Farewell from HED President Zingara

Jim ZingaraAs I leave this office, I would like to share a few thoughts regarding the importance of an organization such as AMEA to those of us who work in higher education. Participation and recruitment to HED has been the emphasis of this term, and in partnership with Mildred Lanier and Becky Halliday, I have tried to increase awareness and membership through new conference activities such as the President’s Panel Discussion and the Student Ensemble Showcase Recital. I believe that these are a start, but there are many other reasons to be involved with AMEA as a higher education professional:

Recruitment of students is a large part of what we do in higher education. Membership in AMEA not only helps in this area by allowing us to network with active and motivated middle and high school directors, but will also allow us to have access to mailing lists which we can use to promote events available for them and their students.

Professional development and creative activity is a big portion of the tenure/promotion process, and the annual AMEA Conference provides many opportunities through holding office as well as participation in conference sessions, panel discussions, and recitals.

Membership in HED helps create a support network of people with similar backgrounds and situations in which to discuss issues endemic to Higher Education including promotion/tenure, the future of college music programs, recruitment/ retention, dealing with budgetary constraints, and our individual roles and futures in an ever-increasing online teaching environment.

Developing a support network to address problems in the workplace. If there are individuals who have the unfortunate happenstance to experience academic bullying and/or negative departmental politics, there may colleagues from other institutions that can offer advice and support without the fear of in-house reprisal.

Developing a unified group to speak for Higher Education music programs in the current political climate of budget and program slashing. With the recent examples of draconian higher education cuts in such states as Wisconsin and Louisiana, members of the higher education community will need to justify and sell their programs in a much more emphatic way than ever before. Unity of institutions can provide strength of message to political and academic entities.

Begin dialogues and share ideas between programs from various institutions. Great ideas are often an amalgamation of shared visions. HED can provide a “think tank” to nurture and hone ideas.

To eventually expand HED to preside over independent activities and sessions other than the annual conference. This will not only provide additional opportunities for professional growth and development, but will further strengthen HED as a Division and voice in the state.

If you are already a member, please renew in the coming year. If you are not a member, I encourage you to join a growing group of like-minded and enthusiastic professionals throughout the state. In closing, I would like to extend to the current HED Team of Becky Halliday (President), Mildred Lanier (President-Elect), and Katrina Phillips (Secretary-Treasurer), all my best wishes in their continued endeavors to grow and expand the Higher Education Division.