AFRICAN AMERICAN ACADEMIC STAFF COUNCIL
Professional Development Workshops
Culturally Supportive Group
Special Conference Fees
Local, Regional, National Networking Opportunities
Political Voice
Special Social Activities
Our journey began in the winter of 1992 when several African American Academic Staff members expressed concerns about recruitment and retention of African American Academic Staff. We wanted to join forces to discuss this and other issues such as professional development, improving the climate at the University of Wisconsin for African American faculty, staff, and students, greater community connections, and just a desire to support and see each other on a regular basis.
We formally initiated the organization in March 1993. One of our first actions was to meet with the Black Faculty Council to discuss our common agendas, and to jointly present a plan of action to the Chancellor for making UWM more "user friendly" to the African American community at large.
Some of our goals have been to serve as a welcoming unit to new African American Academic Staff; provide a forum for discussion of issues/actions pertinent to our community; initiate an annual conference focusing on African Americans in education; and provide a mechanism for us to participate in mentoring/supportive relationships.
We have met our initial goals and continue to seek new and better ways to accompany each other on our journey at UWM. One of our biggest achievements has been the institution of our Annual African Americans in Education Conference. The conference has served as a professional development outlet for the UWM and greater Milwaukee communities. It has afforded African Americans the opportunity to address issues in greater depth to a larger audience. Finally, it has served to facilitate new insights and create new alliances that help members remain renewed and refreshed in our knowledge, perspectives, and goals.