When you pronounce names incorrectly, you have an impact. People with non-Anglo or non-European names, which are perceived as being more difficult to pronounce, may feel anxious and excluded. When power dynamics are at play, students and perhaps even those you supervise, advise, or teach often avoid the conflict and resist making corrections or discussing the issue, which may leave them feeling as if they matter less. Join us for re-airing of this training to learn simple strategies for honoring the names of all those you encounter. Immediately after the re-airing, you will have the opportunity to engage in a live Q&A and discussion with the speaker, Zaragosa “Mito” Diaz-Espinoza, Ph.D. We will discuss a brief history and negative impact that mispronouncing names has on people–international students and individuals who are given names that are not common in North America. You will be provided with easy-to-use tools and strategies that will help you learn and retain the correct pronunciation of names. If you’re interested in creating a more inclusive environment by preventing and/or repairing harm to your students and colleagues, this training is for you.
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.
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.
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
During this two-hour virtual workshop, Dr. Sandra Miles, Head of Practice for Team Development at Academic Impressions, will lead us as we explore the ways feelings of defensiveness and discomfort can be very common when engaging in conversations around favoritism and unfairness. Even those who have done extensive reading on topics related to conflict management can find themselves fumbling if they haven’t yet reflected on how their personal feelings may impact the ways they show up in the world—and in these difficult conversations. To get more comfortable engaging in these dialogues, we must first lean into the discomfort of individual reflection and actions that prepare us to enter into them in an open and effective way. Join us for a two-hour virtual training where we will explore four key concepts and how they come into play during conversations around topics that are deeply personal: You will be given a workbook of activities, tools, and resources to help you move beyond simply understanding these key concepts. Throughout the workshop, you will begin the hard work of interpreting how favoritism can show up in every aspect of the work we do, and how an orientation around fairness improves relationships, morale, and trust.
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 […]
