Presiding: MARK B. STAHL, University of New Orleans;
KELLY AIKEN, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

    This session will highlight issues discussed at the UCEA Work-force Forum held in January 2007 in Sarasota, Florida.
    Economic Development has been added to the name of the CoP to reflect the growing trend among workforce professionals at four-year universities and regional economic develop-ment organizations to initiate projects that combine these two related concepts. The session will discuss the opportunity to impact public policy through creative partnership opportunities; there will be discussion related to advocacy and commu-nity that may provide opportunities for members to benefit (from funding programs, partnerships, and leadership roles) by taking an active role in influencing public policy. Finally, this session will provide opportunities for those interested in assuming CoP leadership roles related to integrating work-force and economic development projects and to identifying advocacy agendas that benefit member institutions.