Message from the Forum Chair

Aloha Western Academic Leadership Forum Members:

I would like to welcome the new and returning members to the Western Academic Leadership Forum, a leadership  coordinated under the auspices of WICHE. Since 2009, the Forum has been tackling important issues including the diversification of the professoriate, campus health and wellness, student success, and perhaps most importantly university leadership development. The Forum provides an important venue for university leaders to network, share knowledge, engage in professional development, and learn from the experiences of others working on the critical issues facing the western region. The Forum is a much-needed space for university leaders to come together and work collaboratively to address challenges to our institutions, especially in the face of ongoing changes in leadership caused by retirements.

It gives me great pleasure to share that the next annual meeting of the Forum will be April 3-5, 2024, and will be held in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. The meeting will give members the opportunity to engage in professional development, discuss the critical emerging issues facing higher education, and much more. Additionally, we are working on several participatory projects that members may be able to take advantage of either before or after the event – so stay tuned for more details.

At this time, Forum members are invited to participate in contributing ideas for the meeting. WICHE invites institutions, systems, and individuals to submit proposals to present their work that address this year’s theme. This year’s theme and the call for proposals will be announced July 10, 2023. If you are not yet a member, I strongly encourage you to join us and experience all that this organization has to offer.

I hope you will join us for this important meeting.