Skip to main content

New Academic Leaders Program Schedule

2025-2026

Books:

The Balancing Acts of Academic Leadership: A Guide for Department Chairs and Deans by Jeanne Hey

Tentative schedule for 2025-2026
Topics to be confirmed
Updated July 30, 2025
DateTopicAcademic Impressions WebinarsReadings
August 5, 2025New Leaders Bootcamp
Introduction/Program Overview
August 22, 2025Academic Leadership: Historical, Socioeconomic, and Political BackgroundHigher Education in America: a 4-Day Foundational Course
September 5, 2025Attend SERP Summit
September 12, 2025Balancing Acts of Academic Leadership
Managing Up, Down, and Across
Embrace Your Leadership: The Balancing Acts of Academic LeadershipRead The Balancing Acts of Academic Leadership, Chapters 1-5
September 26, 2025Practical Strategies for Tenure and Promotion ReviewsRead The Balancing Acts of Academic Leadership, Chapters 6-10
October 10, 2025Faculty and Staff Recruitment and HiringThe Department Chair as Talent Manager: A Discussion Series (8 sessions)Chapter 1, Hiring Faculty, in How to Chair a Department
October 24, 2025Budget 101 for Academic LeadersChapter 5, Managing Resources, and Chapter 7, Highlighting the Big Picture in Planning in How to Chair a Department
November 7, 2025Legal- and Compliance-related Responsibilities of a Unit Leader
November 21, 2025Effective Communication and Managing Conflict Chapter 8, Dealing with Stress and Conflict, in How to Chair a Department
The ATLAS Guide to Team Building
The ATLAS Guide to Conflict Management
Thanksgiving Break
December 5, 2025Supporting Students/Student Success
December 19, 2025Student Complaints, Title IX, and Grievances
Winter Break
January 9, 2026Spring WorkloadChapter 4, Working with Staff and Administrators, in How to Chair a Department
January 23, 2026Performance Evaluations (Faculty & Staff)Taking a Formative Assessment Approach to Annual Faculty Evaluations
February 6, 2026Faculty Development and Support, Personnel ProcessesChapter 2, Mentoring Faculty, in How to Chair a Department
February 20, 2026Data-Informed Decision-MakingSelections from How Colleges Use Data
March 6, 2026Curriculum and State Board Program Approval ProcessChapter 6, Stewarding the Department’s Curricula, in How to Chair a Department
Spring Break
March 27, 2026
April 10, 2026
April 24, 2026
May 8, 2026Reflections

Developing a Plan of Work for Next Year
Optimize Your Transition from Faculty to Department Chair: A Discussion SeriesChapter 10, Maintaining a Scholarly or Creative Profile, and Chapter 11, Reinventing Yourself for Life after Chairing, in How to Chair a Department