Course Category: Virtual Training Recording

Evaluating Diversity in the Accreditation Process: Part II – Your Approach in the Classroom

Accreditation can be viewed as the responsibility of Institutional Research when, in fact, their input should take place in the later stages of design. On the front end, faculty have an opportunity to drive and positively impact the process of designing programs for accreditation. By doing so, faculty help to ensure that students are prepared for an increasingly diverse workforce and society, and that the programs that their institution offers lead the way when it comes to DEI. This training examines the role that faculty plays in gathering and planning course materials to ensure compliance of DEI accreditation requirements. Our expert instructor will provide both a systematic and practical approach to curriculum design and assessment that enables faculty to contribute to holistic student learning and successful accreditation reporting. This program is the second in a two-part series. The first program, Evaluating Diversity in the Accreditation Process: Part I — The Upfront Design, aims to demystify the process of reviewing, assessing, and including diversity in campus curricula. This follow-up program focuses on how to implement DEI from a pedagogical approach. It is designed specifically for faculty from all disciplines who are interested in intentionally infusing DEI into their curriculum to both […]

Evaluating Diversity in the Accreditation Process: Part I – The Upfront Design

Both university and program-level accrediting organizations are increasingly placing focus on diversity in their requirements, but that criteria can feel ambiguous, and many today are uncertain of how to ensure that their programs comply. This challenge is twofold: first, you must understand the requirements, and second, you must have knowledge of various ways to embed those requirements into curricula. The imperative behind this is not only the increasing potential that students are not legitimately prepared for a changing world and workforce, but that without diversity integrated into the program design upfront, you run the risk of criteria being added later that is not aligned with the curriculum or accurate. This program is the first in a two-part series that will demystify the process of reviewing, assessing, and including diversity in campus curricula. By participating in this event, you will learn how to evaluate opportunities for embedding accreditation requirements into curricula and see a variety of examples and approaches of what this might look like across disciplines and fields of study.

Leveraging Cultural Wealth and Community: A Discussion for Latinx Leaders in Higher Education

Latina, Latino, and Latinx (Latinx/a/o) leaders have unique knowledge, skills, strengths, and experiences to contribute to higher education, but the academy was built with systemic inequities that can undermine advancement and success. Furthermore, as a changing societal landscape puts diversity front and center, many Latinx/a/o leaders find themselves navigating challenges that peers—who do not share their Latinx/a/o identity—do not understand. In this virtual discussion, we will explore the challenges of being a Latinx/a/o leader in higher ed and how your identity impacts how you see and represent yourself. We will draw upon research in community cultural wealth as a framework for you to leverage your strengths and values in leadership positions as you navigate the intersections of the distinct worlds you occupy. This program is the first in a two-part series. While this first program is created intentionally for leaders who identify as Latinx/a/o, the second session is intended for any leader interested in creating systemic change at their institution to better support Latinx/a/o leaders.

Support and Retain Latinx Leaders in Higher Education: A Training for All Leaders

Latina, Latino, and Latinx (Latinx/a/o) leaders have unique knowledge, skills, strengths, and experiences to contribute to higher education, but the academy was built with systemic inequities that can undermine advancement and success. According to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, “Hispanic enrollment in higher education is expected to exceed 4.1 million students by 2026, far surpassing the growth rate of any other racial-ethnic group—by over 10%,” but Latinx/a/o leaders continue to be underrepresented in leadership roles in higher education due to historic and ongoing systemic inequities. In this virtual session, we will discuss steps you and your institution can take to create a more inclusive and equitable environment to support and retain Latinx/a/o faculty and staff. This program is the second in a two-part series. While this second program is intended for any leader interested in creating systemic change at their institution to better support Latinx/a/o leaders, the first program is intentionally for leaders who identify as Latinx/a/o to draw upon community cultural wealth and build connections to advance their leadership.

How to Maintain Trust in Teams During Transitions

The changing nature of higher education includes shifts in team membership due to turnover and re organization, leadership transitions, and evolving institutional priorities. Leaders need to understand that trust is the foundation of a productive team, especially during times of transition. To foster and maintain trust, you must first understand why it is important, recognize when changes in the team environment warrant new or different strategies, and be able to deploy strategies that ensure a foundation of trust remains even in the face of changes. In this two-hour virtual training, you will gain a deeper understanding of the concept of trust for team- building, what circumstances may necessitate action related to trust, and effective strategies to deploy when a team is experiencing transition. To accomplish this, we will explore key questions including the following:

Strategic Planning as a Dean: Enhance Your Unit’s Success from Start to Finish

Strategic plans typically take several months to develop and are designed to be implemented over a three- to five-year window. In contrast, the average tenure for a dean is often about three years—less than the time it takes to realize most strategic plans. Layered with the additional complexity of continual leadership transitions throughout the organization, it’s no wonder that the strategic plan of the unit often lacks momentum during development, fails to get implemented, and/or fizzles out during execution. Given the increased competitive pressure many institutions are facing, failure to realize a strategic plan can result in a large opportunity cost for the unit and/or reduce institutional credibility with external stakeholders—both of which can impede the unit’s longer-term growth and success. Join us online for a workshop that will explore how you and your unit can more effectively approach the planning, implementation, and execution of a strategic plan. You’ll discuss tips and strategies for avoiding common pitfalls that lead to the downfall of a strategic plan, and you’ll also learn how to identify the warning signs that signal that your strategic plan is struggling. More importantly, you’ll walk away with tips and strategies to help you increase the engagement and […]

A Top-Down and Bottom-Up Leadership Approach to Research Cluster Initiatives

Research clusters help institutions strengthen research activity by promoting innovative and multidisciplinary research, attracting top research talent, garnering external funding, and promoting institutional identity. Further, by taking part in these initiatives, faculty and academic leaders of various levels gain exposure to strategic planning and leadership development. In this training, we’ll leverage one institution’s blend of a “top-down” and “bottom-up” leadership approach that successfully aligned multiple components of institutional strategy and generated campus wide buy-in. Join us for this interactive session, where Dr. Warren Burggren of the University of North Texas will walk you through three key aspects of a successful research cluster initiative: Institutional alignment and strategy Collaborative leadership across roles and responsibilities Evaluation of short-term and long-term success This training will emphasize the roles of both faculty and administrators in leading an initiative that resulted in a multi-year, institution-wide research cluster initiative that created targeted faculty hires and generated a major increase in external funding.

A Toolkit to Reengaging and Reconnecting with Students Post-COVID

As institutions have moved back to in-person or hybrid operations from a largely virtual COVID-19 response, student engagement and disconnection is at an all-time high. While the beginning of this trend predated the pandemic, it has now been compounded by increasing enrollment and retention challenges in the aftermath. We know that students who do not feel they belong at their institution are much less likely to persist and graduate from that institution, and a central hurdle to mitigating this challenge is that higher ed faculty and staff do not feel equipped to reconnect and reengage students. Join us for this one-day virtual conference to learn more about how to rebuild the connection between your institution and the students who attend. Our expert speakers, Glenn Davis and Vickie Cook, will share practical tips for understanding the nuances of student success today, as well as how to address student needs. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss engagement both in and out of the classroom, the adverse impact of intersectionality on some students’ experiences, and best practices to move forward.

Working with Institutional Data for Student Retention

Data can be a powerful tool for understanding attrition and creating student success programs. Student affairs and enrollment professionals often yearn for access to data, but when they do have access, they may struggle with distilling the data they acquire, using that data effectively, and working with others to ask the right questions. This virtual workshop is strongly recommended to retention planning professionals outside of Institutional Research who would like to learn how to: Recognize data points that can be used to measure factors associated with retention. Examine patterns in retention data. Create research questions that better communicate your data needs and program outcomes with institutional partners, leadership, and other stakeholders.

Setting and Maintaining Boundaries as Faculty to Develop Professional Well-being and Success

In Academic Impressions’ 2021 survey of higher ed faculty, staff, and administrators to understand the current state of professional development, 51% of respondents reported experiencing clinical levels of burnout. Faculty burnout comes on the heels of their being asked to do more than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, plus the additional challenges of meeting the needs of students that resulted. But faculty who learn how to set boundaries with their work and maintain a healthy integration are far more likely to continue to enjoy their work and maintain their sense of professional well-being. Join us for an interactive session on how to better develop and maintain boundaries with your work as faculty. Our expert speaker Dr. Jackie Leibsohn has served in faculty positions and leadership at all levels. She will walk you through identifying what is being added to faculty’s plates, how and when to say no to additional work, and how to survive a changing faculty environment. We will also provide resources for you to continue to practice professional well-being in your faculty role.