Leadership Academy

Marshall University is piloting a Leadership Academy to expose the day-to-day management of higher education, particularly administrative roles and responsibilities, to a group of 25 faculty. Sponsored by MU-ADVANCE, this year-long workshop will focus on 15 topics, including “Managing Conflict,” “Budget and Finance,” “Understanding University Offices,” and “ FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) and Clery (Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act) Acts.” Understanding that Marshall is undergoing a demographic shift as senior faculty and administrators begin to retire, it was necessary to provide an opportunity for current faculty to see how the administration operates. By offering a quick tour of the menu of university personnel and offices, those participating in the Academy will learn the mechanics of the institution, as well as the resources and contacts to help navigate any future administrative issues.

The series kicked off on March 1, 2012, with the session “What is a leader in academia?” Dr. Cheryl Brown, Associate Professor of Political Science and a participant in the Academy, said the Academy is an “excellent opportunity to learn all the inner workings of Higher Education Administration. This is a great chance to meet with and talk to people who are doing much of the nuts and bolts of administrative work at Marshall.” In addition to the individual sessions, the group is reading the book “ Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership,” recommended by President Kopp, to gain an understanding of how to steer Marshall into the university’s next phase.

The long-term goal is to refine and repeat the Academy annually, to allow faculty members, who are nominated by their deans and/or other administrators, to get an inside look at how the university functions overall.

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