Skip Navigation

Higher Education Faculty & Staff

The dedicated faculty, staff, and graduate workers of our nation’s colleges and universities help students pursue their passions.
NEA Higher Ed

The dedicated faculty, staff, and graduate workers of our nation’s colleges and universities help students pursue their passions and realize their dreams. Their success is our nation’s success. 

NEA supports higher education professionals by helping them advocate for safe working conditions, fair pay, academic freedom, and so much more. We help faculty and staff understand the challenges of today’s campuses and empower them to work together to solve problems and build power.

Become a Member Sign Up for NEA Higher Ed News

2025-2026 Higher Ed member engagement webinars

The National Council for Higher Education and NEA’s Center for Organizing and Affiliate Support are excited to introduce a year-long member engagement webinar series. Simply click the links below to register!

Higher Education Legal Updates - Tuesday, September 23, 2025

This session, led by the Office of NEA General Counsel will examine the growing political pressures facing higher ed institutions, students and union members.  Break out in bullets - Weaponization of Title VI and Title IX, Immigration enforcement and visa issues, Emerging state legislation prohibiting DEI programs and offices, and academic freedom and censorship.

Register

Building Power through Year Round Organizing - Thursday, Sept 25, 2025

Year Round Organizing involves developing a membership growth plan, building organizing capacity through leadership development, engaging members in issue-driven campaigns, retaining members through meaningful involvement at all levels.

Register

Degrees not Debt:  Navigating loan forgiveness programs - Wednesday October 8, 2025

Following changes to Federal student loan policies and loan forgiveness programs can be difficult and complicated to navigate. Join us as we discuss recent legislative and regulatory changes around federal student loans, and NEA resources available to members.

Register

Borders cannot contain ideas: Defending academic freedom worldwide - Tuesday, October 21st

Academic freedom is under attack, but this is not just an issue here in the U.S. Join a panel of NEA experts and international union leaders as they share how faculty abroad have defended free inquiry and speech, and what lessons we can draw for safeguarding higher education in the United States today and in the future.

Register

Beyond the Lab and Lecture hall: Graduate Assistants building Union Power - Wednesday, October 22nd

This session led by grad workers will highlight strategies to build solidarity across campus unions and expand the power of the labor movement in Higher Education.

Register

Dual Enrollment Unconference - Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Join us for robust conversation regarding the current trends and issues when it comes to dual enrollment.

Register

Non-violent noncompliance in this moment - Thursday, November 13, 2025

Authoritarianism is enabled when actors comply pre-emptively. Learn about non-compliance and promoting peaceful collective resistance in the higher ed union movement.

Register

Your union, Your benefits: Tools for every stage of life - Thursday, December 4, 2026

NEA Member Benefits delivers valuable programs and discounts designed exclusively for NEA members to support their financial, personal, and professional well-being. This presentation will highlight a range of benefits—from student loan support and retirement planning to travel deals and everyday savings. Learn how to take full advantage of your membership and maximize the resources available to you.

Register

Degrees not Debt: Navigating loan forgiveness programs - Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Following changes to Federal student loan policies and loan forgiveness programs can be difficult and complicated to navigate. Join us as we discuss recent legislative and regulatory changes around federal student loans, and NEA resources available to members.

Register

Higher Education Legal Updates - Tuesday, January  27, 2026

A timely legal update will be provided. Space will be made at the end of the webinar for questions, answers and conversations.

Register

AI & Academia: What Higher Ed Unions need to know - Wednesday, February 11, 2026

This discussion looks at institution level policies for AI applications across campus. In addition, we will consider how faculty, staff, and students are using AI Generative Tools effectively to prepare students for entering the workforce.

Register

NEA Higher Education Conference - Date TBD

Join us live from the NEA Higher Education conference for a plenary session. Date and time TBD.

Registration Coming Soon

A Look Back and Looking Forward with the NCHE President, Alec Thomson - Tuesday, April 21, 2026

With the current academic year coming to a close, it is a great time to not only reflect on the past year, but we can start the strategic planning process for the coming year. What challenges still need our attention? What should we be anticipating? What programs need to be renewed? Expanded? Modified? Discontinued?  What do you want to see as a priority for NEA and NCHE moving forward? Join NCHE President Alec Thomson to hear about what is planned for the coming year and share what your ideas too.

Register

Protecting Higher Education

Public higher education is the cornerstone of democracy, but some politicians are working against it—cutting research funds, limiting what can be taught and said, eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and more. Check out these NEA resources to help you fight back.

Learn More

2025 Higher Education Salary Analysis

Faculty purchasing power was still lower in 2024 than it was five years earlier. NEA's analysis also reveals persistent inequities for HBCU faculty and women, and much-too-low compensation for grad assistants. The good news? Unions make a HUGE difference!

Learn More

National Higher Education Month

Check out our 2024 celebration of the dedicated faculty and staff who ensure our students are able to grab their piece of the American Dream through higher education.

CHECK OUT OUR CELEBRATION HERE!

Professional Pay

Faculty, staff, and graduate assistants should be fairly compensated for their work. For decades, the pay earned by college and university workers has failed to keep pace with the rising cost of living. We’re working to fix that.

Learn more

Organizing Materials

Help build and strengthen our local higher education unions! Download and print these materials, including flyers and posters, to faciliate conversations with potential NEA Higher Ed members. 

Learn more

Professional Growth 

We provide cutting-edge resources from NEA experts—our staff, affiliates, and members—on the skills and topics educators need to join, stay in, and advance our profession.

Learn more

Leadership Development  

Ready to take the next step in your career? Start with our leadership resources below for the knowledge and skills you need to be an effective leader on the local, state, and national stage.

Learn more

Research & Data

College and University Data Analysis System (CUDAS) enables you to research and compare data for your home institution to a group of similar institutions.

Learn more

Student Debt Forgiveness for Higher Educators

NEA student debt experts walk through the process to fill out the PSLF waiver and ensure higher education faculty & staff get the cancellation they deserve.

Learn More!

National Council for Higher Education

NCHE serves as the instrument through which higher education members of the National Education Association (NEA) utilize their individual and collective power 

Learn More

Contact Us

Let's start a conversation. For questions regarding organizing, state and local affiliate support, and staff-related questions.

Send us an Email

NEA HIGHER EDUCATION NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

Researcher in lab

Scientific Research is Getting Cut—And Why This Matters to You

Recent cuts to federally funded, university-based research are putting an end to STEM research that could save lives.
women faculty pay gap

Fighting for Better Pay and Rights for Adjunct & Contingent Faculty

Resources from our higher education webinar with NEA General Counsel Alice O'Brien!
Empty classroom

Project 2025 and Higher Education

Find out what President Trump has planned for public higher education. Hint: It's not good.

Sign up for our Higher Ed Newsletter

Sign up for the NEA Higher Education email newsletter and get resources, insight into news and trends, and opportunities to advocate for you and your students.

Sheila Gilmour
"We've been fighting for better wages, safer working conditions, properly ventilated buildings—it's important for us to fight for those rights."
Quote by: Sheila Gilmour, Office Manager, UMass Amherst
Collegiate students in class

Let's make a difference.

The best way you can support students across your campus and advocate for a high-quality higher education is to get involved directly in your community. At NEA, we partner closely with our state and local affiliates on your campus to support you where you live and work.
National Education Association logo

Great public schools for every student

The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.