Academic leadership development
Wayne State University (WSU) is committed to developing effective academic leaders who empower others by working with them collegially to achieve common goals, build a community of scholars, teachers, and practitioners, and sustain a high level of morale and engagement. To this end, the Office of the Provost has created leadership training programs to support the development of the leadership skills and capacity of WSU faculty, academic staff, and academic administrators.
Faculty and academic staff leadership
Academic Leadership Academy
The Academic Leadership Academy (ALA) is a one-year program designed for represented faculty and staff who have some knowledge and experience working toward the mission of WSU and in their areas of expertise and are prepared to build their capacity to be more effective leaders at WSU, in their disciplines, and/or communities, in either formal and informal leadership roles. Program participants, known as ALA fellows, will build on their emerging leadership skills by applying what they learn during the academy to their current roles as well as to a leadership project of their choice.
Program components include:
- A one-day leadership retreat in August to orient Fellows to the work of the Academy
- Monthly in-person seminars (September through May)
- Monthly meetings with project sponsors and ALA coaches
- Digital peer mentoring sessions
- A leadership project that aligns with the WSU Strategic Plan to improve some facet of WSU life and is designed to provide Fellows with the opportunity to demonstrate their leadership skills
Chair training
Department chairs and divisional heads are responsible for developing and sustaining a climate and culture that empowers faculty, staff, and students to succeed. The Office of the Provost supports chairs in this work by acting as a resource on university policies and collective bargaining agreements and offering professional development opportunities, including leadership training and chair chats.
Chair camp
Chair camp is a development day for department chairs and associate chairs. It is designed to build knowledge and skills around effectively managing, leading, and coaching faculty, academic staff, and students. WSU experts will share strategies and tips to navigate promotion, tenure, and salary review processes; enhance faculty and academic staff recognition and career development; build healthy department cultures to which faculty and academic staff want to contribute; and take charge of one's own career including possible career trajectories. There will also be time for networking and sharing of ideas among chairs/associate chairs. Please contact our office for resources and/or materials shared at chair camp.
Chair chats
Join Associate Provost Boris Baltes, Assistant Provost Sara Kacin and your chair colleagues for chair chats! These informal sessions hosted by the Provost's Office will allow both new and experienced department chairs to network and share ideas and best practices with each other, and offer ideas for future career and leadership development programming. For some sessions, university representatives will be present to inform chairs of new developments and to answer questions about university functions and units.
During the academic year, virtual chair chats will be held through Microsoft Teams on the third Wednesday of every month from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Please contact our office if you need help accessing chair chats, or if you would like to present something to the attendees at one of the chats.
Leadership training across the university
In addition to the training and workshops offered by the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development, a variety of leadership programs are available across the university.