ISEA Executive Board Meets

The ISEA Executive Board met on February 3rd and 4th in Des Moines. We were fortunate to have cooperative weather for the weekend which made it possible for all elected board members to participate. On Friday night, the board had three presentations. We first heard from Team ISEA lobbyist Brad Hudson. Brad shared the "short" list of bills he is monitoring on our behalf from the Iowa General Assembly. It was actually a very lengthy list of bills that he detailed and it was clear that educators were not asked for input by legislators in what might actually be considered progressive changes in education. We are grateful that we have Brad advocating on behalf of all Team ISEA every day at the state Capitol.


Second to address the board on Friday evening was Team ISEA Headquarters staff member Mel Hamilton. Mel wears many hats at ISEA, but was asked to share with the board the new online voting that all members will now be using to elect state delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly. Mel walked board members through the process with ease using a power point presentation. Thanks Mel for your demonstration. With the information shared, board members will be able to go back to their UniServ Units and share the ease of online voting with members.


The final presentation made before the board on Friday evening was from Bill Ricketts, chair of Protecting Member Rights state committee. Bill is an Associate Professor at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs and Membership Chair for NCHE, NEA's National Council for Higher Education. Bill spoke of the training opportunity at Summer Conference, other meetings held, strategies for the bargaining year, as well as ideas to reach out to local associations that have not attended trainings. Board members then shared of trainings and bargaining activites in their UniServ Units. Thanks Bill for your leadership at all levels of the association. We are lucky to have you as a leader on Team ISEA!