Goal 1
Advocacy - AHEAD will strengthen our leadership and influence on national conversations regarding disability access in higher education practice and policy.
- Objective: 1. Increase clarity of the AHEAD policy platform.
- Strategy: 1A. Identify the key policy focus areas.
- Implementation:
- Hire policy firm to identify areas.
- Collaborate with firm to develop policy platform.
- Strategy: 1B. Communicate policy platform to members.
- Implementation:
- Post policy platform/policy areas on AHEAD website and invite comment
- Objective: Increase capacity to adequately engage in policy/advocacy.
- Strategy: 2A. Identify pathways and create the infrastructure to support policy work.
- Implementation:
- Utilize firm to communicate with congressional contacts.
- Utilize Public Policy Community to identify and respond to policy issues.
- Strategy: 2B. Identify partners with advocacy strength and influence to guide strategies.
- Implementation: Utilize firm to communicate with congressional contacts and/or provide roadmap for AHEAD staff to engage with those contacts.
- Strategy: 2C. Clarify roles and duties of AHEAD staff and volunteers.
- Implementation:
- Review functions/job descriptions among AHEAD staff to determine whether current staff can address policy platform or whether additional staff will need to be hired.
- Review AHEAD Board and other volunteers to determine their role in this work.
- Objective: 3. Increase strategic partnerships to advance AHEAD platform and policy positions.
- Strategy: 3A. Identify strategic partnerships and build alliances.
- Implementation:
- Review other organizations related to disability, higher education, or other related topics to determine appropriate partnerships.
- Contact those organizations to determine interest and roles in partnership.
Goal 2
Knowledge Source - AHEAD will be the premier knowledge source for disability in higher education.
- Objective: Foster greater participation of members in contributing to the body of knowledge, especially members of marginalized groups.
- Strategy: 1A Develop/cultivate pipeline for knowledge transfer.
- Strategy: 1B. Mentor new members.
- Strategy: Invite all members to participate frequently in the sharing of knowledge with particular emphasis on marginalized groups.
- Strategy: 1D. Mentor presenters to increase their effectiveness.
- Strategy: 1E. Mentor potential authors and researchers
- Objective: 2. Increase identification and dissemination of critical research and resources to members.
- Strategy: 2A. Strengthen relationships with researchers and policy experts.
- Strategy: 2B. Utilize social media for dissemination of information.
- Strategy: 2C. Refresh the periodical publications such as the Hub.
- Strategy: 2D. Explore other pathways to disseminate information
- Implementation: Development of research and/or policy strands at conference)
- Strategy: 2E. Increase ranking of JPED.
- Strategy: 2F. Establish and enhance alliances and partnerships with other higher education professionals, including faculty.
- Implementation: Establish liaison program with relevant higher education and/or policy organizations (Presidents’ Exchange, etc., co-convene conferences with some common tracks/talks/posters…).
- Implementation: Support Board members to attend other conferences as appropriate.
Goal 3
Community - AHEAD will create more opportunities for engagement to enhance belonging.
- Objective: AHEAD will enhance the development of an engaged, connected community.
- Strategy: 1A. Expand marketing and involvement of members in volunteer opportunities.
- Strategy: Develop communication strategy to keep new members informed of updates.
- Strategy: Develop avenues to highlight and discuss expertise, research, and best practice new ideas from members.
- Objective: 2. AHEAD will expand the creation, promotion and development of member-led support networks.
- Strategy: 2A. Expand opportunities for members to connect with each other.
- Implementation: Establish a member book club.
- Strategy: 2B. Clarify expectations and roles of member-led groups within AHEAD.
- Strategy: 2C. Leverage and refine online member forums.
- Objective: AHEAD will address underrepresentation by marginalized groups within the organization.
- Strategy: 1A. Encourage and mentor underrepresented members in presenting at conferences and writing for JPED
- Strategy: Collect demographic information about members to determine representation.
- Strategy: Examine processes and policies that may lead to less representation by members of marginalized groups.
Goal 4
Professional Development - AHEAD will diversify professional development activities to expand the knowledge base, capacity, and fluency of its members.
- Objective: Increase the capacity for online professional development offerings.
- Strategy: 1A. Create an accessible Learning Management System (LMS).
- Objective: 2. Increase affordability and accessibility.
- Strategy: 2A. Diversify price points.
- Strategy: 2B. Create a more robust virtual conference.
- Strategy: 2C. Include some training as a part of basic membership.
- Objective: 3. Expand the content and focus of materials and programs to ensure they are representative of the membership.
- Strategy: 3A. Target material for specific demographic categories (i.e. community colleges).
- Strategy: 3B. Survey members on needs.
- Objective: 4. Increase the communication of the value of AHEAD's professional development activities.
- Strategy: 4A. Create and distribute testimonials.
- Strategy: 4B. Encourage members to tell their personal stories.
- Strategy: 4C. Establish and distribute ratings/evaluation data.
- Strategy: 4D. Encourage conference tweeting.