Online Training

New Programming!

Gain in-depth knowledge and prepare for the fall semester with hands-on, intensive workshops for department chairs:

Program Assessment and Curriculum Review
June 14, 2012
12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT

The Highly Effective Department Chair
June 21, 2012
12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT

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BOOKS

FERPA Clear and Simple: The College Professional’s Guide to Compliance

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) compliance has always been challenging due to complex regulatory language and exposure to risk. However, institutions that do not comply are in jeopardy of losing federal funding. Accessible and user-friendly, FERPA Clear and Simple clarifies the regulations and provides a ready reference for compliance and problem solving. This need-to-have guide offers critical and relevant material (including the 2008 Amendments) from a new perspective to help staff in student affairs, academic departments, and administrative support positions understand and comply with FERPA guidelines.

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JOURNAL

This quarterly periodical for department chairs and deans features practical advice, useful information, and up-to-date resources. Its applications, techniques, case studies, strategies, and guidance are directly relevant to today's academic leaders.

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E-NEWSLETTER

ASK THE EXPERTS

6/1/2011 12:00 AM

Meeting Management

From The Department Chair Insider, July 2010 – Vol. 2

Q. Is there symbolism in meeting management?

A. Given that colleagues commonly look for symbolic importance in any and all of our decisions, academic leaders can send powerful messages with something as simple as thoughtful meeting management.

Begin and end on time. Send the message that everyone's time is important and this meeting's topic is of sufficient value so that no time will be wasted.
Rotate facilitation. If this is an ongoing meeting, give everyone an opportunity to facilitate discussion. This lets all participants know they are valued leaders.
Rotate recording. If this is an ongoing meeting, give everyone (including yourself) an opportunity to take minutes. This communicates that everyone is willing and able to help carry the load, and also improves department efficiency because an assistant does not have to take time out of his or her assignment to take the minutes.
Create respectful communication norms. Knowing that faculty can be rather forceful and fixed in their views, emphasize the importance of having collegial dialogue, be prepared to lead by example, and establish healthy communication patterns by praising early instances of civil discourse. (Simply having people raise their hands and being called on by the facilitator is an effective way to keep people from talking over one another.)

—David M. Hellmich is vice president of academics at Bluegrass Community and Technical College.