April 2012

William G. Tierney, University of Southern California (USC) professor of higher education and director of the USC Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis, initiated his term as AERA president at the close of the 2012 AERA Annual Meeting. Tierney will lead an enlarged AERA Council, per the results of a 2011 AERA membership referendum that approved an increase from 2 to 6 Council members-at-large.

At Tierney’s recommendation, in February AERA Council approved the launch of three new task forces. The task forces focus on evaluating educational research, scholarship, and teaching in postsecondary education; standards for part-time, adjunct, and contingent faculty; and the prevention of bullying in schools, colleges, and universities. The three task forces began their work with open discussion forums at the 2012 AERA Annual Meeting. The task forces will deliberate in coming months and will present reports and recommendations for AERA Council early in 2013.
 

Joining the 2012-2013 Council is Barbara Schneider, AERA’s new president-elect, and 5 new Council members-at-large. In addition, 4 new division vice presidents elected last year will join the AERA Council, as will the graduate student voted as chair-elect of the Graduate Student Council in 2011. A complete list of the 2012-2013 AERA Council may be found on the AERA website.

Tierney talks about his ideas for the coming year.