Letter from the PAIS Co-Chairs
Dear PAIS Colleagues,
Happy fall! We hope the new academic year is off to a great start.
We are pleased to introduce the Fall 2026 edition of the PAIS newsletter. Special thanks to our new co-editors, Ana-Marija Petrunic and Tsigereda Negussie, who have been hard at work putting together a great lineup of articles on timely topics for program administrators. Although the articles address a variety of topics, as highlighted in the co-editors' letter, they share common themes of connection, partnership, collaboration, and relationship-building. We are also grateful to the four authors who contributed their ideas and expertise, and we hope you enjoy learning more about their contexts and practices.
It is no secret that English language program administrators are dealing with ongoing challenges and uncertainties in the field. In response, the PAIS leadership team has developed multiple opportunities to bring people together to share concerns, ideas, and helpful tips and strategies. In addition to publishing a semiannual newsletter, we hold monthly informal chats, which are low-stress, interactive, and discussion-based sessions on topics of particular interest to program administrators. Importantly, these conversations provide a welcoming space for administrators and program leaders to connect, share experiences, learn from one another, and build community.
Recent Informal Chat topics have included:
April 2026: EAP and ESP in Transition: Staying Relevant in Changing Times
May 2026: Strengthening Programs Through Collaboration
June 2026: Rebranding for Relevance: How English Language Programs Are Evolving
July 2026: Telling the Story, Making the Case: Using Data and Partnerships to Advocate for Programs and Multilingual Students
August 2026: After the Boom: Reimagining Program Administration in an Era of Policy Change and Enrollment Decline
September 2026: Selecting and Supporting the Right Team
We will continue to offer informal chats throughout the year. These opportunities are advertised on the Higher Education, International Teaching Assistants, and Program Administration myTESOL sites, as well as through other listservs, such as the Consortium on Graduate Communication, EnglishUSA, and UCIEP. As our field continues to evolve, these chats remind us that community, shared expertise, and collective problem-solving are among our greatest resources.
Beyond publishing the newsletter and hosting regular informal chats, we are also planning several exciting conference sessions for TESOL 2027 in Houston. These sessions include two intersection sessions involving PAIS and other interest sections, as well as a PAIS Academic Session.
PAIS Sessions at TESOL 2027 in Houston
ITAIS/PAIS Intersection Session
Designing (I)TA Professional Development Workshops: Insights from Program Administrators
PAIS/HEIS Intersection Session
Leading Change in Language Programs
PAIS Academic Session
Reimagining Language Program Identity: Partnerships, Visibility, and Institutional Relevance
We hope you will be able to attend the 2027 TESOL Convention and join these conversations with our panelists and fellow attendees.
If you are already an active PAIS member, thank you for your support and commitment. We look forward to your continued engagement. If you would like to become more involved, we invite you to consider the following opportunities:
● Contribute an article to our Spring 2027 newsletter.
● Volunteer to lead an informal chat.
● Attend PAIS-organized sessions at TESOL 2027.
● Apply for a future PAIS leadership role.
We are an active group dedicated to fostering community and collaboration among program administrators. We hope you enjoy this issue of the newsletter and will consider becoming involved in future PAIS activities.
Warm regards,
Pamela Smart-Smith
Brad L. Teague