A Message from the AAAE President

Dear Colleagues:

One of the real challenges of the AAAE Board Presidency is the annual need to come up with compelling reasons for you to renew your membership. I could try the Nike approach, “Just do it!” But I suspect that as denizens of higher education you expect more of me. I can certainly play to your self-interest in asking you where else in this universe you can find a group of people among whom you need explain to NO ONE what arts administration is, why arts organizations are dependent upon donations, or why strategic planning is an essential skill. You can even say “linear regression” and get (some) knowing nods rather than blank stares. And, of course, as hard-core academics in a highly specialized discipline, we need periodic infusions of support group therapy. (Come to the Conference in California!)

But is that enough in this time of budget . . . issues? (I was going to say “crisis” but that sounds so negative.) Probably not. So let me articulate a few of the benefits of AAAE membership and the work in which we are currently engaged to expand those benefits. Currently, as a small sampling:
•    AAAE’s website is the go-to source for information about programs in arts administration. For some of you, it’s the most important recruitment tool.
•    AAAE serves as a voice and advocate for arts administration in higher education. We are often called upon to verify that, yes, arts administration is an academic discipline and that you are indeed contributing to the world of scholarship and your institution’s reputation by the things you do. We are also asked to answer questions about why your work and curricula look so different from English Literature. AAAE has a significant resource in the curriculum standards. These are invaluable for schools establishing, reviewing, and justifying their arts administration curricula.
•    AAAE maintains a thesis database for disseminating the scholarship of your graduates.

And in the works:
•    We are revising the Graduate Curriculum Standards to reflect change in the field since they were originally developed, and finalizing Undergraduate Curriculum Standards for use by the field.
•    We have established a Research Council to advocate for research in arts administration and to link AAAE member programs with research needs in the field. Ximena Varela has agreed to chair the Council. When the rest of the membership has been finalized we will be providing more information on this important initiative.
•    Our International Working Group has made great strides in developing collaborative opportunities with ENCATC and in providing guidance regarding incorporating international students into our programs. More information will be forthcoming
•    We are beginning conversations about faculty workload as well as criteria for hiring, tenure, and promotion in our field. AAAE needs to be the voice for the field on those issues.

So, is that sufficiently convincing? There’s more, but I am running out of room. I would simply say it’s that time again. Please renew your membership promptly. We need to stick together in these difficult times.

I hope to see you in California!

Sincerely,

Doug Borwick, Board President

p.s. Take advantage of our secure server and renew your full, associate, individual, or student membership on-line.