elcome to Academic Exchange Extra!  As the Issue Editor for the 
month of May, I am pleased to provide you, the reader, with a variety of 
thoughtful and powerful articles.  Temporarily replacing Athena Perrakis 
as the editor has provided me with a great challenge. However, with the 
guidance of several members of our team, I am proud to introduce this 
month's edition.  I am also grateful for the opportunity to actively 
participate in AE Extra, for I have always believed that it is through 
dedication and involvement in education that we discover ourselves.

There are several individuals whom I would like to personally thank this 
month for their own commitment to this publication.  Ben Varner, the 
advisor for AE Extra, has devoted much time and energy to our endeavor; 
specifically, he coached me through every step of the editor's job, always 
showing patience and a genuine concern for the publication.  I would also 
like to thank Athena, who has been especially helpful by collecting 
submissions.  Since she is working towards her doctorate, she is very 
busy.   Both she and Ben have been wonderful to work with.  Last, I would 
like to thank and welcome Meredith Larson aboard our team.  Meredith is 
not only a new member of AE Extra's editors, but an article of hers is 
previewed in this month's issue.  We all look forward to working with 
her on future editions.

This May, AE Extra has the privilege of introducing many innovative 
articles and essays.  Dr. Mike Garant, a professor at the University of 
Helsinki, has provided us with a new perspective on administrative 
politics, including a student essay discussing the impact it has on 
education.  This month's issue also includes essays on the role of 
academic advisors, student portfolios, and Lew Kamm's essay on the place 
critical theory has inside the practice.  We are grateful to all those 
who have submitted to AE Extra, and we encourage others to use us as a 
resource to provoke thought and development.

Two fairly new features to AE Extra included in this month's edition 
are our Creative Writing and Reader's Comments.  Last month, I introduced 
the Creative Writing section by promoting creative writing as a method of 
intelligent expression worth crediting.  We believe that a variety of 
writing styles enhances our own need for growth and communication.  AE 
Extra would also like to extend an invitation to those who would like 
to submit any poetry or fiction.  Alongside the Creative Writing, we 
also have added a place for readers to comment on suggestions they have 
about AE Extra.

I encourage all of you to take time to read and think about the 
impressive material provided in this month's issue.  Please contact us 
with any comments, suggestions, or ideas that you have to help up grow 
and improve as a publication.  We would love to hear from all of you, and 
I hope you find this month's issue insightful!

Sincerely,
Jamie Grasser
University of Northern Colorado