Shared governance allows faculty and staff to contribute their opinions, insights, and best ideas for the benefit of the campus community. Shared governance also demands that faculty and staff collaborate in a way that is respectful to others, appreciates diversity of thought, and builds consensus. This requires you, as department chair, to create an environment that encourages a safe space for all participants. Join us online for a one-hour discussion to better understand how you can create an environment that encourages faculty and staff to contribute meaningfully to the shared governance process. Although the conversation will be responsive to the questions asked by the attendees, we anticipate discussing some of the following key questions: Come prepared to engage in dialogue, ask questions, and share insights that can help you and other department chairs to confidently navigate shared governance.
Psychological safety is the belief that you will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. When you have psychological safety, you have the freedom to be vulnerable. You can take risks without feeling a sense of failure or ridicule. Teams that have psychological safety are more innovative, creative, and cohesive because vulnerability will not be held against anyone. In times of confusion or conflict, leaders and supervisors often try to bring teams together by creating a common vision or by clarifying goals and processes. But before these steps can be effective, you need to ensure a high level of psychological safety within your team. Without that foundation, your team will not function as cohesively. Join us online for this two-part webcast series to learn how to foster a deeper sense of psychological safety within your team.
Your story as an underrepresented woman in the academy shapes your approaches to conflict, problem-solving, and decision-making. The perspective of underrepresented women is unique, and yet, too often we discount that unique position – burying it or even rejecting it. Denying our story does a huge disservice to our leadership potential and growth and to those we serve. How can you begin to articulate your story to fully express who you are as a professional and become stronger and more effective? Join us online and learn how to define and share your unique leadership strengths in an authentic and credible way. You will practice identifying, storyboarding, and communicating your past experiences, motivations, and unique perspectives so that you leave with at least one story you can share with others to help you communicate your authentic self.
As you navigate the new Title IX appeal process, you might find certain aspects difficult or confusing. Are you prepared to navigate the mandated timelines effectively? What elements of the investigative process should you focus on when reviewing your case? How do you handle situations where the judgment of your colleagues might have been compromised? You likely — and reasonably — feel a lot of responsibility for objectively determining a final decision, both to provide a fair process for the parties and to mitigate the risk of litigation for your institution. Join us online and leave with the knowledge, strategies, and skills you need to feel confident in your role as an appeal officer. During this four-hour training we will cover the required skills and attributes of an effective appeal officer and provide practical opportunities for you to explore the different grounds for appeal, including procedural irregularity, new evidence, and conflict of interest/bias. Whether you are looking to enhance your confidence as a Title IX appeal officer or as a Title IX coordinator responsible for training your appeal officers, this training is for you. Upon completion of this virtual training, you will receive a certificate of completion for your time […]
Dr. Renay M. Scott currently serves as the Vice President of Student Success at New Mexico State University. She began her career at New Mexico State University in 2014, as the 9th president the of Doña Ana Community College, an NMSU branch campus. She moved to the Las Cruces campus in 2018, and from her role in the Division of Student Success has also served as senior womens’ administrator for Athletics plus interim provost and graduate dean. Dr. Scott previously held administrative positions in two-year and four-year, public and private institutions including serving as provost, vice provost and dean. She served as department chair and associate department chair at Central Michigan University where she attained the rank of professor in teacher education. Dr. Scott’s leadership blends service, teaching and coaching. As a servant, she ensures the success of others by communicating expectations, supporting individuals through utilization of their strengths, and developing collaborative, risk-taking spaces to allow for innovation. As a teacher, Dr. Scott supports her team’s development through assessment, feedback, and guidance, leading to reflection to support person growth in leadership, management, decision making, and conflict management. As a coach, Dr. Scott believes in establishing an aspirational vision and supporting […]
As Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs (VPFA), Dr. Totten oversees resources, services and programs to promote faculty success across all career stages, including providing strategic vision and leadership, overseeing critical administrative processes, developing and refining policies related to faculty participation in university decision-making, supporting faculty development initiatives, and collaborating with academic leaders and campus offices to navigate conflict and disciplinary processes. Dr. Totten has held a number of leadership roles throughout his career, including as graduate program director, department chair, and faculty senate chair at North Dakota State University, and department chair at UNLV. He has served on a number of national and international editorial and executive boards in his field. Dr. Totten has a PhD in English, with expertise in late nineteenth- and twentieth-century US literature, multiethnic US literature, travel writing, and critical theory. He is the editor-in-chief of the journal MELUS: Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States, published by Oxford University Press. He has written, edited, and co-edited a number of books, and he has published over forty articles or chapters in peer-reviewed journals and edited collections. His most recent edited books include A Companion to Multiethnic Literature of the United States (Wiley, 2024) and Race in the Multiethnic Literature Classroom (U of […]
Chairs occupy an essential position on our campuses, sitting at the intersection point that connects our faculty to institutional strategy, context, and culture. They also make some of the most impactful decisions that shape the university, overseeing decisions related to hiring, promotion, and curriculum. Yet for most institutions, the support and training available to chairs is minimal. Most of the training provided to chairs is limited to topics like how to work with HR, budgeting, and promotion & tenure. But what truly separates effective chairs from ineffective chairs are their leadership skills, such as: Academic Impressions has been trusted to effectively train department chairs across the U.S. and Canada for over ten years. In this free webcast, we’ll discuss the keys to our success, what works and what doesn’t, and create a space for others to share their best practices. If you need to start or enhance chair development at your own institution, we invite you to join us for this program.
As an externally appointed dean, you are expected to hit the ground running, making quick and impactful decisions from Day One. Leading through this change can be tricky, as you will often need to navigate conflicting perspectives from the administration and faculty on which direction to go, as you also define your role in shared governance, identify trusted allies, and make decisions even with incomplete information. Join us for a 90-minute discussion that will provide you with insights and lessons learned from other external deans. Our instructor panel includes two different speakers — one who has served in a variety of external leadership roles at multiple institutions — and the other who just completed her first semester as external dean. If you’ve been asking any of the following questions, this training is for you: How do I research and understand the issues, challenges and opportunities within my college? How do I determine my role in shared governance? Who should I trust, and how do I figure that out as early as possible? Where should I invest my time, and how do I balance listening and learning with getting important work done? What are some of the considerations I need to […]
Steve Riccio is a leadership coach, educator, and organizational development consultant who helps leaders and teams perform with greater clarity, effectiveness, and purpose. Drawing from more than 25 years of experience across higher education and organizational consulting, Steve partners with leaders at all levels—from emerging managers to senior executives—to navigate workplace challenges, strengthen relationships, and lead with confidence. Known for his thoughtful presence and practical approach, Steve creates coaching partnerships grounded in trust, accountability, and meaningful reflection. Clients describe him as both empathetic and appropriately challenging, helping them uncover blind spots, think strategically, and take intentional action. He believes one of the greatest gifts a leader can offer is attentive listening. Steve has accumulated more than 1,300 hours of leadership coaching experience working with individuals and teams on communication, organizational effectiveness, conflict management, leadership transition, and team development. While every leader’s journey is unique, Steve emphasizes three core principles that consistently drive leadership success: Engage in productive conflict through respect and candor Prioritize strategic thinking over constant operational urgency Develop employees through coaching rather than problem-solving for them Steve also works with clients to build self-awareness and self-care practices that support resilience, sound decision-making, and long-term effectiveness. He believes leaders […]
Over the past two decades, I’ve had the privilege of designing and delivering more than 100 leadership development programs in higher education and supporting institutions as they launched dozens more. These programs have ranged from single, cohort-based initiatives to multi-layered efforts designed to shape institutional culture over time. At Academic Impressions, we’ve worked with first-time department chairs as well as with presidents rebuilding senior cabinets. We’ve partnered with well-resourced research universities as well as with small and mid-sized institutions doing the best they can with very limited capacity. The good news is that during this time, I’ve seen a growing recognition that leadership development is mission critical. More institutions are investing in helping leaders to build emotional intelligence, resolve conflict more productively, lead teams effectively, and navigate change with greater confidence. Many are also working intentionally to build pipelines for future leaders who will be ready when the moment calls. And yet, because many institutions have limited experience designing leadership development programs, a predictable set of mistakes shows up again and again. Ironically, these missteps are usually rooted in good intentions—but they ultimately undermine the very outcomes these programs are meant to achieve. Following are the five most common mistakes I see when institutions launch or attempt to sustain leadership programming. 1. Trying to Do Too Much In an effort to be comprehensive, institutions often try to cover as much […]
