Faculty Development

Academic Leadership Academy

The strength of any organization can be measured by the capacity of its members to be leaders at many levels. WMU is pleased to offer faculty and university professional staff the opportunity to develop their leadership skills through the Academic Leadership Academy.

Participants in the Academic Leadership Academy will be able to:

Better lead groups or organizations at WMU or elsewhere
Better participate as part of teams in which they are not the leaders
Better understand the cultural context of WMU and other institutions
Identify and prioritize challenges and leadership opportunities in realms such as academic, research, economic development, and social justice
Understand leadership literature and translate that literature into practical application

The academy is a year-long learning community in which the participants and facilitators meet weekly to engage with invited speakers, work through literature on leadership together, discuss specific situations in which leadership skills are used, and develop, implement, and troubleshoot leadership projects. Participants meet weekly on Thursdays, 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. The academy is designed for faculty and university professional staff at or above the assistant or associate director level.

Participants benefit greatly from both the program and the wisdom of the facilitators and invited speakers. See their feedback below:

“Participating in the Academic Leadership Academy has allowed me to make connections with those on campus that I never would have connected with before. This group has also challenged me with regards to thinking about my leadership style, how I can grow as a leader, and also how to handle difficult situations both professionally and personally. This has been an invaluable experience for me.”

“The Academic Leadership Academy provided a great opportunity to take some time to look at our university and my role at this university, how we communicate and get things done. I enjoyed our group discussions and getting to know people from different parts of the university.”

"The Academic Leadership Academy offers a valuable opportunity to step away from day-to-day responsibilities and thoughtfully consider our individual and collective leadership roles within the University. During our time together each week, we engage in meaningful discussion on relevant topics, develop and implement new initiatives in areas of personal interest, and explore ways to best contribute our talents to benefit our campus community. Definitely a highly recommended professional development experience."

Selected Topics and Readings from 2011-2012 Academy Fall
Topic	Readings
Kick-Off Luncheon Self Assessment Introduction	The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership & Credibility is the Foundation of Leadership – The Leadership Challenge James Kouzes & Barry Posner Guest: Mark Rainey, Ph.D.
Conceptualizing Leadership	Lenny, Lefty, and Chancellor Slaughter – Portraits in Leadership: Six Extraordinary University Presidents Arthur Padilla Leadership Ethics – Leadership: Theory and Practice Peter Northouse Addressing Ethics in Leadership – An Introduction to Leadership Concepts and Practice Peter Northouse
Leadership Styles	Recognizing your Philosophy of Leadership – An Introduction to Leadership Concepts and Practice Peter Northouse
The Context of Academic Leadership: University History & Structure	Evolution of University Organization E.D. Duryea Shared Governance and External Constraints Robert O. Berdahl
Systems Thinking & Strategic Planning	An Integrated Approach for Conducting a Behavioral Systems Analysis – Journal of Organizational Behavior Management Lori Diener, Heather McGee, & Caio Miguel Systems Thinking (and Systems Doing) – Performance Improvement Quarterly Dale M. Brethower & Peter Cornelius Dams Guest: Peter-Cornelius Dams, Ph.D.
Self-Assessment Interpretation & Reflection	Guest: Mark Rainey, Ph.D.
Targeted Leadership Development Plan Overview Leadership Projects Q&A
Organizational Culture & the Culture at WMU	Defining Organizational Culture & Uncovering the Levels of Culture – Organizational Culture & Leadership Edgar H. Schein
University Financing –External and Internal	Frank A. Schmidtlein
Pulling the Pieces Together – Leadership and Context	Case

Applications for the 2012—2013 Academy are due by April 15. Please send the application, a letter of interest, a resume or CV, and a letter of support from your direct supervisor or department chair to the Office of Faculty Development at Mail Stop 5268 or by email to faculty-development@wmich.edu.