Higher Education Division Column: Fall 2023

Awarding Positivity, Productivity, and Vision

While there are many noble professions in the world, that of being an educator is vital to our collective global futures. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), by 2031 U.S. public schools will need an additional 48,700 high school teachers (BLS, 2023a), 25,000 middle school teachers (BLS, 2023b), and 60,200 elementary teachers (BLS, 2022). USA Today reports that more teachers left the profession after the 2021–2022 school year than in the 3 previous decades (Barnum, 2023). When the evolving and ever-changing lived 2022 and 2023 experiences of current educators is factored into BLS reports for expected preK–12 job growth, one can reason that the numbers of new teachers needed may be much larger than projected. Higher education also does not escape the realities of recent years and documents declining enrollment affecting staff and faculty hiring (Binkley and The Associated Press, 2023; Knox, 2023; Meyer, 2023).

While education is no stranger to uncertainties and challenges, our current times are layered with a fluid multiplicity of obstacles. The field seeks significant ways to recruit and retain educators—perks and benefits are among the discussion. Aside from the value educators give to meaningful experiences with students, an occasional salary increase or job promotion definitely helps—yet many districts are currently seeking innovative ways to entice educators, such as having 4-day weeks, as 76 districts in Texas have recently done (Adams, 2023).

Awards and appreciation are another way to encourage educators. Rewarding those who exceed norms and requirements, advance our content areas and research, build and nurture students and learning, and give back to our professions and schools is one way to elevate dedicated educators. When one feels appreciated and valued, their job performance is most likely elevated. And when one feels encouraged and elevated, this can inspire those around them. In the educational workspace, positivity and productivity can generate more positivity and productivity. The NAEA Higher Education Division recently gave out annual awards at the 2023 San Antonio Convention. We celebrate and salute these hardworking educators for their impressive contribution to higher education and art education, and therefore to our preK–12 school art programs. Those who recommended professors for these important awards described them with words like

• impactful,
• brilliant,
• supportive,
• kind,
• interconnective,
• resolute,
• enthusiastic,
• innovative,
• visionary,
• keen sense of integrity,
• leaders,
• collaborative, and
• community builders.

NAEA Higher Education Educator of the Year: Jorge Lucero, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Eastern Region Higher Education Educator of the Year: Margaret Walker, University of Maryland, College Park

Pacific Region Higher Education Educator of the Year: gloria wilson, The University of Arizona, Tucson

Southeast Region Higher Education Educator of the Year: Debrah Sickler-Voigt, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro

Western Region Higher Education Educator of the Year: Cam McComb, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti

Preservice Sponsor of Excellence Award: Justin Sutters, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia

[[image #### "From left to right, top row: Jorge Lucero, Margaret Walker, gloria wilson. Left to right, bottom row: Debrah Sickler-Voigt, Cam McComb, Justin Sutters."]]

References

Adams, C. (2023, March 6). 76 Texas school districts have moved to four-day weeks, affecting almost 90,000 students. KXAN. https://www.kxan.com/news/education/almost-60-school-districts-in-texas-have-now-made-the-switch-to-four-day-weeks

Barnum, M. (2023, March 6). “I just found myself struggling to keep up”: Number of teachers quitting hits new high. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2023/03/06/more-teachers-quitting-than-usual-driven-stress-politics-data-shows/11390639002

Binkley, C., & The Associated Press. (2023, March 9). The labor shortage is pushing American colleges into crisis, with the plunge in enrollment the worst ever recorded. Fortune. https://fortune.com/2023/03/09/american-skipping-college-huge-numbers-pandemic-turned-them-off-education

Knox, L. (2023, May 24). Leveling off at the bottom. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/admissions/traditional-age/2023/05/24/leveling-bottom

Meyer, K. (2023, June 5). The case for college: Promising solutions to reverse college enrollment declines. Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-case-for-college-promising-solutions-to-reverse-college-enrollment-declines

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, October 4). Occupational outlook handbook: Kindergarten and elementary teachers. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/kindergarten-and-elementary-school-teachers.htm

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023a, January 10). Occupational outlook handbook: High school teachers. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/high-school-teachers.htm#tab-6

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023b, January 11). Occupational outlook handbook: Middle school teachers. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/middle-school-teachers.htm

Column by:

Trina Harlow, Higher Education Division Director
Adjunct Professor of Art Education, University of North Texas, Denton. Email: drtrinaharlow@gmail.com

Elect: Yichien Cooper, Assistant Professor, Washington State University Tri-Cities, Richland. ycooper@wsu.edu

Regional Directors:
Eastern: Hazel L. Bradshaw-Beaumont, hbeaumont@desu.edu; Sohee Koo, soheekoo@umass.edu
Southeastern: Hayon Park, hpark56@gmu.edu
Western: Christina Bain, chrisbain@austin.utexas.edu
Pacific: Dustin Garnet, dgarnet2@calstatela.edu