The MLA Board of Directors met November 3-4, 2016 in Chicago, IL amidst the celebration of the Cubs historic World Series win. The board focussed on expanding MLA’s committee structure to support MLA’s education initiative (Strategic Goal 3).
In essence, the board split the charge of the current Continuing Education Committee (CEC) into an overarching strategic committee and multiple operational committees aligned either with specific delivery programs (e.g. webinars or pre-conference continuing education) or with curriculum areas tied to MLA’s professional competency domains. The idea is to create the right environment for members expert in those areas, and in education design and delivery, to develop specific courses and tracks, with course creators and instructors, that will be delivered in multiple ways. Those could include the traditional webinars and face-to-face annual meeting courses, as well as new online courses and courses taught at chapters. Individuals from Sections and SIGs can support the effort by participating in the curriculum groups that relate to their interests.
Specifically, the board :
- established the Education Steering Committee as an MLA Standing Committee that serves as the coordinating body for MLA education and has oversight for education development;
- established the Leadership Curriculum Committee as the first curriculum group, and merged the Rising Star program into it;
- Renamed the Continuing Education Committee to the Education Annual Program Committee, maintaining the committee’s responsibility for selecting and planning the course roster and instructors for the annual meeting continuing education offerings, symposia, and ad hoc education programs and annual roster of webinars and webcasts.
All changes take effect on June 1, 2017, during the regular committee rotations.
The members of the Continuing Education Committee will naturally remain in the renamed Annual Education Program Committee or migrate to the new Steering Committee, while members of the Rising Star Committee can ask to join the Leadership Curriculum group, by contacting their respective committee chairs by the end of December (final committee determination is made by the President-Elect).
If you are interested in participating in those committees, you still have time to complete the online Call for Volunteers Form before the December 15 deadline.
Keep up to date on these recent MLA Board actions and discussions by following the Full Speed Ahead blog.