Introduction:
AGHE membership is institutional rather than individual, as a result, one person from each AGHE member institution is selected as the official representative to AGHE – this person is referred to as the Institutional Representative. The Institutional Representative serves as the primary communication link for the member institution/organization and AGHE. In addition, each member institution may select supporting individuals internal (faculty/staff) and external (members of community-based organizations) to the institution identified as the AGHE Affiliate Representatives. Only the member institution limits the number of individuals identified in this position in concurrence with the official AGHE representatives – Institutional Representative, Alternate Representative, Public Policy Representative, and Student Representative. The process for selection and the responsibilities of the Affiliate representatives follow:
Choosing AGHE Affiliate Representatives:
The Institutional Representative at each AGHE member institution should confer with the AGHE Alternate Representative and colleagues at the institution to identify:
Affiliate Reps Internal to the Institution:
- Full- or part-time faculty/staff who teach gerontology courses
- Full- or part-time faculty/staff who perform research in geriatrics, aging education, or other geriatric/gerontology areas of research
- These individuals should hold a minimum of a masters level degree from an accredited institution, with a specialization in Gerontology or Geriatric Education
Affiliate Reps External to the Institution:
- Full-time administrators/directors or senior positions of public/private systems serving older adults in the community and that work closely with the AGHE member institution and its faculty/students in providing educational experiences and support.
Suggested categories of community-based organizations whose staff are eligible to serve as Affiliate Representatives include but not limited to:
- Area Agencies on Aging
- Residential Care Facilities
- Assisted-Living Facilities
- CCRC’s
- Long-Term Care Centers
- Senior Housing and Retirement Communities
- Senior and Community Centers
Once these internal and external Affiliate Representatives are identified, a list should be compiled including names and relevant contact information of all individuals for sharing with all of the official AGHE institutional representatives – Institutional Representative, Alternate Representative, Public Policy Representative, and Student Representative – as well as the AGHE office.
All Affiliate Representatives have the following responsibilities:
- To collaborate with other faculty and/or staff to evaluate curricular offerings for continuing gerontology/geriatric education on campus.
- To collaborate with other faculty and/or staff to identify innovative ways to involve students in gerontology courses, activities, research, etc.
- To collaborate with students interested in geriatrics/gerontology to further their academic and extramural activities in geriatrics/gerontology.
- To collaborate with other faculty and/or staff to review curriculum for the development of gerontology/geriatric education program(s) on campus to meet the needs of community-based organizations.
- To collaborate with faculty and/or staff in designing curriculum that integrates direct service experience and learning in community sites that serve older adults.
- To collaborate with faculty and/or staff to identify opportunities for students and/or faculty/staff to work with community-based organizations for direct service experience and learning in community sites that serve older adults.
- To collaborate with faculty and/or staff to develop guidelines for opportunities for students and/or faculty/staff to work with community-based organizations for direct service experience and learning in community sites that serve older adults.
- To attend AGHE Annual Meeting/Conference when possible.
- To attend gerontology/geriatrics program(s) meetings with AGHE institutional representatives – Institutional Representative, Alternate Representative, Public Policy Representative, and Student Representative – along with other faculty and/or staff, and students at least once each semester, when possible.
Revised 11/1/07
