Education Commons^™

What Services And Products A Scholarly Communications Department May Offer Your Department/College, Kris S. Helge

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

The presenter and the participants will discuss what faculty needs may be met by the services offered by members of a Scholarly Communications Department. Some of these needs may include citation counts, publishing needs, scholarship dissemination and preservation, assistance with intellectual property conundrums, and help with open educational resources.

Leading Through Change : 2020, Domenick J. Pinto

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Having served as department chair and school director for 31 years, I have witnessed a tremendous evolution in the role of chair as economic, social and student climates have changed. My session will summarize collected data from chairs of departments of various sizes and types in order to discuss and understand better our ever changing role as we see responsibilities of delegating, leading change, creative budgeting and fundraising, grant writing and managing conflict become vital to our positions

An Ounce Of Prevention: Conducting Effective Candidate Background Checks, Jonathan Kremser

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

This session will address the often-overlooked component of the faculty search: effective background screening of short-listed applicants. Case studies of insufficient background checks will be discussed, and practical resources will be provided to participants that will help them avoid the endless energy draining task of managing conflict.

Publishing For The Chair By The Chair, Trey Guinn

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Many argue that publishing likely suffers and creativity may be stifled during an administrative appointment, such as serving in the role of Academic Chair. But this does not need to be the case. In this discussion-based lunch, we look at how to capitalize on new opportunities for creative work and publishing. Join for lunch, learn some ideas, share some ideas too!

Strategies For Increasing Cultural Communication Competence, Anne Mattina

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

This interactive session will answer the questions: “what happens when we communicate with someone who has a different cultural background than our own?” and, “what can we do to improve the outcomes of those interactions?” Through facilitated discussion and a small group problem-solving exercise, participants will have the opportunity to enhance their current level of cultural awareness, recognize the impact this has on communication competency and improve skills in these areas.

Square Pegs In Round Holes: Evaluating Online Delivery For Course Quality, Krystal L. Brue Ph.D., Dana Hilbert Ed.D., Stephanie Boss Ed.D., Mary Dzindolet Ph.D., Jennifer Dennis Ph.D

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

With the expansion of online education, chairs and deans must formulate new strategies for evaluating online course development and instructional delivery. Four chairs (of Business, Education, Sports & Exercise Science, and Psychology Departments), and their dean, will share quality strategies for defining course criteria, developing quality course design, and delivering valued instruction.

Continuing The Conversation On Collegiality, Angela Walters, Stacey Smith, Melissa Hunsicker-Walburn, Brooke Moore

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Are you interested in measuring and incentivizing collegiality? Do you have concerns with using collegiality for faculty development, merit, or tenure? Bring your experiences and perspectives to the table as three department chairs and their college dean (a lawyer) facilitate a healthy discussion on the measurement tools, legal landscape, and business case for collegiality.

Building Bridges To Enhance Degree And Career Opportunities, Deborah A. Greenawald Ph.D., Rn, Karen S. Thacker Ph.D, Rn, Samuel M. Bradley Dba, Thomas Franek Ph.D, Atc, Thomas Porrazzo Ph.D., Atc, Christopher Wise Dpt, Ph.D (C), Pt

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

External pressures on higher education are challenging universities to focus on preparing graduates with more broadly designed curricula that contain translatable skills and include interdisciplinary knowledge. In this presentation, the process of identifying and creating new academic programs based on unique student goals and contemporary employment needs will be discussed.

Building Faculty Community Via Oer, Jorg Waltje, Amanda Zerangue

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

This presentation will delineate ways for chairs and college administrators to encourage faculty to explore better and less costly ways to deliver instructional content to their students. It will highlight how to reward and recognize these efforts, while at the same time creating excellent opportunities for faculty collaborations and community building.

Administrative Best Practices For Engaging New Faculty, Michael G. Strawser, Russell Carpenter, Shanti Bruce, Kevin Dvorak

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Presenters and participants will discuss how Millennial faculty may a) change the higher education system; b) adapt their own internal wiring to fit higher education; and c) relate to faculty/staff of other generations. Participants will also address issues related to millennial faculty engagement and professional development, expectations of communication, and responses to campus sexual harassment.

New Chairs Boot Camp, Margaret A. Thomas-Evans, Chera A. Laforge, Katie Chaney

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Many chairs take on their role without any formal training, which leads to frustration and dissatisfaction. We developed a boot camp to provide initial onboarding and orientation for new chairs. In this session, we provide an overview of our program, which focused on strategic enrollment management and department administration.

Work-Life Balance For Department Chairs, Jeff Buller

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Many chairs feel that the responsibility of the job has completely consumed their lives. Their leadership and management duties leave them with far less time to conduct research, engage with members of their families to the extent they desire, plan their courses, and just sit, think, and catch their breaths. This practical and interactive workshop will explore proven techniques that chairs can use to restore the degree of work-life balance they desire.

The Joy Of Annual Reviews, Sheryl Barringer

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Annual reviews of faculty and staff are a valuable tool to inspire and learn more about the amazing people you supervise. They are also a critical time to enforce expectations and consequences. We will discuss subtle ways to increase productivity as well as the steps when termination is warranted.

Re-Casting The Annual Faculty Review, Mark Urtel

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

This session will highlight how one department chair flipped the annual faculty review from a top-down administrative process focused on merit pay to a faculty-centered process focused on professional development and advancement. Following will be discussion on the results of the anonymous survey distributed to faculty from this new process.

Cultivating The Mental Wellness Of Faculty, Staff, And Chairs, Jeffrey Reber

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Presenters and participants will discuss emerging strategies and best practices available to chairs to support the mental health and wellbeing of faculty, staff, and the department chair within the unique context of higher education and given the work-life needs of faculty and staff.

The Introvert's Guide To Chairing The Department, Jeff Buller

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Most training for department chairs is based on the assumption that the best leaders are extraverts: They have good social skills, love to keep an open-door policy, and are available 24/7. But a surprising percentage of academics, including many department chairs, are actually introverts. How can they become effective leaders? This workshop provides practical training.

Managing Course Consistency Across Multi-Campus, Multi-Modal Systems, David A. Line, Stephen Pyle

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Course standardization within multi-campus systems and between online and on-campus courses is critical for educational consistency, continual improvement, management of curricula and accreditation. This best practice presentation will review two calibration efforts undertaken by the authors at their respective Universities. Methodologies incorporated, systems developed and issues encountered will be discussed.

Alternative Chairing; Academic Chair Conference Presentations From The Fringe, David A. Line, Stephen Pyle, Jeffery Youngquist

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Expectations of Department Chairs focus on managerial functions often at the expense of creativity. However, leadership expectations often require creative responses. This workshop explores the benefits of (and resistance to) creative chairing, and invites the audience to help generate and explore new and creative approaches to being an academic chair.

Leadership Tips For Department Chairs: From Theory To (Best) Practice, John Griffith

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

This presentation will discuss tips and best practices that effective leaders use in working with and motivating faculty and staff. Good leaders are rare but most of us can lead effectively if we understand how to negotiate the mission/people balance in our organization.

Leadership Development Experiences Of Department Chairs At A Canadian University, Leda Stawnychko

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

I will present the preliminary findings of a doctoral research study that explores the leadership development experiences of department chairs at a West Canadian university. The literature review, document analysis and themes emerging from semi-structured interviews with chairs of departments of diverse disciplines and sizes will also be explored.

Executive Presence For The Academic Chair, Trey Guinn

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Interactive session emphasizing how communication skills enhance executive presence and shape effectiveness from campus to home. Bring a positive attitude; be ready to learn while having a little fun. Leave with a fresh perspective on how to be a more clear, concise, compelling and confident communicator ready for and more capable of achieving effective executive presence.

What I Wish I Knew: A Reflection Of A First-Year Chairperson, Tim Channell

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

This session will provide the “top 10” list of things I wish I knew before becoming chairman. Valuable tips will be offered on time management, positive faculty interactions, working with shared governance to achieve more, overcoming imposters syndrome, understanding inter-office politics, and dealing with the onslaught of email.

Feedback: The Foundation Of Kind Leadership, Rebecca L. Koltz, Melissa Odegard

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Brene Brown states that “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.” To give clear and direct feedback requires brave academic leaders who understand that feedback is critical to leadership success. This presentation will use a feedback model – Johari’s Window (Luft & Ingham, 1955), as a backdrop for understanding how to give productive feedback in higher education.

Building And Developing The Academic Leadership Pipeline, J. Micheal Crafton, Amber M. K. Smallwood, Elroi J. Windsor

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Presenters and participants will explore the need for and opportunities to build, support, and sustain a scaffolded infrastructure to enhance academic leadership knowledge and skills while developing a pipeline of academic leadership talent within the university.

Finding Your Why: Developing Personal And Departmental Mission Statements, Christopher Jochum

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

In this interactive workshop, presenters and participants will collaborate to learn how identify their leadership style in order to develop a personal mission statement. Participants will also learn how to replicate this process with their faculty to develop a departmental mission statement, thus contributing to departmental culture and cohesiveness.

Finding Balance: Academic Leaders That Teach, Tiffani Butler

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

The presenter and participants will discuss multiple approaches to juggling the demands of leading and managing a department, while maintaining teaching responsibilities. We will explore best practices that support chairs as leaders that teach.

What Happens In Savannah Shouldn’T Stay In Savannah, Dean Luethi

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Each of us attend conferences with the best intentions of learning something new and utilizing this knowledge when we return to our routine. We often fall short. Participants will discuss strategies to integrate their newfound knowledge into their lives back home and make a plan to actualize that desire.

Facilitating Communication With Diverse Teams, Maryjane Lewitt

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Non- hierarchical communication structures are associated with greater clarity across all levels. These structures can be implemented in a variety of ways under different circumstances. A variety of communication processes should be implemented to improve communication with individualizing the technique to the type of information being communicated.

Whew, I Made It! : The Abc’S Of The First Year As Chair – Transitions, Experiences And Strategies, Carolyn J. Lee

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

This presentation shares insights on the transition from faculty member to novice chair – a year of adjustments, challenges, rewards and lessons learned! Using literature findings and personal insight, the presenter will engage audience members to reflect on the value of their work and actively share in supportive dialogue.

The Department Chair Academy At The University Of Houston-Downtown, Edmund Paul Cueva, Lucy Bowen

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Presenters and participants will discuss a chair academy model that has had successful results. The topics covered in this presentation include the fundamental components of the academy (format, curriculum, activities), the origin of and need for the academy, and the results of a survey on the efficacy of the academy.