In the Beginning, Long Time Ago: A Brief History of the National Center’s Origin and Evolution

This article presents a brief overview of events leading to the creation National Center for Study Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and Professions (National Center) 1972 at City University New York (CUNY) then summarizes Center’s evolving leadership, programming, research, publications over past half-century. The is tied with theme 50th anniversary conference March 2023: Education: Looking Back, Forward: 1973-2023. It demonstrates uniqueness origin as higher education labor-management research center, distinct character, structure from labor studies programs other institutions. While priorities methods have evolved decades, it remains an interdisciplinary center that organizes national regional conferences, hosts webinars, collects data, produces scholarship on unionization collective bargaining education.