the next Generation of Leaders. The role of the professional association has evolved over time. While UCEA affiliation is institutionally-based, individual expectations play an increasingly important role in defining our agenda. To this end, we must identify and disseminate leadership roles available through the Association that will in turn meet individual expectations for career enhancement. Also, we must ensure that UCEA fully represents the spectrum of continuing higher education. I encourage us to create and maintain intellectual and programmatic links with continuing professional educators in the academic disciplines and applied areas of study. Finally, a perennial issue is to broaden member involvement in recruitment and retention to promote equity in and access to UCEA.

Identify Strategic Research Topics. Conventional models that describe the organization and administration of continuing education units are no longer adequate. The centralized/decentralized dichotomy constrains more detailed analysis. Applied research that builds inductively from the field is part of this third initiative. Its intent is to examine organizational configurations and inter-institutional connections promoting lifelong learning. Related is the need to identify and describe capacities and exemplars among UCEA members serving adult and other nontraditional learners.

Involvement in UCEA Increases Members' Satisfaction

A member's satisfaction with UCEA correlates positively with the extent of one's involvement. I encourage you to identify a point of access in the Association that has meaning to you and participate. The regions, Commissions, Communities of Practice, and specialized committees all are opportunities for you. I look forward to working with you and our member institutions as we continue to enhance UCEA's position. My initiatives are designed to move us forward in a time of transitions and redefinitions for continuing higher education.