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Chair Support and Development

The Â鶹ÊÓƵÏÂÔØ Office of the Provost hosts regular networking and development opportunities for department chairs (and chair-equivalents in schools that do not have chairs). Members of Â鶹ÊÓƵÏÂÔØ's Provost’s Office also provide one-on-one support for chairs as needed.

Monthly Chairs’ Lunches

All chairs (and chair equivalents) are invited to working lunches, which are held monthly during the academic year, on the fourth Tuesday of the month, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., with lunch provided. Lunches typically feature a topic of common interest to chairs from across the University, often with guest speakers, as well as opportunities to connect with and learn from other chairs.

Topics for past lunches include: University budget 101; equitable approaches to assigning faculty workload; equity-minded leadership and decision-making; University resources to support faculty in their research and teaching; effective faculty and staff evaluation practices; supporting student mental health and wellness; and other topics related to leading an academic department/unit.

Individual Support

Members of the Provost’s Office and other units under Academic Affairs also are available to support chairs individually, serving as a sounding board and/or connecting them with other University resources. Additionally, chairs also have access to a range of offices that can provide support on specific topics. 

The table below provides a few examples of individuals/offices that can provide support on specific topics. The list is not exhaustive. If you are a chair looking for support outside of your school/college, contact the Provost’s Office, and someone will get you to the right person/office.