Department Chair Leadership Institute
DCLI is designed to develop critical skills for leading your department as an institutional citizen.
Applications and endorsements due Oct. 8.Develop leadership skills needed to lead change during turbulent times.
The Department Chair Leadership Institute is designed for current department chairs who serve at state colleges and universities and aspire to be dynamic, strategic, and empathetic leaders. Participants gain a national perspective on the importance of the department chair in serving the institutional mission, leading with an equity mindset, delivering value and ensuring student success.
Who Should Participate
- Current or newly appointed department chairs who are committed to strengthening their leadership skills.
How You’ll Benefit
- Develop critical skills for leading your department as an institutional citizen.
- Build a strong and supportive network of colleagues and mentors.
What to Expect
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion discussions integrated throughout.
- Tailored to the distinctive needs of department chairs serving at state colleges and universities.
- Strong relational component—commitment to create and support trust, encourage peer-to-peer learning, confidentiality, and safety among the cohort.
- Develop critical skills for leading as an institutional citizen.
- Equip department chairs with tools to overcome common challenges.
- Prepare department chairs with tools and skills to succeed in their chair role as well as for future roles in university administration.
To meet the high demand among AASCU members for this program, the Department Chair Leadership Institute will be offered twice in 2025. The program will be the same for both the January and August cohorts and will be led by a faculty of experienced Department Chairs and University Administrators from AASCU institutions.
- Cohort One
- An intensive in-person program at AASCU’s Washington, D.C. office on January 9 and 10, 2025.
- In-person programming will not be livestreamed or otherwise recorded. One-hundred percent attendance and participation is expected.
- Three, 90-minute virtual sessions throughout the spring semester.
- Cohort Two
- An intensive in-person program at AASCU’s Washington, D.C. office on August 13 and 14, 2025.
- In-person programming will not be livestreamed or otherwise recorded. One-hundred percent attendance and participation is expected.
- Three, 90-minute virtual sessions throughout the fall semester.
Special thanks to Zulma Toro and Central Connecticut State University for piloting the department chair curriculum.
- Leading your department in alignment with your institution’s mission and strategic plan
- Growing and sustaining a future-focused department
- Navigating difficult conversations
- Maintaining relevance in the face of changes in higher education
- Resource management
- Principles of supervision
- Wellness for leaders
- Applications that are complete, including a nomination/endorsement from a dean, provost, president or chancellor, and submitted by the deadline will be considered.
- The Department Chair Institute faculty will review applications and select a cohort that reflects the diversity of AASCU membership.
- Preference is given to applicants from AASCU member institutions.
- A maximum of 36 participants will be selected for each cohorts (a total of 72 chairs will be selected).
- AASCU expects to fill the January and August cohorts from applications submitted during this one application period.
The application period for Cohorts One and Two for this program will open in late August 2024. A complete application for the Department Chair Institute includes the following:
- Applications and endorsements are due by Oct. 8, 2024.
- Nomination or endorsement from a dean, provost, president or chancellor from your home institution. (Nominations from higher-level administrators do not carry more weight.)
- Clear and concise summary of your personal and professional development goals.
- Demonstrated interest in subsequent leadership positions.
- Commitment to 100% participation.
Preference is given to applicants from AASCU member institutions.
- $1,700 members
- $2,700 non-members (AASCU members receive preference)
Program impact
77%pt. increase
19% of January 2024 cohort members reported feeling connected before the program vs. 96% who felt connected at the end of day 2.
4.38/5
Average rating of content, presentation, and speaker quality for the January program.
Meet the Department Chair Leadership Institute faculty
Terry
Brown
Vice President of Academic Innovation and Transformation
AASCU
Kamel
Haddad
Dean, Natural and Health Sciences
University of Northern Colorado
Richard
Helldobler
President
William Paterson University (NJ)
Lisa
Hunter
Associate Vice President for Academic Innovation and Transformation
AASCU
Karusha
Naidoo
Assistant Vice President of Leadership Development
AASCU
Scott
Newman
Professor, School of Professional of Studies
Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City
Marylin
Rodriguez
Senior Curriculum and Training Manager
American University (DC)
Lara
Schwartz
Director, Project on Civic Dialogue
American University (DC)
Kathleen
Scott
Vice President of Leadership Development and Partnerships
AASCU
Mary C.
Toale
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
State University of New York at Geneseo
Frequently Asked Questions
AASCU member institutions may nominate more than one Department Chair. In order to engage a diverse cohort and to best serve as many of our member institutions as possible, AASCU may cap the number of participants from the same institution at two per cohort.
Aspiring leaders are encouraged to apply for the Department Chair Leadership Institute and for 2025 Leadership Development Programming. Program timing and curriculum is designed uniquely for different audiences.
AASCU Consulting offers a 1.5-day department chair institute onsite at your institution, with additional opportunities for virtual workshops during the academic year. The institution-specific onsite academy program aligns with the AASCU Department Chair Leadership Institute or can be further tailored to address specific topics at your institution. Contact Matt Ceppi to learn more.
2024 Cohort #2
Elizabeth P.
Baltes
Chair, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies
Coastal Carolina University (SC)
Amy
Bartholomew
Chair, Department of Physics and Astronomy
State University of New York at New Paltz
Christa
Beiker
Chair and Professor Allied Health Department
Fort Hays State University (KS)
Ivanete
Blanco
Department Chair and Professor of Graphic Design
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Gregory
Bray
Chair, Digital Media & Journalism
State University of New York at New Paltz
Krista D.
Bridgmon
Department Chair of Counseling Psychology
Colorado State University Pueblo
Rene
Burress
Associate Professor and Department Chair of Educational Technology & Library Science
University of Central Missouri
Leighann J.
Davidson
Assistant Professor and Chair of Criminal Justice
West Virginia State University
Tina
Deshotels
Department Head Sociology and Political Science, Professor of Sociology
Jacksonville State University (AL)
David
Fieni
Associate Professor of French and Chair of the Department of World Languages and Literature
State University of New York at Oneonta
Jeanne
Galbraith
Interim Dean
State University of New York at Geneseo
Paula
Gordon
Interim Dean for the School of Health Sciences, Professor of Nursing
Georgia Gwinnett College
Danielle
Graham
Department Chair of Biological Sciences and Associate Professor
Fayetteville State University (NC)
Nicholas
Grosskopf
Professor and Department Chairperson, Department of Health & Human Performance
City University of New York, York College
Keely
Heuer
Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Art History
State University of New York at New Paltz
Kristina L.
Hillesland
Chair of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
University of Washington Bothell
Eric
Hungenberg
Department Head of Health and Human Performance
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Joe
Huscroft
Chair for the Marketing, Transportation and Supply Chain Department and Professor
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Deborah
James
Chair, Division of Arts and Letters
Governors State University (IL)
Manoj K.
Jha
Professor and Chair, Civil Architect & Environ Engineer
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Charlene M.
Kalenkoski
Academic Unit Head for the Department of Economics
James Madison University (VA)
Andrew Mazz
Marry
Chair of the Bioscience Department
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Dana
Nakano
Chair and Professor of Sociology
California State University, Stanislaus
Rachel
Rachler
Department Chair for Nurse Anesthesia Practice
Central Connecticut State University
Allison D.
Rank
Associate Professor and Chair, Political Science
State University of New York at Oswego
Selena T.
Rodgers
Chairperson and Professor, Department of Social Work and Founding Director, MSW Program at CUNY York College
City University of New York, York College
Megan
Schoen
Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Writing and Rhetoric
Oakland University (MI)
Amy
Sheldon
Interim Dean, School of Arts & Sciences
State University of New York at Geneseo
Jitendra
Singh
Co-Chair, School of Nursing & Healthcare Leadership
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Rhonda A.
Syler
Department Head and Associate Professor, CIS & Business Analytics
James Madison University (VA)
Dillon S.
Tatum
Department Chair, Department of Political Science and Geography
Francis Marion University (SC)
Evan
Trivedi
Associate Professor of Chemistry and Department Chair
Oakland University (MI)
Xia
Wang
Chair of Mechanical Engineering Department
Oakland University (MI)
Xiahua (Anny)
Wei
Associate Dean for Faculty
University of Washington Bothell
Application Details
Applications and endorsements for 2025 are due on Oct. 8.
Application Requirements
- Nomination or endorsement from a dean, provost, president or chancellor from your home institution (nominations from higher-level administrators do not carry more weight.)
- Clear and concise summary of your personal and professional development goals.
- Demonstrated interest in subsequent leadership positions.
- Commitment to 100% participation.
Important Dates
- Applications and endorsements are due by Oct. 8, 2024
- Applications will open in late summer 2024.
- Cohort One
- An intensive in-person program at AASCU’s Washington, D.C. office on January 9 and 10, 2025.
- Three 90-minute virtual sessions throughout the spring semester.
- Cohort Two
- An intensive in-person program at AASCU’s Washington, D.C. office on August 13 and 14, 2025.
- Three 90-minute virtual sessions throughout the spring semester.
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