Breakfast will be provided for all Institute participants.
Academic Freedom and Free Expression
Academic freedom and free expression, always central concerns for colleges and universities, have attracted additional attention within the academy and in the public sphere during the last year. What roles do chief academic officers at CIC institutions play in shaping policies and practices connected to academic freedom and free expression and then guiding their implementation? Who are the other stakeholders contributing to campus conversations about these matters? Participants will share examples from their home institutions and consider the intersections among academic freedom, free expression, and institutional mission and values.
Facilitator: Elizabeth Skomp, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Stetson University (FL)
Academic Refresh: New Approaches to Curriculum Change
Curriculum reform is a priority at many CIC colleges and universities and often framed around efficiency and workforce outcomes. The chief academic officers from Mars Hill University (NC) and Reinhardt University (GA) will facilitate a discussion on alternative and innovative approaches to frame curriculum discussions. Participants are invited to share feedback and their own examples of ways to promote effective conversations around student-centered and explicit curriculum change.
Facilitators:
John Miles, Provost, Reinhardt University (GA)
Tracy Parkinson, Executive Vice President and Provost, Mars Hill University (NC)
Approaches to Course Scheduling
In these changing times, how are CIC colleges and universities adapting their course offerings? How do factors such as enrollment shifts between residents and commuters, the expansion of accelerated degrees and online offerings, and space efficiency concerns affect what classes are scheduled, when they are scheduled, and in what format? Participants are invited to discuss strategies their institutions have used to make effective changes to the academic scheduling process or to seek guidance on the scheduling issues on their campuses.
Facilitators:
Wendy Robb, Dean of the School of Nursing, Cedar Crest College (PA)
Robert Wilson, Provost, Cedar Crest College (PA)
Best Practices for Career and Graduate School Readiness in the Majors
How are CIC colleges and universities ensuring that career and graduate school readiness preparation is integrated in all undergraduate majors? What initiatives—e.g., micro-credentials, internship requirements, work-integrated classroom learning, alumni panels about post-college life—are most effective in making students career and graduate school ready? How is career and graduate school readiness of students being assessed? Participants will explore these questions and share concerns and new ideas.
Facilitator: Maria Rosales, Provost, Guilford College (NC)
Building a Cohesive Academic Leadership Team
Building a cohesive academic leadership team can be challenging because of the number and types of positions involved and their differing levels of responsibility in such areas as budget management and supervision. How can chief academic officers establish a team culture and encourage collaboration among their direct reports? Participants will discuss successful strategies and exchange advice based on their own campus experiences.
Facilitator: Timothy Schmitz, Provost, Wofford College (SC)
Building Alliances on the Cabinet
In today’s higher education environment, senior leadership transitions and new cabinet configurations have become increasingly common. What are effective ways for chief academic officers to manage the changes in cabinet personnel, to promote mutual trust, and to build alliances that serve the institution? Participants will discuss their experiences and share strategies that have been successful at their institutions.
Facilitator: Ann Vendrely, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean, Goshen College (IN)
Campus Sustainability Programs
Chief academic officers and academic team members are invited to discuss their institutional initiatives to promote campus sustainability. How can such programs enhance student engagement and equip students with skills for global and civic responsibility? How can the programs be designed to ensure good stewardship of both environmental and institutional resources?
Facilitator: Terry Keller, Provost, Aquinas College (MI)
Celebrating Faculty Success
CIC colleges and universities rely on a dynamic, engaged faculty to actualize their mission to deliver an educational experience that transforms students’ lives. In response to public skepticism about the value of higher education and other challenges, how can academic leaders bolster faculty morale and commitment to the profession? Participants are invited to share information about campus events, communication strategies, awards, and other institutional practices that celebrate their faculty members’ achievements as teachers, scholars, and community leaders.
Facilitator: Brian Yontz, Provost, Wittenberg University (OH)
Community College Transfer Partnerships for Enrollment Growth
Developing community college transfer partnerships can be an effective strategy to increase and diversify student enrollment. What are best practices for transfer partnerships between community colleges and institutions in the private sector? Warner Pacific University (OR)’s chief academic officer will share strategies that she has used to craft favorable partnerships, including shared adjunct instructors, embedded advising, and transfer maps for majors. Participants are invited to ask questions and to discuss how their institutions are partnering with community colleges.
Facilitator: Cecelia Monto, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Warner Pacific University (OR)
Connecting Students to Outcomes Through Investing
For many students, an endowment is often a nebulous concept with limited impact on their daily lives on campus. For some students, an endowment is the antithesis of nebulous but rather the critical resource enabling them to pursue a degree on that very same campus. While the impact of endowments is acutely expressed through scholarships and accessibility, it is also expressed across campus through operating activities, academic programing, athletics, and beyond.
In the Connecting Students to Outcomes Through Investing roundtable, participants will discuss the opportunity to connect students with the endowment and its impact through the development of a hands-on student trading program. From analysis to managing real dollars, this program will directly connect decisions to outcomes. The syllabus, or experience, could take many forms depending on each school’s unique circumstances but each aspect will connect the student to the endowment, how it’s managed, what it funds, how it is built, protected, and how it grows.
Facilitators:
David Brief, Head of OCIO, Angeles Investments
Garry Duncan, Managing Director and Head of Client Development, Angeles Investments
Course Share through a Collaborative Network (CIC-OCSC)
Connect with Rick to learn more about course and program share opportunities within OCSC.
Facilitator: Rick Ostrander, Regional Vice President, Academic Partnerships at Acadeum
Cultivating Faculty Leaders
How can chief academic officers and deans navigate “the divide” between the faculty and the administration to mitigate the tensions that arise because of their different roles and perspectives? At this conversation table, participants will share effective ways to help faculty members develop an institutional perspective and discuss strategies for cultivating faculty leaders who are collaborative partners in achieving institutional goals.
Facilitator: Daniel Jasper, Vice President of Academic Affairs, William Jewell College (MO)
Developing and Evaluating Department Chairs as Leaders
The skills and attributes required to be an excellent faculty member are not always the same as those needed to be a departmental leader. What are helpful strategies and tools for developing leadership skills and attributes in department chairs? How can chief academic officers and deans leverage evaluation cycles to encourage leadership coaching and development? If necessary, how can they move a department chair back to a faculty role with grace and dignity? Participants will discuss these questions and trade advice.
Facilitator: Abby Hodges, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer, MidAmerica Nazarene University (KS)
Executive Leadership Academy/ Senior Leadership Academy
Join the AALI team to discuss the AALI/CIC Executive Leadership Academy (ELA) and Senior Leadership Academy (SLA). ELA prepares current vice presidents to consider a presidential role, and SLA prepares administrators for cabinet-level positions.
Facilitators:
Javier Cevallos, President, American Academic Leadership Institute
Tara Hart, Assistant Director, American Academic Leadership Institute
Faculty Workload Considerations
How do CIC colleges and universities weigh the multiple responsibilities of faculty members as teachers, scholars, and campus contributors in developing workload policies? What factors need to be considered in ensuring equity in workload within departments and across the institution? Nebraska Wesleyan’s leadership team will discuss challenges and best practices from their campus experience and invite participants to share how their institutions are resolving faculty workload issues.
Facilitators:
Graciela Caneiro-Livingston, Provost, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Jodi Ryter, Dean of Undergraduate Programs, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Inclusive Leadership: Navigating Racial and Gender Diversity as an Academic Leader
In recent years higher education has celebrated the proliferation of women and people of color stepping into leadership positions. While diverse academic leadership is both laudable and a win for higher education communities, diverse leaders are often broadsided by community expectations, which can be exacerbated by unspoken assumptions tied to leaders who are the “first” in their roles. This table discussion will focus on how women leaders and leaders of color can lead authentically, manage expectations, and develop strategies to build community and uphold boundaries while thriving in their roles.
Facilitator: Kim Battle-Walters Denu, Provost, Westmont College (CA)
Launching an Academic Optimization Process
Creating a more “efficient” or “streamlined” curriculum with appropriate staffing levels is a priority at many CIC colleges and universities. The Muskingum University (OH) team will facilitate a conversation on what they learned about best practices for getting started, including productive roles for faculty members, the use of dashboards for data-informed decisions, and communication protocols at every level of leadership. Participants are invited to ask questions and to share their own experiences and challenges with academic optimization.
Facilitators:
Jennifer J. Dugan, Provost, Muskingum University (OH)
Paul Szalay, Chair, Division of Natural, Applied, and Health Sciences, Muskingum University (OH)
Managing the Unexpected
It’s not unusual for chief academic officers and their team members to start the day (or week, or semester) with a game plan, only to see it derailed by something unexpected. Although dealing with such an interruption is part of the leadership role, it still poses challenges to what academic leaders can do, how they do it, and even how they feel. St. Olaf College (MN)’s leadership team invites participants to join them in a conversation about disruptions, how to think about and deal with them, and whether they might be golden opportunities in disguise.
Facilitators:
Jason Engbrecht, Associate Provost, St. Olaf College (MN)
Marci Sortor, Provost, St. Olaf College (MN)
Mission-Based Budgeting
What is mission-based budgeting? What are its advantages for independent colleges and universities? Southeastern University (FL)’s chief academic officer will share her experience with a successful mission-based budgeting process. Participants are invited to ask questions and to discuss how their own institutions can ensure that budget processes and financial strategies reflect and support their mission.
Facilitator: Meghan Griffin, Provost and Senior Vice President, Southeastern University (FL)
Navigating a Presidential Transition: Opportunities and Challenges
As the average tenure of a college/university president continues to shrink, many CIC campuses are gearing up for or adjusting to a presidential transition. Whether the transition is planned or unexpected, the chief academic officer plays a critical role in communicating with the community, addressing concerns and anxiety, and supporting the successful onboarding of the new president. Join a discussion of effective strategies, pitfalls to avoid, and the essential role CAOs have in guiding the campus community during the transition.
Facilitator: Lynda Szymanski, Vice President for Academic Affairs, William Peace University (NC)
Nurturing Enrollment: Enhancing Tech Experiences for Student Retention
In partnership with Inside Higher Ed, Collegis Education surveyed 450 students (both graduate and undergrad) to gauge the impact of the higher ed technology experience on our end users. An alarming 41% of students said the tech issues they experienced can affect their decision to enroll in another term.
In this session, we’ll share what students said about connection issues, technical support, early engagement, and digital communications. Participants will learn what tech experiences created the most friction for learners, how that frustration could impact retention rates, and what improvements you can make to your technology ecosystem to safeguard your enrollment numbers.
Facilitator: Tracy Chapman, Chief Academic Officer, Collegis Education
Post-Covid Changes to Academic Support Services
How are CIC colleges and universities changing their academic support services to meet increasing student needs such as growing mental health concerns, accommodation requests, and general decline in academic preparedness? How are they assisting faculty members to understand and navigate these student challenges? Participants will share their campus experiences and exchange information and advice on creative solutions.
Facilitator: Aly Williams, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer, Indiana Wesleyan University (IN)
Strategies for Academic Leaders to Increase Funding for Strategic Projects Through Congressionally Directed Spending
This roundtable will facilitate a discussion about strategies for CIC academic leaders to increase funding for strategic projects through Congressionally Directed Spending (formerly known as earmarks). The roundtable will cover a variety of common questions around the upcoming Congressionally Directed Spending process: (1) Developing a relationship with members of Congress; (2) Understanding the types of funding CIC institutions have successfully secured through the Congressionally Directed Spending process; (3) Navigating the art and science of packaging and selling a project idea to members of Congress; and (4) Engaging with community partners and influential stakeholders to enhance the project impact.
Facilitator: John McAllister, Managing Partner, McAllister & Quinn
Success Strategies for Associate Provosts and Associate Vice Presidents
Reporting to the chief academic officer as an associate provost or associate vice president means an interesting work life under changeable circumstances, especially in an era of declining enrollment and rising expectations for what institutions should provide each student. How do individuals in associate roles collaborate with each other and their CAOs to get things done? What are effective time management and communication strategies for succeeding at the associate provost or associate vice president level? Participants will share their experiences and advice about challenges.
Facilitator: Kerry Pannell, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs, Otterbein University (OH)
Updating the Faculty Handbook Successfully
Linfield University (OR) is in the middle of a major faculty handbook revision process. Participants are invited to share advice and join Linfield’s chief academic officer in a discussion about timing, best practices, and the appropriate roles of the CAO and faculty members in a successful revision process.
Facilitator: Beth Concepción, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Linfield University (OR)
Working with the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees
How do chief academic officers at CIC colleges and universities interact with the board of trustee committees charged with oversight of academic affairs? What strategies have been effective in working with the board committee? What have been the challenges? Participants will share their experiences and advice.
Facilitator: Robert Norwood, Vice President for Academic Affairs, John Brown University (AR)