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
2023-2024 Meetings of the Chairs Cabinet
All meetings will be 8:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., in 3150 Beardshear
- September 8, 2023 (Agenda, DOC; Minutes, PDF; Slideshow, Powerpoint - all require ISU login)
- October 13, 2023
- November 10, 2023
- December 8, 2023
- January 19, 2024
- February 9, 2024
- March 8, 2024
- April 5, 2024
- May 3, 2024
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, 163KB)
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 Presenter: Kaela Black, Faculty Personnel and Policy Director |
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
Date | Content |
September 1, 2023 | Welcome and Introduction to Expectations for Academic Leadership |
September 8, 2023 | Workday HCM for New Academic Administrators |
September 15, 2023 | Approaching Promotion and Tenure as New Administrators: Pitfalls and Best Practices |
September 29, 2023 | Equal Opportunity: What New Administrators Need to Know |
October 6, 2023 | Delegation and Time Management: Utilizing the Resources Available |
October 13, 2023 | Data-informed Decision Making |
October 27, 2023 | Fostering Faculty Success |
November 3, 2023 | University Ombuds and Conflict Management |
November 10, 2023 | Managing Financial Resources |
December 1, 2023 | Conducting Effective Faculty and Staff Performance Evaluations |
January 19, 2024 | Workday Finance |
January 26, 2024 | Faculty Handbook Deep-dive |
February 2, 2024 | Mentoring and Supporting Graduate Students, Professional Students, and Postdocs |
February 16, 2024 | Ethical Approaches to ISU's Research Enterprise |
February 23, 2024 | Your Leadership Style and DiSC |
Resources
- American Council on Education's (ACE) Department Leadership Programs
- Departmental governance document guidelines (PDF, 21KB)
- 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