Welcome to ACENet at Montclair State University

ACE, The American Council on Education, the major coordinating body for all
the nation's higher education institutions, seeks to provide leadership and
a unifying voice on key higher education issues and to influence public policy through advocacy, research, and program initiatives.

The American Council on Education’s Office of Women in Higher Education (OWHE), headquartered in Washington, DC, provides the national direction
for women’s leadership development and career advancement through:

• Identifying Women Leaders in Higher Education
• Developing the Leadership Skills of Women in Higher Education
• Encouraging Women Leaders to Make Full Use of Their Abilities
• Advancing Women into Senior-Level Positions
• Linking Women Leaders at All Levels to One Another
• Supporting the Retention of Women in Higher Education

About the ACE Network

With a grant from the Carnegie Corporation in 1977, ACE’s Office of Women in Higher Education (OWHE) started the ACE National Identification Program, which is now the ACE Network.

Through the National Identification Program, OWHE aimed to address the needs of women and the issues relating to women’s leadership in higher education. OWHE identified these needs and issues during its early years, through meetings with women faculty and administrators throughout the United States. This mission is still relevant today, and networks across the nation continue to support it.

The ACE Network is a national system of networks within each state, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Each state network is led by a state coordinator who works with institutional representatives and at least one presidential sponsor to develop programs that identify, develop, advance, and support women in higher education careers within that state. In addition, members of the Executive Board of the ACE Network serve as advisers to OWHE, liaisons to the state networks, and mentors to state coordinators.

ACENet and MSU

In years past, MSU's ACENet organization played a critical role in the creation of the Children's Center. Previous institutional representatives have included Holly Gera, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Dr. Joan Ficke, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for Personnel & Resource Planning.

Montclair State University's current Institutional Representative to ACENet is Esmilda Abreu, Director of the Women's Center.

" As I talked to different constituencies on campus, I was struck by how few vehicles women had at Montclair State University to connect, to encourage each other, or to seek mentorship. So when I was asked to be the MSU Representative to ACENet, I saw an opportunity to establish a community. This organization provides us with a structure that stimulates leadership among women engaged in teaching and administration at MSU. I encourage you all to get involved!"

Advisory Board

The members of the Advisory Board and their affiliation are:

Esmilda Abreu: MSU Institutional Represenative to ACENet
Marsha Campbell-Young: Women of MSU
Margaree Coleman-Carter: Mentoring Committee of the PCAA
Dr. Joan Ficke: Women's Caucus
Carole Lange: MSU Professional Staff Association and Women's Caucus
Cindy Meneghin: PCAA
Barbara Milton: MSU Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity and Diversity Officer

Special Events

Fall 2006 Workshop: October 31, 2006 12:00-2:00 pm Student Center Room 419

1 Normal Avenue
Montclair, N.J. 07043, USA
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