Welcome to the Michigan ACE Women's Network (MI-ACE).  For more than twenty-five years the American Council on Education (ACE) has provided a network of support for the advancement of women in Higher Education through its Office of Women in Higher Education (OWHE).  In its conferences, its resource materials, its research initiatives, and in the strong voices of its members, the ACE Network has advocated for women students, faculty and administrators.

I have found my connection to the network to be a meaningful part of my professional development. I value the ability to connect with diverse women from campuses across our State.  The Network is committed to advancing leadership opportunities for women at all levels and to creating a climate that inspires and sustains women in all educational settings.

Membership in the Network is held by participating institutions at the presidential level.  Each president selects one or two women on the campus to serve as an Institutional Representative(s) (IR) - to be the bridge between the Network and her college or university.  Institutional Representatives form the core of the MI-ACE Network and they are support by regional representatives and the executive board.  Working in partnership with others on the campus, IR's monitor the status of women on the campus and provide or assist with programming that enhances gender equity.

The goals of the Network are articulated in the IDEALS set forth by the Office of Women in Higher Education (OWHE).  Working together, the ACE Network strives to:

• Identify
• Develop
• Encourage
• Advance, and
• Support women in higher education

The true strength of the Network is in the relationships that are formed between its members.  Although membership is held at the Institutional level, participation in the annual conference and other Network programs is open to all.  We may see each other only once or twice a year, but we know that  the Network offers us a safe place to share our challenges and our aspirations.  We are able to watch each other and help each other grow professionally.

I hope that you will join the members of the Executive Board and the Institutional Representatives in taking an active role in MI-ACE.  I welcome the opportunity to meet you and to work with to advance the IDEALS of gender equity in higher education.

With best regards,

Marlene Kowalski-Braun
MI-ACE Network State Coordinator