Happy 2012!

I hope that all HEIS members have gotten off to a great start to the new year. HEIS has been busy this past year and it has been an honor and pleasure to serve as HEIS chair during this time.

UPDATES TO BYLAWS

First, we have amended our bylaws after primary members voted for the following changes:

• All members of HEIS (both primary and secondary members) are eligible to vote for officers, which is a change from only primary members being eligible to vote.
• We have changed the name/title of our web and e-list manager to community manager.
• The assistant chair’s term of office is now 2 years rather than one.
• All HEIS members are eligible to serve on an ad hoc committee.

Second, we now have a Facebook and Twitter presence. Christina Quarataro is the Facebook/Twitter manager. Please like” us on Facebook and tweet/retweet via Twitter. Look for us at www.facebook.com/tesol.heis and subscribe to our Twitter feed at @tesolheis.

Third, TESOL has moved all e-lists to the community pages. http://community.tesol.org/profile.htm?m=n&pid=15821 Click on on My News and then notification settings. This allows you to choose whether to read the posts on the webpage or to receive them by e-mail.

You should be subscribed to the electronic discussion lists within 4 hours. Most lists send a "hello" message with instructions for using the e-list as soon as you are subscribed.

ELECTIONS

Elections for chair-elect and assistant chair will be taking place shortly. Please vote and have input on the leadership through 2014. Heather Robertson and TESOL Central Office will be informing us of when to vote. The next election will be in October 2012 in order to give those elected more time to find funding for the conference and to line up with TESOL general elections.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

HEIS will have booth space at TESOL Central in the middle of the exhibition hall from noon to 2 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday during the conference. Please come by to visit HEIS members and leaders during this time. Our annual business meeting will be on Thursday late afternoon.

We have an Academic Session, two InterSections, a Preconference Institute (PCI), and a breakfast during this conference. Please plan to attend some or all!

Academic Session

Preparing Nonnative Teachers and Students: Policies and Strategies That Work
Organizer: Kim Song, HEIS chair-elect
Presenters: Alla Gonzalez Del Castillo, Saleh Al-Busaidi, Julia Austin, and Sunjun Lee
Saturday, March 31, 10:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Marriott-Franklin 1

InterSections

With Adult Education Interest Section
Transitioning Adult ELLs to Higher Education
Organizers: Philip Less and Debbie East
Presenters: Eileen Kelly, Suzanne Leibman, and Gilda Rubio-Festa
Thursday, March 29, 1:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Marriott 409

With Social Responsibility Interest Section
Bridging Differences: Higher Education in the Crosshairs of Civic Engagement
Organizer: Debbie East
Presenters: Heather Robertson, Earlene Gentry, Tara Smith, Rob Clement, and Lia Kamhi-Stein
Saturday, March 31, 10 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Marriott-Franklin 5

Breakfast: Social Responsibility in Higher Education Across Nations
Join Earlene Gentry and Debbie East for breakfast on Friday, March 30, 7:30 - 8:15 a.m. in Marriott Salon IJ
Preconference Workshop
Teaching and Learning in Times of Great Change
Preconference workshop presenters: Debbie East, Earlene Gentry, Heather Robertson, Rob Clement, and Dani Brandon
Wednesday, March 28, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Convention Center 117

Please use the HEIS community e-list to inform each other which sessions you are participating in as presenters and which topics are important to you as you decide which sessions to attend.

PROPOSAL REVIEWERS

As we near the TESOL 2012 annual convention, I would like to once again thank the proposal reviewers. The entire list of 96 proposal reviewers was in the Fall 2011 newsletter, and their hard work made my job much easier during that time. We always have a large proposal turnout and greatly appreciate that so many of you volunteer. The more reviewers we have, the less work each one has to do! It is one fairly easy way to give back to the organization and interest section.

One final note, it has been an honor and privilege to give back to my profession through my position as HEIS chair. It is not a huge job except around proposal and conference times. I’ve met and gotten to know so many of you via the e-list and this interest section, which has been so pleasurable. I hope to see you at TESOL 2012 and in our communities. Your job is so very important to the students we all teach.

Debbie East, Ph.D. and HEIS Chair, has been teaching ESL in higher education settings since 2009, in teacher education programs since 2000 and online extensively for over ten years. She also offers professional development workshops in the US and abroad, has taught in a bilingual preschool, and tutored international students and residents in the United States. Debbie's research and teaching interests include ESL/EFL, literacy, language, and language education in onsite and online venues, as well as the transition to post-secondary education by adult learners.