Department Chairs and New Academic Leaders
Department Chairs Cabinet
Recognizing that the roles and responsibilities of the academic department Chair are among the most complex within the institution, Iowa State University established the Department Chairs Council, comprised of all current department Chairs, to provide for communication between the department Chairs as a group and the administration, faculty, staff and students of Iowa State University. To facilitate communication, the Council elects a Cabinet which consists of one Chair from each of the colleges and four at-large Chairs. The Associate Provost for Faculty and the Faculty Senate President sit on the committee as ex-officio non-voting members. The cabinet meets monthly to discuss and establish positions on matters of University concern with particular implications for academic departments and programs.
Department Chairs Council Constitution and Bylaws (PDF, 19KB)
Current Membership of the Chairs Cabinet
2021-2022 Meetings of the Chairs Cabinet
All meetings will be 8:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., in 3150 Beardshear
- September 17, 2021
- October 15, 2021
- November 12, 2021
- December 17, 2021
- January 21, 2022
- February 18, 2022
- March 25, 2022
- April 22, 2022
Past Minutes of the Chairs Cabinet
Department Chair Workshop Series
The Department Chair Workshop Series aims to provide department chairs with valuable information and useful resources to assist them in their work as managers and academic leaders of their departments. The monthly workshops seek to build a community of practice for ongoing information sharing, problem solving, and support.
Workshops are led by faculty, staff, and administrators with demonstrated expertise in the session topic. Presentation materials and handouts may be distributed during the sessions and/or posted on our website.
All department chairs, associate, and assistant chairs are strongly encouraged to attend.
2021-2022 Department Chair Workshops (DOC version, 45KB)
In-Person Workshops:
We are planning approximately six workshops this academic year, offered in person, on topics relevant to the work of our chairs, including: creating safe and inclusive research environments; using student evaluations of teaching in personnel decisions; the priority of retaining excellent faculty; and addressing bullying and conflict. These workshops also provide an opportunity for chairs to build community through connection with peers.
Creating Safe and Inclusive Research Environments, Monday, September 27, 2021, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Campanile Room, Memorial Union
Presenter: Peter Dorhout, Vice President for Research |
| Can We Build a Culture that Works for All of Us? Best Practices for Cultivating Inclusive Departments, Monday, October 25, 2021, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., Gallery Room (3580), Memorial Union Presenters: ADVANCE Department Chair Professional Development Team Registration link |
| (cancelled) Evaluating Teaching for Promotion and Tenure: Student Evaluations and More, Thursday, November 18, 2021, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Gallery Room (3580), Memorial Union Presenter: Sara Marcketti, Director for the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching and Morrill Professor in Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management Registration link |
| Moving Forward, Together: What our COACHE Data Tells Us about the ISU Faculty Experience, Wednesday, December 15, 2021, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Campanile Room, Memorial Union Presenter: Tera Jordan, Assistant Provost for Faculty Development Registration link |
| Using Flexible Faculty Practices in an Era of Change, Friday, February 25, 2022, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., Campanile Room, Memorial Union Presenter: Meifen Wei, Professor, Psychology and Equity Advisor Registration link |
| Bullying in Academia, Tuesday, March 22, 2022, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Gallery Room (3580), Memorial Union Presenter: Guest Speaker Registration link |
| Preparing for Workday Student and Receivables, Thursday, April 14, 2022, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Gallery Room (3580), Memorial Union Presenters: Kristen Constant, Vice President of Information Technology Services and Chief Information Officer and Steve Mickelson, Special Advisor for Student Information Systems Registration link |
Faculty Advancement and Review: Outcomes and Discussion, Wednesday, May 4, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Campanile Room, Memorial Union |
2021-2022 Virtual Chairs' Chats
Virtual Chairs' Chats:
Virtual Chairs’ Chats will occur monthly. These fifty minute sessions will be used for delivering timely information, soliciting feedback, addressing topics of interest to you, or simply connecting.
Our virtual Chair Chats were quite successful last year in allowing us to address timely topics in an expedient format. We will continue this tradition with Chair Chats scheduled for 10:00 a.m to 10:50 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month (September through May).
New Academic Leadership Boot Camp
New (and newly interim) department chairs, school directors, associate chairs, and associate deans are invited to participate in a semester-long series of in-person sessions. These meetings introduce new academic leaders to policies, practices, and people instrumental to a successful first year in leadership. Sessions are scheduled several times a month, on Friday mornings from 8:30 a.m to 9:45 a.m., in 2030 Morrill Hall.
2021-2022 Boot Camp Schedule (PDF version, 42KB)
| Date | Content |
|---|---|
| September 3 | Welcome and Introduction to Expectations for Leadership in a Time of Uncertainty |
| September 10 | Approaching Promotion and Tenure as New Administrators: Pitfalls and Best Practices |
| September 17 | Workday HCM for New Academic Administrators |
| October 1 | Actively Supporting Inclusivity and Student Success |
| October 15 | Your Leadership Style and DiSC |
| October 29 | Fostering Faculty Success |
| November 5 | Ethical Approaches to ISU's Research Enterprise |
| November 12 | Managing Financial Resources |
| December 3 | Conducting Effective Faculty and Staff Performance Evaluations |
| January 28 | Data-informed Decision-Making |
| February 4 | Mentoring and Supporting Graduate Students, Professional Students, and Postdocs |
| February 18 | Delegation and Time Management: Utilizing the Resources Available |
| February 25 | Equal Opportunity: What New Administrators Need to Know |
Resources
- Suggested reading list for new department chairs (DOC, 14KB)
- "Ethics, Integrity and Civility in Higher Education: New Approaches to Foster a Culture of Trust" powerpoint presentation by Neil Hamilton (PPT, 794KB)
- Iowa State University Department Chair: Role, Progression and Directions (PDF, 7.62MB)
- Sample candidate evaluation form (PDF, 39KB)
- For Chairs: The Seat's Gotten Hotter (PDF, 103KB)
- Thoughts for New Chairs from Dean Schmittmann (DOC, 22KB)
- American Council on Education's (ACE) Department Leadership Programs
- Departmental governance document guidelines (PDF, 21KB)
- Effective practices for academic leaders
- Harassment/Discrimination policy/resources
- ISU Policies and Guidelines for Flexible Faculty Careers: Resources for Chairs and Deans (PDF, 456KB)
- University of Michigan resources for deans and chairs
