Twelve campus leaders have been selected as the 2019-2020 cohort of Leadership U, which began in 2010 as a way to prepare faculty and staff in leadership positions to take on increasing levels of responsibility within their organizations. Now with its seventh cohort, the program continues to train forward-thinking campus leaders who anticipate future challenges and envision opportunities for success.
The program serves all areas on campus, with this year’s participants coming from Academic Affairs, Advancement, Community Affairs, Information Technology, Institutional Effectiveness and University Libraries.
Cohort members
- Dr. Michael Arthur, department head of resource acquisition and discovery for University Libraries
- Dr. Jim Bailey, director of strategic initiatives for the College of Communication and Information Sciences
- Jill Beck, director of Youth Services Institute for the School of Social Work
- Meagan Bennett, director of customer relations for the Office of Information Technology
- Dr. Hawken Brackett, director of prospect management for the Division of Advancement
- Dr. Chris Coleman, associate director of institutional effectiveness for the Office of Institutional Effectiveness
- Dr. Hee Lee, professor and associate dean for research for the School of Social Work
- Dr. Lane McLelland, director of Crossroads Community Engagement Center for the Division of Community Affairs
- Dr. Michele Montgomery, associate professor and assistant dean of graduate programs for the Capstone College of Nursing
- Megan Walsh, assistant dean of career services for the School of Law
- Dr. Victoria Whitfield, director of UA Early College for the College of Continuing Studies
- Dominic Yeager, associate professor and associate department chair of theatre and dance for the College of Arts and Sciences
This year’s program began in September and will run through August 2020. In addition to workshops to assess their personal strengths as a leader and develop their leadership skills, the cohort will meet with University leaders throughout the academic year to learn more about the University, its goals and mission and the leadership styles of UA’s top administrators. Faculty participants also are part of the Southeastern Conference’s Academic Development Leadership Program.
Leadership U, supported by Executive Vice President and Provost Kevin Whitaker and administered by Associate Provost Patty Sobecky, reflects the values of the Capstone Competencies. In the spirit of these values, the Leadership U curriculum seeks to do the following:
- Broaden participants’ perspectives on how the vision and mission of the University is realized.
- Enhance participants’ capacity for collaboration and relationship building.
- Strengthen practical skills essential to effective leadership.
- Sensitize participants to the influence of culture in the academic setting.
- Encourage participants to think critically about higher education and UA in a dynamic environment.
