ACUI Announces New Board Members
ACUI members elected a new president and three new at-large Board of Trustee members. Susan Pile, senior director, university unions and auxiliary services, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, will serve as the president-elect. Joining her for installation during the 2026 Annual Conference in Pittsburgh will be at large Board of Trustees members Isaac Barber, director, student union and event services, University of Connecticut; Erin Morrell, assistant vice president for student affairs, Albertus Magnus College; and Hank Walter, executive director, Indiana Memorial Union, Indiana University–Bloomington. The current board also named Michelle Tendo, University of Massachusetts–Boston, as the new student board member.
In their candidate statements, the elected individuals made the following statements.
Pile: “As we look to the future, ACUI must remain adaptive and collaborative—supporting members as they address evolving student needs, budget challenges, campus wellness, technological change, and the ever-shifting legislative landscape. Our work as college union and student activities professionals to build campus community and belonging through our spaces and programs is more important than ever.”
Barber: “Ultimately, our most important work as an Association is to help members demonstrate how student unions contribute to the holistic success of students and institutions, especially now, when we’re constantly asked to justify our existence. ACUI can be the bridge between practice and proof, giving professionals the tools and confidence to articulate their impact and sustain the mission that unites us.”
Morrell: “As an Association, we rely heavily on our members and volunteers to help our organization thrive. … We should reflect on what our current members bring to the table and what adding new members could do for us as an Association. Our volunteers are the heart and soul of ACUI, and we need to ensure the longevity of our volunteers, which, in turn, will continue to make ACUI a successful community building organization for student affairs professionals.”
Walter: “As a profession, we need to articulate to chief student affairs and business officers what a union is and the value of it. We have to help higher education and student affairs leadership see that a union is more than a set of meeting rooms and lounges, but that it is how we build community and belonging through how the physical space, student activities and programs work together, and that we are not as effective in impacting students belonging and education without a coherent mission and organization.”
Additionally, Tendo, in referencing the need for student growth in the organization, said, “I suggest creating opportunities just like this volunteering role to mentor students and new professionals and encourage them to learn more about the organization. I also suggest creating more educational sessions tailored to students to increase their interest in contributing to the Association.”
Elections were held for open positions from October 29–December 1. Overall, there were 253 ballots cast out of 1,158 eligible voters, representing a 21.8% voter turnout, compared to a five-year average of 19.3% participation. A detailed overview of the participation in this year’s Board of Trustees election, including a voter breakdown, is available.
Ranked Choice Voting was used for the election, which means voters could cast their ballot for all of the candidates, ranking their top candidate first, followed by other candidates according to their preference for selection. A more detailed description of ranked choice voting can be found here, and a YouTube explanation is here.
