Faculty Leadership Academy
The Faculty Leadership Academy is a monthly in-person development program for all first-year Chairs, Directors, and Associate Deans. The program is grounded in the four levels of leadership: Leading Self, Leading Others, Leading Teams, and Leading Systems. Participants will engage in dynamic activities and collaborative peer discussions designed to foster leadership growth, spark innovative thinking, clarify roles and responsibilities, and explore impactful strategies for guiding high-performing units that align with the university’s mission. Programming includes building trust, embracing leadership, constructive feedback, management, faculty mentoring, time management, and prioritization.
Participants will:
- Understand Their Role and Responsibilities: Clarify your position and duties within the organization.
- Learn University Structure and Key Contacts: Familiarize yourself with the institution's hierarchy and identify individuals who can assist you.
- Shape Their Leadership Approach: Identify your personal leadership approach and areas to improve.
- Master Strategies for Leading Others and Personal Well-being: Acquire techniques for effective unit planning, management, and maintaining personal well-being.
- Build a Strong Network of Peers: Establish meaningful connections and foster collaboration with fellow leaders.
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Date |
Time and Location* |
Session Topics |
|---|---|---|
|
Friday August 29, 2025 |
1:00-3:00 PM EPAC B 1.121 Edinburg |
Session I: Who We Are: Our Team and Responsibilities As a new leader, understanding the goals and motivations of the university you serve can be a challenging task. Learn about the UT System, UTRGV goals, administrative leaders, and how your leadership supports the university's mission. |
|
Friday September 12, 2025 |
1:00-3:00 PM BMSLC 1.113 Brownsville |
Session II: Embrace Your Leadership: The Balancing Acts of Academic Leadership Mastering the Role- Part I Leadership requires the constant evaluation of a series of trade-offs. "Do I lead as a faculty member or as a department head?" "Do I focus on the immediate or the long-term?" "Am I a colleague or a supervisor?" This session introduces the "balancing act" or "seesaw," a framing device that will help you navigate these trade-offs. We will also start to apply this technique to 8 key foundational priorities to get you moving forward. |
|
Friday October 10, 2025 |
1:00-3:00 PM ESTAC 1.101 Edinburg |
Session III: Mastering the Role: Processes and Strategy-Part II Starting a leadership role can feel like being lost at sea. This session will continue our discussion on essential knowledge, institutional dashboards, processes, communication, review, and a strategic framework to help you move forward confidently. |
|
Friday November 14, 2025 |
1:00-3:00 PM BMSLC 1.113 Brownsville |
Session IV: Understanding the Anatomy of Trust Trust is foundational to leadership; you can't lead those who don't trust you. In this session, we'll look at two key factors: an individual's willingness to trust (those who give it freely versus those who expect it to be earned) and specific behaviors that can build and even repair trust when it's broken.
|
|
Friday February 20, 2026 |
1:00-3:00 PM EEDUC 3.204 Borderlands Edinburg |
Session V: Feedback: Managing and Being Managed Managing from the middle requires balancing expectations from leadership while supporting the growth and performance of your faculty and staff. A strong team is essential to your success, and timely, constructive feedback is a cornerstone of building that team. Yet even experienced leaders can struggle-stumbling over words, softening messages, or creating confusion that slows development, delays promotion and tenure, or hinders unit initiatives. In this session, we will explore how to give direct, respectful feedback to both faculty and staff. By the end, you will leave with practical tools to strengthen your team, support institutional goals, and foster a positive, high-performing culture. |
|
Friday March 27, 2026 |
1:00-3:00 PM BMSLC 1.113 Brownsville |
Session VI: Faculty Development and Mentoring A substantial faculty development program benefits both new and senior faculty by fostering engagement that boosts retention, cultivates a positive culture, and builds long-term institutional value. Designing meaningful mentoring experiences is key to creating a thriving academic environment. In this session, we will learn how to develop an in-house mentoring program with support from HR, AI, and NCFDD, eliminating the need for you to start from scratch. |
|
Friday April 24, 2026 |
1:00-3:00 PM EEDUC 3.204 Borderlands Edinburg |
Session VII: Prioritization and Time Management Being an academic leader involves balancing departmental needs, university responsibilities, handling crises, and pursuing your personal goals and well-being. It's easy to feel lost and unproductive. In this session you will learn how to evaluate your productivity and discover ways to manage competing demands effectively. |
*All meetings are in person unless noted