In an initiative aimed at fostering professional growth and addressing critical challenges in academia, the University of Washington has launched the Dean and Chancellor Leadership Development Series. This program, designed for deans, chancellors, divisional deans, associate deans, and associate vice chancellors, provides a collaborative platform to tackle shared leadership priorities and explore essential themes in higher education.
Led by the Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty, the series offers an engaging environment for leaders to gain insights and tools to navigate the complexities of their roles. The inaugural session took place on November 15, 2024, with facilitators Mari Ostendorf, Joe Giffels, and Sara Curran from the University of Washington’s Office of Research. The session focused on “The Research Enterprise and the Importance of Building and Sustaining a Research Ecosystem,” delving into strategies for fostering innovation and maintaining a robust research infrastructure.
Future Topics to Address Leadership Challenges
The series is designed to address a range of topics tailored to the unique challenges faced by UW’s academic leaders. Upcoming sessions will explore:
- Navigating the research enterprise and fostering innovation
- Promoting campus and community safety
- Budgeting strategies across schools, colleges, and campuses
- Advancing teaching excellence and its evolving role in academia
- Practical leadership insights, ethics, and governance at UW and within Washington state
- Strategies for faculty recruitment, promotion, development, mentorship, retention, and tenure
- Understanding ethics, risk management, and compliance in leadership roles
- Strengthening advancement, development, and endowment efforts
- Examining the scope and impact of undergraduate and graduate education
- Enhancing global engagement, research, and societal impact
- Embedding inclusive excellence in higher education
- Exploring the Faculty Code and shared governance principles
The next session, scheduled for December 18, will be facilitated by Richard Cordova from UW’s Office of Internal Audit. The session will feature a discussion on “The Practical Aspects of Leadership and Ethics at UW and in the State of Washington.” Information on upcoming topics is available on the Academic Personnel & Faculty website. Email vpap@uw.edu to register for an upcoming session.
Participation and Impact
By creating a space for open dialogue and shared learning, the series aims to strengthen leadership capacity across the university’s diverse units, aligning with UW’s commitment to excellence in education, research, and service.
Deans and chancellors interested in participating are encouraged to email vpap@uw.edu for more details.
