My first post for the AUSU Executive Blog, for June 2017 – what topic? Community & gratitude. Okay, that’s two topics, but a worthwhile combined topic to me. When I reflect on the nature of AU, and listening to the continual concerns of the AU community, one of the large ones is community.

AU comes from the newer tradition of distance and online education and holds the title of a “Global Pioneer” in open, online, and distance education.I feel honored to serve students, as their needs arise. In reflection on a proper topic to write for the Executive Blog, I looked at previous posts.

I wanted to gauge the reported concerns and hopes for the community from the view of AUSU executives, past and present. Some of the topics included, in one word, waiting, advocacy, representation, AU, cheating, surveys, requirements, vacation, and affordability – more or less.[i]

Shawna Wasylyshyn, Kim Newsome, Julian Teterenko, and Brandon Simmons, wrote those months’ Executive Blog posts. Happily, I have worked with each of them on council, and executive. To make a community, perhaps, a face and personality to the names may help the membership.Continue Reading