Entering the third or fourth year of service, chief academic officers usually have mastered the fundamentals of the role. At this stage, CAOs discover greater opportunities to lead rather than simply manage. What are the key questions CAOs can and should address at this stage in their careers? For example, how do CAOs balance attention to their institutions’ immediate issues with a focus on their long-term academic needs? How can CAOs attend to their own professional lives while also serving their institutions? How do CAOs work effectively with the president and other cabinet officers on strategic planning? Participants will explore these and related questions and gain fresh perspective on the next stage of their careers as CAOs.
Workshops require pre-registration as space is limited. The registration fee covers materials, meals, and refreshments. To add a workshop to an existing Institute registration, please contact conferences@cic.edu. Fee: $170
Workshop Coordinators
Sarah Ferguson
Vice President for Academic Affairs, Texas Lutheran University
Sarah Ferguson is the vice president for academic affairs at Texas Lutheran University. In this role, she leads the academic endeavors of the university, including all academic programs, the library, the registrar, and the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. She also works closely with faculty, program directors, and department chairs to implement Texas Lutheran’s strategic initiatives. Ferguson served as Bachelor of Social Work department chair for seven years at the University of St. Thomas (MN) and St. Catherine University (MN)’s School of Social Work and as the associate vice president and dean of faculty at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Over the years, she has provided trainings on clinical supervision, cultural humility in supervision, organizational culture, leadership, and macro-practice social work. Ferguson is a frequent presenter at the CIC Department and Division Chair Workshops. Her scholarly interests include nonprofit management and leadership, supervision, macro-practice social work, and organizational systems.
John D. Kolander
Provost, Wisconsin Lutheran College
John D. Kolander, provost of Wisconsin Lutheran College, has served as the college’s chief academic officer since 2004. Previously, he was a teacher and administrator for Lutheran elementary and high schools in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Kolander’s research interests include campus and organization culture, curriculum development, and leadership development. He is a frequent presenter at CIC’s Workshops for Department and Division Chairs and Institute for Chief Academic Officers and received the CIC Chief Academic Officer Award in 2018.
Workshop Facilitators
- Daryll Henry Coleman, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Lane College (TN)
- Ellen Goldey, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, Centre College (KY)
- Elissa Heil, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty, Wilson College (PA)
- Jason Pierce, Provost and Executive Vice President, Young Harris College (GA)
Workshop Schedule
7:15–8:00 a.m.
Breakfast
Broadway I and II
8:00–8:10 a.m.
Welcome
Broadway I and II
Jonnie G. Guerra, Senior Advisor, CIC
8:10–8:20 a.m.
Introductions and Framing the Day
8:20–9:00 a.m.
Higher Education Today
Sarah Ferguson and John Kolander
9:00–10:00 a.m.
The CAO as Cultural Architect: Opportunities in Leadership
John Kolander
10:00–10:15 a.m.
Break
10:15–11:30 a.m.
Managing Down, Across, and Up: Working Across Multiple and Complex Systems
Sarah Ferguson
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Lunch
Broadway III and IV
12:30–1:30 p.m.
Vision, Program Portfolios, and Strategy: Change
Sarah Ferguson
1:30–1:45 p.m.
Break
1:45–2:45 p.m.
It’s Alright: Finding Fulfillment as a CAO
John Kolander
2:45–3:00 p.m.
What Did We Miss? What’s Keeping You Up at Night?
3:00 p.m.
Adjournment