Beginnings

Over the years we have seen many efforts to try to work proactively toward the future of business education. In 1985, for example, An Action Agenda for Business Education emerged from one "think tank" activity. Today, a new team is at work, one called The Agnew Group (TAG). This group is sponsored by the Peter L. Agnew Foundation, which is housed at New York University and is managed by a group of trustees, one of whom is Michael Bronner. Michael, along with Burt Kaliski of Southern New Hampshire University, act as co-hosts of the group. Other members of the team are Peter Meggison (Massasoit Community College, MA), Sharon Lund O'Neil (University of Houston, TX), Pauline Newton (Presentation High School, CA), Marcia Anderson (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale), Judy Lambrecht (University of Minnesota), Bridget O'Connor (New York University), Dennis LaBonty (Utah State University), Connie Forde (Mississippi State University), Anne Rowe (Virginia Department of Education), and Martha Rader (Arizona State University). Janet Treichel (NBEA Executive Director) and Robert Mitchell (DPE Executive Director) serve as ex-officio members.

Purpose

TAG's first purpose of the group is clear: To prepare a series of white papers on what must be done to ensure the survival and promote the growth of business education in the 21st Century. TAG first met for three days in New York City during the spring of 2003 and have been actively involved in two specific activities. The first was extensive data collection; enrollment data in business education by state, information about yearbook and related publication contributions and legislative trends, and organizations to which business educators can belong to support the aims of our field. Ultimately, we will summarize our information into a written publication.

TAG's second activity is to speak to as many of our professional organizations as possible. To date, we have presented our plans at a number of state and regional business education conferences, at annual NBEA conventions, and at DPE's national research conferences. We are asking all business educators for your help in sending us information that you may believe is of relevance to our efforts. If you are aware of interesting programs or initiatives; state legislative efforts or research projects that we should consider, please email either Michael Bronner (michael.bronner@nyu.edu) or Burt Kaliski (bk142@comcast.net).