
Heads and Chairs – Summer 2023
Boot Camp for new or recently appointed Heads and Chairs
May 23 to May 26
Synchronous Sessions Tuesday to Friday from Noon to 1:30 pm CDT
Two-Week Session for all Heads and Chairs
June 12 to June 23
Synchronous Sessions Monday, Wednesday, Friday from Noon to 1 pm CDT
This course will include approximately six hours of interactive synchronous sessions augmented by approximately six hours of online and self-directed work for a total of 12 contact hours.
Fees: $790 plus GST
Key topic areas
- Role of the department chair
- Assessing yourself as chair
- Leadership tools for department chairs
- Budget roles and responsibilities
- Promoting collegiality and managing conflict
- Working effectively with faculty, staff and contract instructors
- Assessing opportunities in the current environment
- Formulating plans and managing your chairship and yourself
Participant time commitment
- Approximately 12 hours including 6.25 hours of synchronous work.
Course description
Heads and Chairs provides you with foundational knowledge and skills to develop and enhance your academic leadership at the departmental level. Led by a team of experienced academic administrators, it draws upon both the literature and practice of academic leadership and presents it to you in a highly interactive setting. Join department leaders from universities across Canada for an exceptional learning and networking opportunity.
Heads and Chairs 2023
Due to popular demand, CHERD will provide two virtual offerings of Heads and Chairs in Spring 2023.
Fall 2022 meant a return to a hybrid learning and working environment. While this academic year is different than it was pre-COVID, the role of the department chair remains critical in this new higher education reality. Department heads and chairs, uniquely situated between senior management and faculty, continue to play critical roles in building and sustaining a healthy collegial unit within this new environment.
Literature indicates that less than half of new department heads receive any professional development prior to taking on their key and challenging role. Professional development for department chairs has never been more important.
This offering provides an opportunity for both new and returning chairs to learn and network within a pan Canadian environment, with two very experienced facilitators who have both served as department chairs in their respective institutions.
Delivery methods
There will be two offerings of Heads and Chairs to accommodate a range of schedules. Based on feedback Heads and Chairs will continue in the online format. The workshop will include interactive synchronous sessions, group work, content videos and online discussions, all contextualized within the current higher education environment.
Facilitators

Jonathan Malloy, Facilitator
Jonathan Malloy is Associate Dean (Research and International) in the Faculty of Public Affairs at Carleton University, where he also holds the Bell Chair in Canadian Parliamentary Democracy and currently sits on the university senate. Previously, Jonathan was chair of Carleton’s Department of Political Science from 2012 to 2018 and a member of the university Board of Governors from 2018 to 2021. His most recent books are The Politics of Ontario (co-edited with Cheryl Collier) and, Work Your Career: Get What You Want From Your Social Sciences or Humanities PhD, with Loleen Berdahl, He is active in the Canadian Political Science Association, where his most recent project was organizing the 2021 annual conference entirely online.

Loleen Berdahl, Facilitator
Loleen is professor of Political Studies at the University of Saskatchewan and executive director of the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. Previously, Loleen served as department head from 2016 to 2020, during which time she led her department through significant renewal and revitalization. Across the university, Loleen has played an active role in university and college committees pertaining to collegial processes, resource management, faculty relations, curriculum, and governance.
Registration
Register now for one of the two offerings:
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Starts June 12
Heads and Chairs Two-Week Session for all Heads and Chairs
Request more information
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Contact us
Extended Education
185 Extended Education Complex
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada