Message from the President
Dear Colleagues
I thought it would be helpful if I reported to members on what the Board of ACE decided last Saturday after it had determined not to continue with discussions about a merger with the Australian Council for Educational Leaders. With the National Council, which comprises all State and Territory Presidents, the Board developed a final draft statement of Strategic Directions for the next five years and an indicative action plan for 2010. In a joint meeting of the Board and Council in late November we will adopt the final statement and communicate it to members soon after.
The Board and Council are unanimous in their view that undertaking discussions about a possible merger was the right thing to do. Members of both associations certainly have seen this as an issue which needed resolution. However, it is now clear to your Board and Council that the two organisations have embraced significantly different core missions and purposes and there seemed little possibility of finding common ground and a shared culture.
I am also delighted to announce that Professor Alan Reid has accepted the position of President-Elect from 1st January 2010 when Dr Lyndsay Connors takes over the presidency from me. Alan has had a distinguished career in schools and higher education and will bring his great skills as a policy analyst, advocate and scholar to the College. Please see more about Alan at http://people.unisa.edu.au/alan.reid
An advertisement for the new CEO has been drafted and will appear nationally in the next week. We hope to make an appointment before the end of 2009 and I urge all College members to encourage people whom they think could do the job to apply. I hope our members will be our search committee! Professor John Richards completes his term on 31st December but has generously agreed to stay on in a part time capacity until his replacement can start.
Finally, the Board wishes to assure members that, after our meeting last Saturday, we are all convinced that ACE has a great opportunity to play a major role in leadership and advocacy in a very difficult time for our profession.
Professor Denise Bradley AC
ACE President