Introductory Track

Through workshops and panel presentations, the Introductory track participants will engage with the skills and tools they need to face the challenges of academic leadership. In addition, participants will enter into a supportive community of new academic leaders through their cohort, which is capped at forty faculty per year. This track meets monthly throughout the academic year and culminates in a two-day retreat in May. It includes a $3,000 participatory stipend and a $2,500 travel stipend for attendance at a leadership conference or workshop.

Eligible Faculty:

• Currently teach in the humanities or humanistic social sciences.
• Want to learn more about campus leadership at the department, center, or committee level. 
• May be on or off the tenure track. For faculty on the tenure track, preference is given to those who have received tenure.
• Administrative or leadership experience is optional.

• September 22:   What is Academic Leadership?
• October 20:        Being Attentive to Difference
• November 17:    Forging a Direction for your Unit
• December 1:       Setting Agendas and Communicating Decisions
• February 9:         Storytelling for Change: Using Data and Budgets in your Unit
• March 8:              Building Community and Supporting your Faculty and Staff
• April 5:                 Preventing and Resolving Conflict 
• May 10-11:          Offsite overnight retreat, Reflecting on Institutional Change 

*All meetings take place on Friday mornings from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, locations vary by month. Attendance is expected at all sessions. Please check your campus and personal schedules for conflicts before applying.

• September 23:    Becoming an Academic Leader - Mt Holyoke College
• October 14:         Building Administrative & Leadership Skills - Amherst College
• November 4:       Recognizing the Whole Person - Hampshire College
• December 9:       Developing Advocacy and Transformation Goals - Virtual
• February 10:       Providing Faculty & Administrative Support - Virtual
• March 10:            Enhancing Interpersonal Skills & Setting the Climate in your Unit  - UMass
• April 14:               Advancing DEI - Smith College
• May 12-13:          Offsite overnight retreat - UMass Amherst Center at Springfield 

Please apply by filling out the Google Form linked below. 

Potential applicants are invited to a virtual information session on the Introductory Track on March 20th at 4:00 pm. Email Bea Cusin (bcusin@fivecolleges.edu) to register and receive a Zoom link. 

Applications are due Monday, April 10th. Selected participants will be notified in early May of the committee’s decision.