Three Things You Need as a New Dean
Set yourself on the path to academic leadership success with three things you need to equip yourself with in your first days as the new dean.
Take a Vacation – Please! Maintaining Work-Life Balance
Although workshops on academic leadership frequently devote sessions to the topic of “work-life balance,” that phrase is really misleading. It seems to imply that we’re either working or living but never doing both at the same time.
Six Practical Solutions for Racial Tensions on Campus
Almost five years ago, the Department of Education issued its “Dear Colleague” letter on Title IX and sexual violence. The letter was a not-so-subtle reminder that Title IX requires federally funded educational institutions to prevent sexual harassment and violence. After that, the day-to-day work of many higher education attorneys and...
Using Social Media for Learning
The power of social media comes from its ubiquity and its ease of use, making the various social media platforms ideal ways to engage students in learning outside the classroom or learning management system (LMS). This can make learning a much more immediate, 24/7 kind of experience.
Starting a Pedagogy Book Club
One simple way of creating a forum conducive to professional development among faculty is the establishment of a pedagogy book club.
Using Formal Program Review for Continuous Improvement
Drexel University uses a Program Alignment and Review (PAR) process to help ensure relevance, quality, and measurable achievement of its academic programs. It’s a formal review process that includes a self-study, external review, and action plan.
Bringing Online Programs to Small Institutions
Small institutions face their own unique set of challenges when it comes to starting online programs. Here's how to succeed.
Promoting Work-Life Satisfaction
Whether it’s caring for a child or an ailing parent, participating in community activities, or pursuing a hobby, faculty members have and deserve lives beyond work. Formal policies, which vary across disciplines, are important, and academic leaders should actively promote such policies and programs because they can significantly affect faculty...
Promoting an Innovative Culture within a Department
Part of being a transformational leader is giving credit for effort and success rather than punishment. Offering faculty credit creates a sense of ownership, which can be a strong motivator.
Creating Military-Friendly Marketing for Online Programs
Members of the military are a sought-after population for distance education programs. These adult students have a built-in aid budget for taking courses, and they might be quite motivated to complete their studies. Reaching them through advertising, however, remains a challenge.
