Department Head Series

Throughout the academic year, leadership development and networking opportunities for department heads, chairs, and directors are offered through RIT's Council of Chairs (CoC) meetings. These sessions provide a forum for professional growth, peer-to-peer learning, discussions of university priorities, and the sharing of effective practices in academic leadership. Additional information about the CoC, meeting schedules, and available resources can be found on the CoC Website. Additional leadership development opportunities available outside the regular CoC meeting schedule are listed below. 

Fall 2026

New Department Head Orientation
Orientation for our new department heads is conducted one-to-one in August with our Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs, LaVerne McQuiller Williams, Ph.D., J.D.
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Basic Business Essentials for Department Heads
Thursday, September 17, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m. in Room SLA/078-2140. This is an in-person session.
Maximum enrollment capacity is 30.
Location: Building 78: Louise Slaughter Hall, Room: SLA-2140
Time: 9:00 am-11:30 am

Whether you are new or returning to your role as an academic department head we are inviting you to attend the Basic Business Essentials program presented by RIT’s Institute Audit, Compliance and Advisement department. This program is filled with details necessary to the successful business of running a department at RIT. A number of our department heads have already attended this program in the past but are welcome to attend a refresher. This session will provide essential financial, employment, technical and compliance knowledge as well as tools in support of College/Department administration. 
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Spring 2027

Faculty Evaluations: Developing New Department Chair Confidence and Building Skills
Held in early February. Date TBA, Zoom
New Department Heads will receive an Outlook invitation.

Writing annual performance reviews is often one of the least favored responsibilities for academic unit leaders. Drawing on feedback from new leaders in previous years, this workshop will focus on key areas and questions identified by department chairs as essential for success. Topics include assigning performance ratings, establishing clear standards that meet and exceed expectations, writing concise appraisals, and supporting faculty while maintaining objectivity.

Join Vice Provost Christine Licata and a panel of experienced department heads for an information session and discussion designed to help you develop strategies for writing effective and defensible appraisals that are both summative and formative in nature.
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Effective Faculty Onboarding & Retention (Zoom)
Held in late March . Date TBA, Zoom
Audience: All Academic Unit Leaders

Presenters: Dr. André O. Hudson, Dean, COS  & Professor; Dr. Larry Buckley, Senior Associate Dean & Professor. Research shows that successful onboarding of new faculty leads to higher levels of job satisfaction, reduced stress, and may also lead to increased faculty retention. Join us for an interactive workshop covering guiding principles for effective faculty onboarding. Learn about the purpose of onboarding and the different approaches including the “welcome mat” approach, the process of developing effective and proactive onboarding. The importance of culture, environment and mentoring in the onboarding process will also be covered. Participants will have the opportunity to develop a framework that is specific to their respective academic units. Open to new and returning department chairs.
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