ACS Program: The Effective Department Chair

Department chairs play a pivotal role in shaping academic programs, guiding faculty development, and advancing institutional goals. Their leadership directly influences student success, departmental culture, and the faculty experience. For new and emerging chairs – or for experienced chairs seeking fresh perspective and ongoing support – the ACS Effective Department Chair program offers a supportive and practical professional development experience grounded in community, mentoring, and real-world leadership challenges.

This program is designed to help department chairs thrive – not just survive – in their roles.

Please click on each category to expand it.

Why Participate?

Why Participate?

Whether you are stepping into the chair role for the first time or looking to sharpen your leadership skills, this program provides:

● A structured series of monthly sessions focused on high-impact topics
● A small-group mentoring cohort led by experienced chairs/former chairs or academic leaders who understand your context
● A supportive network of peers from across ACS institutions who can share strategies, challenges, and practical feedback
● Actionable tools for self-reflection, communication, decision-making, and managing competing demands

The program emphasizes both personal leadership development and effective departmental management, helping chairs grow in confidence, capacity, and community.

Format and Commitment

Format and Commitment

The program runs from September to February and includes:

● Six monthly large-group core sessions (Thursdays, 10-11:15 am. EST on Zoom) led by a team of experienced facilitators from different ACS institutions. These sessions combine short presentations with rich discussion, peer collaboration, and case-based learning.
● Five small-group mentoring sessions arranged around participants’ schedules. These groups foster meaningful mentoring relationships, practical problem-solving, and long-term peer support. They are led by one mentor; the aim is to structure groups with participants and facilitator from different institutions. In addition to timely mentoring opportunities, the small group sessions may build upon topics and strategies introduced in the core sessions.
● Brief pre-session readings or tools to deepen learning and personalize the experience.

There is a $500 registration fee for this program. Please contact your provost or dean if you have questions about participation or the professional development funds available to you.

Please note that all sessions are live on zoom and will not be recorded.

Who Should Join?

Program Goals

Program Goals

Over the course of the program, department chairs will:

1. Reflect on their personal leadership style and identify areas for growth
2. Build confidence in navigating difficult conversations and delivering feedback
3. Learn strategies to lead a cohesive, collegial, and functional department
4. Understand how to balance chair responsibilities with their scholarly identity
5. Develop resilience and self-care strategies to sustain effective leadership
6. Explore ways to collaborate productively with senior administrators and advocate for their department’s goals

Session Topics (Core Sessions)

Session Topics (Core Sessions)
Thursdays, 10-11:15 am. EST on Zoom

● September 10 – Who am I as a leader?
DiSC self-assessment, leadership styles, adaptive communication, and personal growth planning
● October 1 – Fostering an effective department
Faculty onboarding, inclusive decision-making, mentoring, and leading meetings
● November 12 – Delivering feedback with clarity and empathy
Performance reviews, difficult conversations, inherited context, and asking for feedback
● December 10 – Balancing the chair role with your scholarly identity
Burnout prevention, time management, setting boundaries, and building support networks
● January 14 – Promoting student success and departmental resilience
Responding to student concerns, strategic planning, and advocating for departmental needs
● February 4 – Working with senior administrators
“Managing up,” using data effectively, aligning departmental and institutional priorities

Preparation and Participation

Facilitators

Facilitators

Linda Boland, Professor and Incoming Chair of the Department of Biology, University of Richmond
Laura Senio Blair, Professor of Spanish at Southwestern University
January Haile, Elizabeth Molloy Dowling Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Centre College
Fred LaRiviere, Associate Dean of the College and Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Washington and Lee University
Eric Smaw, Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Rollins College

Testimonials from Past Participants

Testimonials from Past Participants
At the conclusion of last year’s cohort, participants were invited to complete an anonymous survey to share feedback about their experience. The quotes below were submitted as part of their responses.

“I am MUCH more thoughtful about how I deal with problems (not so reactive, I take time to think things through). I am inspired to have a better working relationship with my dean. I have dozens of great ideas…”

“Going through case-studies and role-play did help clarify steps in a process (how to work through particular problems, how to deliver feedback, etc.). I don’t have another way to practice these skills so this was incredibly helpful.”

“I think the main way that these meetings were supportive were being able to problem-solve with a group of experienced thinkers who were NOT part of my home institution. I didn’t have to worry about rumors… It was a safe space.”

“I reflected on my own skill set and learned from peers how they might handle situations or have handled situations. I felt supported in my struggles and challenges.”

“Peer learning was such an important aspect of the small group sessions. I didn’t always feel comfortable speaking up in the larger group, so it was nice to have a small group that I felt close to. It allowed me to vocalize my questions, concerns, problem-areas in a way that I would have never done in the larger group. I learned so much from my small group.”

“The people in my small group were from schools with similar challenges, so it was helpful to have solutions-driven input.”

[This program] “provided many strategies for thinking about and working through situations involving students, peers, and administrators alike.”

“I would say I learned more from the large group presentations than from anything else. I appreciated the insight and compassion of the organizers.”

Please register below by August 14th. Please contact Shiree Williams at swilliams@acsouth.edu for more information on the program.