Event Category: Free For All-Inclusive

Managing Faculty Workloads: A Discussion for Department Chairs

Faculty bring a range of academic and professional talents to their departments. Because of this, many faculty carry heavy workloads, which can lead to high levels of burnout. Chairs are in the unique position to manage faculty workloads, and consequently, the long-term growth and development of faculty, as well. However, many chairs do not have training or background in talent management.  Join us online for a one-hour discussion in which we’ll talk about how you can develop an intentional talent management strategy for your department. Although the conversation will be responsive to the questions asked by the attendees, the discussion will focus on sharing systematic and evidence-based talent management strategies that will help you to balance the workload for your faculty.  Come prepared to engage in dialogue, ask questions, and share insights with other department chairs from across the country.

Building and Sustaining Key Relationships: A Conversation with Executive Women Leaders 

As you navigate more complex leadership roles, you will also navigate more contentious issues and conflicts. This makes the relationships you form with your colleagues not only “nice to have,” but essential: there is very little that cannot be accomplished when relationships are strong and built on a foundation of trust and mutual respect.  During this discussion, you’ll learn how a President and a CFO built a relationship that propelled the success of their teams, the institution, and helped them both to thrive individually. Carmen Twillie Ambar, President of Oberlin College, and Audra Hoffman Kahr, Executive Vice President of Finance & Administration at Lafayette College, will share how they met, how their relationship evolved, and a few lessons they’ve learned along the way as women leaders in higher education. 

Talent Management Through Delegation: A Discussion for Department Chairs

Time is a limited factor for all. As a department chair, you likely need to delegate tasks or responsibilities to others to ensure that your most important work gets done. However, as workloads have increased over time, you’re also careful not to overwhelm faculty and staff with unnecessary work. You know there’s a way to delegate work so that it promotes the talent development of your team, but it’s not always clear when or how to do it.     Join us online for a one-hour discussion where we will explore how to delegate work in a way that prepares faculty and staff for the next step of their careers. Although the conversation will be responsive to the questions asked by the attendees, we anticipate focusing the conversation on how you can delegate in a way that doesn’t feel like it adds to faculty and staff workloads, but that instead helps them to develop their talents for the benefit of the campus community.    Come prepared to engage in dialogue, ask questions, and share insights with other department chairs from across the country.

Explore the Power of Faculty Mentoring:  A Discussion for Department Chairs

Faculty mentoring programs provide benefits to all involved. They can help new faculty to acclimate to and engage in a new campus culture. They assist junior faculty in developing the necessary competencies to succeed at teaching, research, and service—all of which can expedite the promotion and tenure process. For senior faculty, the ability to give back and demonstrate their leadership can be a way to re-engage and recognize their long-standing commitment to the institution. Mentoring has the power to retain and build long-term capital with your faculty, which is vital given the increasing difficulty today in recruiting new talent. With so much on the line, it’s important that you understand your role as department chair in designing meaningful faculty mentoring experiences.  Join us online for a one-hour discussion where we will explore best practices for how to create meaningful faculty mentoring experiences that have the potential to engage or re-engage your faculty.  The conversation will be responsive to the questions asked by the attendees, so come prepared to engage in dialogue and share insights with other department chairs from across the country. 

Attracting Faculty Talent: A Discussion for Department Chairs

In recent years, you may have noticed that it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to attract faculty talent to your campus. Many institutions are finding that the offer of tenure is not enough. The pandemic made people rethink their priorities. Generational differences are impacting what some people value in their workplace. The social and political climate surrounding your campus also matters—a lot. So if you find that faculty are becoming more selective in where and how they grow their careers, you’re not alone.  Join us online for a one-hour discussion where we will explore the current trends impacting faculty recruitment. The conversation will be responsive to the questions asked by the attendees, but if you’re looking for an opportunity to reflect on how well you’re responding to the changing needs of your incoming faculty, this discussion is for you. Come prepared to engage in dialogue and share insights with other department chairs from across the country. 

Engaging Mid-Career Faculty: A Faculty Development Discussion

Most faculty development focuses on early-career faculty under the misguided assumption that mid-career faculty have “figured it out.” Yet mid-career faculty actually report the highest levels of dissatisfaction and are increasingly leaving higher education. Thus, institutions are noting the need to provide more comprehensive support to mid-career faculty but are unsure of how to engage this group of faculty and their unique needs.   Join us for a one-hour discussion focused on essential strategies for supporting mid-career faculty. During this time, we will discuss: 

Assess the Strategic Position of Your Department

The increasingly competitive landscape within higher ed requires department chairs to be dynamic, not passive, in how they respond to challenges and opportunities. This requires you to make important decisions that may impact your department for years to come. As a new department chair, this can feel scary since you’re still learning how to do the job, and you’re likely missing important information to make an informed decision in many scenarios.    Join us online for a one-hour discussion in which you’ll get tips for how to assess your department’s history, trends, and strategic position within the college/university. More importantly, we’ll discuss why this information is essential as a new chair. If you’re interested in learning how to fill your knowledge gaps and feel more confident about your decision-making, this discussion is for you. Topics for discussion will likely include the following:   

The New Department Chair’s Dilemma: Learning to Manage Commitments To Yourself and Others 

Shifting your role from faculty to department chair also means shifting your mindset from individual contributor to department convener, collaborator, and champion. You are now responsible for your own success, as well as for facilitating the successes of others, including faculty, staff, and students. Your reach extends beyond your department, as well, as you’re now responsible for engaging with donors, community members, accreditors, and the like. As a new chair, you now have commitments to many, and it can be difficult to know when and how to prioritize them.    Join us online for a one-hour discussion, where we will explore how to manage the various commitments and responsibilities you have across your organization. Although the conversation will be responsive to the questions asked by the attendees, we anticipate discussing the following themes:      Come prepared to engage in dialogue, ask questions, and share insights that can help you and other department chairs to confidently navigate your transition to department leader.    

Develop Your Executive Presence as Department Chair

As a department chair, you have more visibility and impact across the campus when compared to when you were simply an individual contributor as a faculty member. Given the complex and ever-changing landscape within higher ed, it’s more important than ever to demonstrate your executive presence.    Executive presence is your ability to inspire confidence at all levels within the organization. It’s the ability to inspire faculty and staff to follow you because they trust your leadership. It’s the ability to inspire confidence in your peers and senior leaders that you’re reliable and capable. However, as a new department chair, this charge can feel daunting, given everything you need to learn.   Join us online for a one-hour discussion where we will address the following questions:  Come prepared to engage in dialogue, ask questions, and share insights that can help you and other department chairs to confidently navigate your transition to department leader. 

Creating a Culture of Care

In part three of this discussion series, The Impact of Enhancing Customer Service in Higher Education, learn strategies and techniques that can be used to create a more caring culture on your campus and increase the quality of the student and employee experience.