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.

2023-2024 Meetings of the Chairs Cabinet 

All meetings will be 8:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., in 3150 Beardshear

Past Minutes of the Chairs Cabinet (requires ISU login)


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 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.

2023-2024 Workshop Series (PDF, 152KB)

2023-2024 Workshop Series

Strategic Faculty Performance Evaluations: A Roadmap for Success, Thursday, September 21, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Campanile Room, Memorial Union

Presenter: Dawn Bratsch-Prince, Associate Provost for Faculty

Investing in Excellence: Optimizing Faculty Compensation and Performance, Monday, October 9, noon to 1:30 p.m., Campanile Room, Memorial Union

Presenter: Kaela Black, Faculty Personnel and Policy Director

Research Integrity, Friday, November 10, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Room 3580, Memorial Union

Presenter: Dianah Ngonyama, Research Integrity Officer

Off-Boarding Faculty: What to Do When Someone is Leaving, Tuesday, December 12, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Room 3580, Memorial Union

Presenters: Jim Reecy, Associate Vice President for Research, and Heather Smith, Associate General Counsel

Growth Mindset and All-Fund Strategy, Thursday, January 25, 2024, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Room 3560, Memorial Union

Presenter: Ellen Reints, Chief Academic Business Officer

What to Do When Life Happens, Thursday, February 15, 2024, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Room 3580, Memorial Union

Presenters: Kaela Black, Faculty Personnel and Policy Director, Brooke Vonnahme, Employee and Labor Relations, Rachel Large, Disability Accommodations Coordinator, and Dawn Shedarowich, Benefits Specialist

New workshop added: Faculty Workload and Rewards: What Academic Leaders Can Do, Wednesday, March 6, 2024, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Presenter: Dr. Dawn Culpepper, Director for the University of Maryland ADVANCE Program for Inclusive Excellence

Navigating Conflict: Best Practices and Approaches, Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Room 3560, Memorial Union

Presenter: Laura Smythe, University Ombuds

Faculty Advancement and Review: Outcomes and Discussion, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Room 3560, Memorial Union

Presenters: Jonathan Wickert, Senior Vice President and Provost; Dawn Bratsch-Prince, Associate Provost for Faculty; and Tera Jordan, Assistant Provost for Faculty Success


2023-2024 Virtual Chairs' Chats

Virtual Chairs’ Chats will occur monthly, 10:00 a.m to 10:50 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month (September through May). These fifty minute sessions will be used for delivering timely information, soliciting feedback, addressing topics of interest to you, or simply connecting.   


    New Academic Administrators 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.

    2023-2024 Boot Camp Series (PDF, 137KB)

    2023-2024 Boot Camp Series

    DateContent
    September 1, 2023Welcome and Introduction to Expectations for Academic Leadership
    September 8, 2023Workday HCM for New Academic Administrators
    September 15, 2023Approaching Promotion and Tenure as New Administrators: Pitfalls and Best Practices
    September 29, 2023Equal Opportunity: What New Administrators Need to Know
    October 6, 2023Delegation and Time Management: Utilizing the Resources Available
    October 13, 2023Data-informed Decision Making
    October 27, 2023Fostering Faculty Success
    November 3, 2023University Ombuds and Conflict Management
    November 10, 2023Managing Financial Resources
    December 1, 2023Conducting Effective Faculty and Staff Performance Evaluations
    January 19, 2024Workday Finance
    January 26, 2024Faculty Handbook Deep-dive
    February 2, 2024Mentoring and Supporting Graduate Students, Professional Students, and Postdocs
    February 16, 2024Ethical Approaches to ISU's Research Enterprise
    February 23, 2024Your Leadership Style and DiSC