The University of Washington welcomed its newest cohort of department chairs and academic leaders on September 15–16 with a two-day onboarding designed to equip them for the challenges of leadership in higher education. The onboarding will continue throughout the academic year.
Hosted by the Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty, the program mixed practical guidance with broader reflections on the responsibilities—and pressures—that come with serving as an academic leader. Provost Tricia Serio opened the event with a call for “trust, transparency, and curiosity,” urging participants to balance the critical habits of scholarship with the collaborative spirit required to govern a modern research university. She was joined in the welcome by Fredrick M. Nafukho, Vice Provost for Academic Personnel & Faculty.
“I’ve come to see my job—and that of other academic leaders—as an opportunity to protect and advance the mission of our university,” Serio told attendees. She emphasized that UW’s ability to adapt over 164 years has depended on leaders who embrace diverse perspectives while remaining united in their commitment to higher education’s public mission.
The first day, held in person at the Husky Union Building, featured a sequence of sessions introducing leaders to campus resources and governance structures. Fredrick Nafukho, Vice Provost for Academic Personnel and Faculty, Deepa Rao (Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development), Marjorie Olmstead (Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs), and Chadwick Allen (Associate Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence) outlined how APF and their pillars support faculty development, equity and inclusion, and personnel processes. A budget overview from Scott Coil, Director of University Budget Operations, provided insight into UW’s financial landscape.
A candid panel with current and outgoing department chairs—Trish Kritek (Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs, School of Medicine; Interim Chair of the Department of Medicine), Munira Khalil (Professor of Chemistry and former Department Chair), and Zev Handel (outgoing Chair of Asian Languages and Literature and Director of the East Asia Center)—followed, offering lessons learned on everything from mentoring faculty to managing departmental politics. The day concluded with a discussion on shared governance led by Faculty Senate officers: Aarti Bhat (Chair), Rania Hussein (Vice Chair), Gautham Reddy (Secretary of the Faculty), and Louisa Mackenzie (Immediate Past Chair).
The second day, conducted virtually, shifted focus to resilience and compliance. Mari Ostendorf, Vice Provost for Research, led a session on sustaining research leadership during periods of uncertainty. That was followed by a comprehensive overview of civil-rights compliance and Title IX responsibilities led by Valery Richardson (Assistant Vice President for Civil Rights Compliance and Title IX Coordinator), Bree Callahan (ADA/Section 504 Coordinator), and Brielle Nettles (Title VI Coordinator). Their remarks underscored the legal and ethical dimensions of leadership in higher education.
Taken together, the onboarding highlighted both the technical demands and the human complexities of academic leadership. Speakers encouraged new chairs, associate vice chancellors, directors and deans to see themselves not only as advocates for their units but also as stewards of the institution as a whole.
“Your leadership is crucial to strengthening this balance across the university,” Serio said. “What you will do in these roles truly matters.”
Academic leadership is both responsibility and opportunity: to protect, advance, and inspire.
