Department Chairs Learning Community for Enhancing Leadership and Productive Change

Eligibility

This community offers department chairs a year-long opportunity to enhance their interests and skills in leadership through seminars, development projects, and peer support from a learning community of administrators in other disciplines. The facilitator will select up to twelve participants.

Amount

Each participant will receive $500 in professional development funds

Submission

Online Application

Deadline

TBA

Purpose and Description

This learning community will provide an opportunity to discuss challenges and opportunities encountered by chairs. Participants will determine the topics for seminars and workshops for the Faculty Learning Community (FLC).

• Program goals include facilitating collective wisdom and "best practices" of participants.
• Providing a support system for academic leaders.
• Introducing participants to the myriad possibilities for leading colleagues in the enhancement of teaching, scholarship, and service in this year of dynamic change.

Possible issues that the participants in this community might choose to study in depth include (but are not limited to):

• Enhancing personal productivity (juggling the roles of administrator, faculty member, scholar, teacher, counselor, advocate, entrepreneur, mentor, politician, and friend).
• Mediating administrative and faculty ideas and priorities, including views of change.
• Leadership styles and leading in times of change, uncertaintity, and continuous improvement.
• The difference between leadership and administrative roles.
• Developing staff management skills.
• Developing trust.
• Personal empowerment.
• Positive political skills.
• Faculty assessment.
• Mentoring junior faculty.
• Avoiding professional "burnout.'  

Selection Criteria

The facilitator will select up to twelve participants. Criteria for selection include a commitment to excellent leadership, a level of interest in the program, need, openness to new ideas, the potential for contributions to the program, and plans for use of the award year. Participants will be chosen to create a diverse group representing a variety of disciplines, experiences, and needs.