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Leadership Development Program Endorsement Form
Endorse candidates for the Becoming a Provost Academy, Emerging Leaders Program, Executive Leadership Academy, Millennium Leadership Initiative, and the Student Success Institute.
The deadline for applications and endorsements is February 10, 2025.
Candidates will be informed of their acceptance status by mid-March.
You may endorse more than one candidate; please submit a new form for each person.
If you are a president/chancellor endorsing a provost/VPSA pair for the Student Success Institute, you only need to submit your endorsement one time. Choose one candidate to list in the “candidate’s name” field and acknowledge the joint endorsement in the “optional comments” field.
Please only submit endorsement(s) for applicants from your own institution. Please note the following endorsement requirements in order for a candidate’s submission to be considered complete. Endorsements must be submitted as follows:
- BAPA: Endorsement from the president/chancellor or provost
- ELP: Endorsement from the president/chancellor or cabinet-level administrator
- ELA: Endorsement from the president/chancellor
- MLI: Endorsement from the president/chancellor
- SSI: Endorsement from the president/chancellor
After you complete this form, both you and the candidate will receive confirmation that the endorsement was submitted. The candidate will receive a confirmation email once their submission is complete (this may take 2-3 business days after submitting application and endorsement).
Please contact leadershipdevelopment@aascu.org with questions.
Leadership Development Program Application
Apply to the Becoming a Provost Academy, Emerging Leaders Program, Executive Leadership Academy, Millennium Leadership Initiative, and Student Success Institute.
The deadline for applications and endorsements is February 10, 2025.
A full submission requires candidates to complete this form, and an endorser to endorse your candidacy (via a separate form) by February 10, 2025. You will receive a confirmation email once your submission is complete (this may take 2-3 business days after submitting application and endorsement).
Please note that you must complete this form in one sitting. Some fields are conditional; select the program for which you are applying to view all required application questions. You may wish to prepare your responses in a word document and then paste them into the appropriate fields.
Please contact leadershipdevelopment@aascu.org with questions.
Department Chair Leadership Institute Application Confirmation
Thank you for applying to the
Department Chair Leadership Institute.
You will receive an email confirmation shortly. Please contact leadershipdevelopment@aascu.org with questions.
Department Chair Leadership Institute Endorsement Confirmation
Thank you for endorsing a candidate for
the Department Chair Leadership Institute.
You will receive an email confirmation shortly. Please contact leadershipdevelopment@aascu.org with questions.
Department Chair Leadership Institute Endorsement
The 2025 application period is closed.
Please contact leadershipdevelopment@aascu.org with questions.
Department Chair Leadership Institute Application
2025 applications are closed.
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Department Chair Leadership Institute
DCLI is designed to develop critical skills for leading your department as an institutional citizen.
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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.
This was an excellent experience. I will take many lessons and implement them into my role as a chair. I feel I have also made some new connections that I will communicate with along this journey. Thank you!
All sessions were engaging and interactive. Every one was facilitated by a teacher to promote engagement and learning.
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
DCLI Partner
Application Details
Applications for 2025 are closed.
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.
Get notified about the next application period.
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Have questions about the Department Chair Leadership Institute?
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Data Analytics Empower Accurate Academic Program Evaluation
Learn how to use data to evaluate and optimize academic programs for student success.
2022 SSI Cohort
Mark
Byrnes
Provost and Professor of Political Science
Middle Tennessee State University
Matt
Cecil
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Northern Kentucky University
Maria L.
Cronley
Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs
Austin Peay State University (TN)
Tammy K.
Evetovich
Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Jeffrey K.
Gibson
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs / Interim President
East Central University (OK)
Chaudron
Gille
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
University of North Georgia
Amy
Gort
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs
Metro State University (MN)
Vernon B.
Harper Jr.
Interim President
California State University, Bakersfield
John L.
Hoffman
President
Bemidji State University (MN)
Ruth Ray
Jackson
President
Langston University (OK)
Sharon Andrea
Jones
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
University of Washington Bothell
Katherine
Kantardjieff
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
California State University Monterey Bay
Jim
Mayrose
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
“State University of New York, Buffalo State”
Darcy
Medica
Provost and VP for Academic Affairs
State University of New York Cobleskill
Alisa L.
Mosley
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Jackson State University (MS)
Cheryl L.
Nixon
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Fort Lewis College
Duncan
Quarless
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
State University of New York College at Old Westbury
Kelly A.
Ryan
President
Eastern Oregon University
David A.
Starrett
Executive Vice President and Provost
State University of New York at Fredonia
Lance E.
Tatum
Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs,
Troy University (AL)
Daren
Timmons
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
University of South Carolina Aiken
2021 SSI Cohort
Mohamed
Abdelrahman
Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs
Colorado State University-Pueblo
Steven
Berberich
Provost and Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
University of Missouri-St. Louis
Bette
Bergeron
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
State University of New York College at Potsdam
Deborah
Bordelon
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
University of Houston-Downtown (TX)
Kent
Buchanan
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Adams State University (CO)
Heather
Coltman
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
James Madison University (VA)
Scott R.
Furlong
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
State University of New York at Oswego
Tamara
Jhashi
Senior Vice President and Provost
New Jersey City University
Ravi
Krovi
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs
Weber State University (UT)
Kathleen
McAteer
Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs
Washington State University Tri-Cities
Nancy S.
Niemi
President
Framingham State University (MA)
Peter O.
Nwosu
President
State University of New York at Oswego
J. Michael
Parrish
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs / Provost
“City College of New York, College of Staten Island”
Clarenda
Phillips
Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Stacey
Robertson
President
Widener University (PA)
Leslie K.
Roundtree
Interim Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs
Chicago State University (IL)
Christie
Shelton
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Jacksonville State University (AL)
Kathie
Stromile Golden
Provost / Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Mississippi Valley State University
Maria
Woodside-Oriakhi
Vice President for Academic Affairs
University of The Bahamas
Learn more about the Student Success Institute.
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