The Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Academic Leadership Program (ALP) offers selected faculty the opportunity to deepen their understanding of key issues in higher education and leadership through two types of experiences:
- Fellows from all participating institutions will take part in an online welcome session and attend three in-person seminars at Big Ten universities.
- For the on-campus portion, Fellows will engage in informal conversations with senior university leaders and participate in various academic leadership workshops sponsored jointly by the Office of Academic Personnel and Faculty Affairs (APF). Fellows are also encouraged to share their seminar experiences with other university leaders.
Eligibility & Nomination Criteria
Faculty nominated for this program should:
- Be faculty from UW’s five professorial tracks (tenured, WOT, teaching, research and professor of practice).
- Hold the rank of either professors or associate professors (close to promotion).
- Demonstrate leadership experience and an interest in pursuing additional leadership roles.
- They may or may not already hold a leadership or administrative position, such as:
- Senate committee chair
- Department chair
- Center director
- Associate chair
- Associate dean
Each college, school, or campus may submit up to three nominations per year.
Nomination Process & Requirements
A maximum of five Fellows will be selected each academic year. Faculty who are not selected remain eligible for nomination in future years.
Nomination Deadline: Monday, April 28, 2025
Submission Email: Vice Provost, Fred Nafukho, vpap@uw.edu
Nomination packets must include the following:
- A cover letter from the dean or chancellor supporting the nominee’s leadership.
- A letter of interest from the nominee explaining their motivation for participating.
- A list of previous leadership programs attended, including dates.
- A biographical sketch.
Incomplete nominations will not be considered. Nominees must be able to fully participate in all required program activities. Faculty members with prior commitments that conflict with any program dates should not be nominated.
Program Costs
- Food and lodging for in-person seminars are covered by the BTAA (as part of UW’s membership dues).
- Travel costs to Big Ten hosting institutions must be covered by the nominee’s unit.
Program Schedule (2025–2026 Cohort)
Welcome & Introductions Session
📅 September 19, 2025 (Zoom) – Time TBD
Seminar I
📅 October 9–11, 2025
📍 Indiana University
Seminar II
📅 February 12–14, 2026
📍 University of Illinois
Seminar III
📅 April 16–18, 2026
📍 University of Iowa
For questions, please contact the Vice Provost for Academic Personnel and Faculty at vpap@uw.edu.