Join NCHE Now! 2025-26 Membership Drive
It’s time to renew NCHE memberships and recruit new members! NCHE welcomes all NEA higher education members as “individual members” with voting rights in NCHE, as well as “organizational members,” which are NEA higher education affiliates that join NCHE, also with voting rights. NCHE also welcomes non-higher-ed NEA members and HQ and affiliate staff as associate members.
Use this link – Join NCHE Now! – to pay by credit card for any of the NCHE membership categories. Credit card payment through this link is by far the best option for NCHE record-keeping and for the timeliness of membership processing. If check payment is the only option, NCHE welcomes checks accompanied by paper forms:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dual Enrollment Unconference - Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Join us for robust conversation regarding the current trends and issues when it comes to dual enrollment.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
NCHE Executive Committee
Marcia Mackey, Ph.D., NCHE Vice President
