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Cross-Institutional Chair Peer Mentoring Communities

We recognize that the last two years have been particularly difficult for department chairs who have prioritized others' well-being over their own. Cross-Institutional Chair Peer Mentoring Communities (CICPMC) are designed to help with this.    

CICPMCs are designed to create support networks for department chairs working to enhance climate and inclusivity of diverse faculty in their departments. The networks emphasize sharing of resources and strategies via peer-discussions to support diverse faculty success and enhance sense of community and belonging. The CICPMCs are designed to reduce isolation by facilitating inter-institutional exchanges and reflective learning among chairs building upon the similarities and differences on different campuses, thus seeding fresh ideas across campus communities. Case studies and topics will be shared that encourage a culture of listening, awareness, and responsiveness to the concerns of women and racial/ethnic faculty that yield positive systemic institutional change.

Mission: The overall mission of the CICPMC is to develop a sustainable network of cross-institutional peer department chair communities designed to provide peer-support and guidance on resource management,  personnel managerial strategies, navigating institutional practices/cultures, ethical decision-making in tough situations, opportunities to share additional perspectives, and other areas as needed. 

Goals include:

  1. Initiating and sustaining a mentoring system that enables continuous and incremental department chair growth
  2. Facilitating a structure that adapts to current/urgent needs 
  3. Peer-problem solving to examine opportunities (growth mindset)
  4. Transient peer-groups in a timely manner, for example as institutions adapt to post/ongoing COVID administration

Please sign up to be part of the CICPMCs


We have three speakers in Spring 2022.  Each is offering the same content at two different times.  Please register for the sessions that best fit in your schedule.  Details can be found in this downloadable flyer.


Speakers

Dr. Monica Cox

Monica CoxBio: Monica F. Cox, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering in the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University and is the CEO of STEMinent LLC, a brand that houses a variety of STEM education offerings. In 2011, she became the first African-American female to earn tenure in the College of Engineering at Purdue University. There she was an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering Education and the Inaugural Director of the Purdue College of Engineering's Leadership Minor.

In 2016, she became a professor and Inaugural Chair of the Department of Engineering Education at The Ohio State University. Through her leadership experiences, Monica navigated turbulent environments, which led to the creation of the Stop Playing Diversity brand. Through Stop Playing Diversity, she offers experience-based guidance for people and organizations that want to move beyond performative allyship.



Dr. Kevin Gannon

“Evaluating Faculty Equitably”

Kevin GannonIn a time where resources are scarce, yet the imperative to hire and retain diverse talent is stronger then ever, department chairs play a crucial role in setting the long-term direction for their units. This session will explore strategies for chairs who wish to ensure their faculty evaluation processes are equitable and as transparent as possible.

Bio: Kevin Gannon is Professor of History and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Grand View University in Des Moines, IA (where he also served as Chair of the History Department). He is the author of Radical Hope: A Teaching Manifesto (WVU Press, 2020), and he is a regular contributor to the Chronicle of Higher Education.



Dr. Mike Perone

Mike PeroneBio: Mike is a professor in the Department of Psychology at West Virginia University, where he conducts basic behavioral research with rats, pigeons, and people. His administrative experience at WVU includes service as department associate chair (5 years), department chair (12 years), and associate dean for faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences (8 years).



Sessions

Dr. Mike Perone: Setting Precedents During Unprecedented Times 
When: Jan 11, 2022 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Dr. Mike Perone: Setting Precedents During Unprecedented Times  
When: Jan 12, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting


Dr. Monica Cox: Stop Playing Diversity 
When: Jan 25, 2022 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Dr. Monica Cox: Stop Playing Diversity
When: Jan 27, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)


Dr. Kevin Gannon: Evaluating Faculty Equitably 
When: Feb 28, 2022 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Dr. Kevin Gannon: Evaluating Faculty Equitably 
When: Mar 3, 2022 02:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)