•    UHPA should be a direct and active voice advocating for quality higher education.   The expectation is that UHPA’s next Executive Director (ED) will need to perform at a high level in terms of “leading the charge.”

•    UHPA’s focus and scope should be balanced between the internal (BU 07) and external (e.g. UH administration, Legislature, etc.), meaning that the next ED will need to be competent in dealing with both UHPA organizational functions as well as the wide array of situations impacting UHPA’s constituencies.

•    UHPA should serve as the catalyst for active participation by its membership.  Thus it would be helpful for the next ED to understand the concerns and issues affecting faculty; to be able to draw in faculty and inspire them to action; and to be seen by faculty as one of their own.

•    The next ED will need to be effective in handling salary and benefit issues in the collective bargaining agreement, and also will need to be well versed and adept in addressing issues such as working conditions, workload, and other terms of employment.

•    UHPA needs to be proactive in its agenda setting, staying ahead of the curve rather than allowing crises to occur and then reacting to them.  This suggests that the next ED should come equipped with the ability to scan the horizon and anticipate situations that will benefit from or require UHPA intervention and action.

•    UHPA should be prepared and ready to invoke a strike should it be needed.  The ED must be able to provide the leadership needed to carry out a strike; to maintain the support and solidarity of the faculty throughout; and to utilize the strike to gain maximum leverage in the collective bargaining process.

•    When dealing with the UH administration, the next ED should be able to recognize and/or create opportunities for collaborative effort, as well as recognize when staunch advocacy and a more aggressive approach are needed.

•    While strengths relating to collective bargaining are expected, the ED should also have the ability to discern the connections of broader policy issues to public higher education and to, with the Board’s support, mobilize the faculty to advocate effectively for enlightened public policy.

•    UHPA should collaborate with other unions while maintaining its identity as a distinct organization with an independent perspective.  UHPA should continue to be in a position to set precedents that can serve as models for other public sector bargaining units.  The next ED will need to be able to work in alliances with other unions when appropriate.

•    The ED will need to be able to determine when faculty and student interests overlap and when they do not; and when possible, be able to devise strategies that have beneficial impacts for both segments of the UH community.

•    The next ED needs to understand the power dynamics within a statewide university system. The ED must be able to discriminate between administrative structures that either support or run counter to the interests of faculty, and be able to develop and implement effective strategies in response.