The Academic Chairpersons Conference is an annual forum where academic chairpersons, administrators and faculty from all areas of higher education share the most successful, innovative ideas and strategies to assist each other in becoming more effective in their positions. The conference format includes concurrent sessions of interactive workshops, best practice presentations and roundtable discussions. The emphasis of every conference is to provide practical, usable information in a climate of open discussion and collaborative exchange.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
- Department chairs/heads
- Division chairs/heads
- Deans
- Academic vice presidents
- Program or project directors
- Faculty development coordinators
- Anyone responsible for directing, coordinating or supervising academic programs
ATTENDANCE STATISTICS (2020 In-Person Conference):
Total registered | 412 |
Female Participants | 59% |
Male Participants | 41% |
Department Chairs or Heads | 59% |
Deans | 7% |
Other (professor, associate professor, etc.) | 33% |
LENGTH OF TIME SERVING AS CHAIR
More than 3 years | 21% |
Less than one year | 21% |
1-3 years | 23% |
Not a chair | 14% |
No response | 20% |
INSTITUTION SIZE
1500 or less | 3% |
1,500 – 3,000 | 7% |
3,000 – 6,000 | 7% |
6,000 – 10,000 | 9% |
10,000+ | 55% |
No response | 19% |
CONFERENCE HISTORY
The Academic Chairpersons Conference was designed and operated by Kansas State University 1983-2023. IUPUI Event and Conference Services was selected by the ACC Advisory Board to plan ACC in 2024 and beyond.
The longevity of the conference can be attributed to the provision of great educational opportunities combined with strong networking between participants. Educational opportunities focus on leadership, growth and management, including a variety of pertinent topics. New and seasoned department chairs receive tools to help them deal with current situations and prepare for the future.
The department chair is a unique position on higher education campuses; it’s the higher education version of middle management. Chairs report to their dean while supervising faculty and staff, and they have numerous responsibilities related to students. Regardless of institutional size, the overall challenges for chairs generally remain the same whether they serve in private, public, liberal arts or research institutions.