Center for Teaching & Mentoring
Chairs’ Professional Development Series
The Center for Teaching and Mentoring’s Chairs’ Professional Development Series is designed to support department chairs and school directors as they navigate the opportunities and challenges of academic leadership. Through interactive workshops led by experienced campus leaders, administrators, and other department chairs, participants will explore practical strategies for managing departments, supporting faculty, making data-informed decisions, and advancing institutional goals.
Whether you are new to the role or a seasoned academic leader, these sessions provide valuable insights, resources, and opportunities to learn from colleagues across the university.
Fall 2026
| Date | Featured Speakers | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, September 11 9 – 10 a.m. LIB 348 and Zoom | Jimmy Mumford, Chair, Art and Design Michelle Conceison, Chair, Recording Industry Vickie Harden, Chair, Social Work Tom Nicholas, Director, Concrete and Construction Management Steve Severn, Past Chair, English | Hiring Faculty from A to Z Hiring outstanding faculty is one of the most important responsibilities of academic leaders. Join a panel of experienced department chairs as they share practical advice and proven strategies for planning and conducting successful faculty searches, from defining position needs and developing effective search committees to recruiting strong candidates and navigating the interview process. The session will also feature a former chair who will provide guidance on leading a department chair search committee, including insights into ensuring a fair, efficient, and successful search process. Whether you are new to academic leadership or a seasoned chair, this session will provide valuable tips, lessons learned, and best practices to help you attract and hire exceptional faculty and academic leaders. |
| Friday, October 2 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. LIB 348 and Zoom | Drew Harpool, Vice President, Business and Finance | Department Budgets and Financial Stewardship Effective financial management is essential to advancing departmental goals and supporting student and faculty success. Join Drew Harpool, Vice President for Business and Finance, for an informative session designed to help department chairs navigate the financial responsibilities of academic leadership. Participants will gain a practical understanding of budget management fundamentals, including how to interpret and monitor departmental accounts, understand funding sources, and make informed financial decisions. Topics will include university budgets and account structures, managing operating funds, understanding foundation, grant, and fee accounts, and avoiding common financial mistakes that can impact departmental operations. Whether you are a new chair or a seasoned academic leader, this session will provide valuable insights and strategies for responsible financial stewardship. |
| Friday, October 30 1 – 2 p.m. LIB 348 and Zoom | Yen Qualls, Systems Analyst 2, Information Systems Services Jeri Ann Clark, Director, Director of Data Management and Institutional Research Jonell Hinsey, Associate Vice Provost of Student Success and Academic Support | Using Data Systems to Support Recruitment and Enrollment Management Data-informed decision-making is essential for understanding enrollment trends, supporting student success, and strengthening recruitment efforts. This session will introduce department chairs to key university data systems, including Argos, Power BI, and EAB Navigate, and demonstrate how these tools can be leveraged to access meaningful data, generate reports, and inform strategic planning. Chairs will gain a practical overview of the types of information available through each platform and learn how to use data to monitor enrollment patterns, identify opportunities for growth, track student progress, and support departmental recruitment and retention goals. Whether you are new to these systems or looking to make more effective use of institutional data, this session will provide valuable guidance and resources for informed leadership. |
| Friday, November 20 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. LIB 348 and Zoom | Ron Henderson, Chair, Physics and Astronomy Deana Raffo, Chair, Management Matthew Duncan, Chair, University College | Managing Workloads: Strategies for Equitable and Effective Faculty Assignments Balancing faculty workloads is one of the most challenging and important responsibilities of academic leadership. Join a panel of experienced department chairs as they share practical approaches, lessons learned, and best practices for assigning and managing faculty workloads in ways that support departmental needs, faculty success, and institutional priorities. This session will explore strategies for balancing teaching, research, service, and administrative responsibilities while maintaining transparency, equity, and flexibility. Panelists will discuss common challenges, approaches to workload planning, communication strategies, and methods for addressing workload concerns and special circumstances. Whether you are new to the chair role or an experienced academic leader, this session will provide valuable insights for fostering a productive and supportive departmental culture. |
Spring 2027
| Date | Featured Speakers | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, February 12 1 – 2 p.m. LIB 348 and Zoom | Joyce Heames, Dean, Business | Difficult Conversations and Conflict Resolution Presentation Topics: Managing faculty conflict, addressing performance concerns, de-escalation strategies, documentation and accountability Discussion Topics: Challenging chair situations, peer advice, and best practices |
| More spring sessions coming soon! |
