Strategic Leadership for CHE Administrators in Communication and the Arts

Presenters/Facilitators: Diane Badzinski, PhD, Colorado Christian University; Stephanie Bennett, PhD, Palm Beach Atlantic University; Tom Carmody, PhD, Vanguard University; Denise Edwards-Neff, PhD, Azusa Pacific University; Ryan Hartwig, Colorado Christian University; John Hatch, PhD, Eastern University; Brandon Knight, PhD, William Carey University; Elizabeth McLaughlin, PhD, Bethel University; Bala Musa, PhD, Azusa Pacific University; Joy Qualls, PhD, Biola University; Kevin Schut, PhD, Trinity Western University; Dorie Shelby, MA, Spring Arbor University; Ken Waters, PhD, Pepperdine University.

Description: Please join us for this Administrator Academy for Christian higher education administrators working in Communication and the Arts. If you lead a Communication department or school or program in a Christian college or university, this workshop will provide valuable resources and opportunities to engage with other experienced leaders. Communication departments share many things in common with other disciplines, but we are unique in many ways. We are tech/media heavy, handle debate/forensics, produce theater, and are required to staff adjuncts in highly specialized areas. We have colleagues within our departments from very different traditions within the discipline. The diversity of these program offerings and traditions under one roof present many blessings, indeed, but also inherent challenges to the collective.

This half-day leadership workshop will feature presentations by veteran leaders with Q&A, breakout sessions, roundtable discussions, and an interview with administrators at leading Christian colleges and universities. The workshop will conclude with an implementation session to take the concrete knowledge gained to produce individualized strategic development plans for the year ahead.

Workshop topics include:

- supporting the Christian formation of employees, or faculty and staff

- development in support of the institution’s Christian mission

- building a positive faculty and staff working culture

- cultivating a positive and effective working relationship with deans and provosts

- modeling and supporting active scholarship

- hiring faculty and staff

- having difficult conversations

- faculty annual review and evaluation

- promotion, tenure, and contract negotiation and decisions

- dealing with problem students

- innovative curriculum development

- assessment and program review

- enrollment and retention strategies