Department Leaders Preconference - Thriving Together: Building Strong, Future-Facing Departments

Session Submission Type: Preconference

Description

Higher education has undergone numerous changes in recent years, requiring sociology departments to adapt and innovate. In this context, some departments are not just surviving, they’re thriving. How do they do it? What can we learn from their success, and how might we adapt their strategies to diverse institutional contexts? How can we move beyond the prevailing sense of crisis to foster community, hope, and strong, vibrant departments? This preconference will explore these pressing questions, offering department leaders practical skills and evidence-informed strategies to cultivate flourishing programs. Designed for chairs and directors of undergraduate and graduate studies, this preconference provides an opportunity to connect with peers, share insights, engage in skill-building, and develop strategies needed to thrive. Topics include:

- Strategies used by departments that are thriving across varied institutional settings
- Strategic planning approaches that foster growth and inclusion
- Building systems to minimize conflict and enhance engagement
- Challenges and opportunities specific to department chairs and directors of graduate studies
- And more!

Sub Unit

• Preconferences

Presenters

• Shelley J. Correll, Stanford University

• Heather M. Washington, American Sociological Association

• Brandy S Bryson, Appalachian State University

• Deborah White, Minnesota State University-Moorhead

• Sangeeta Parashar, Montclair State University

• Shameika Daye, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Mellisa Katharine Holtzman, Ball State University

• Wanda Heading-Grant, Carnegie Mellon University

• Shannon K. Carter, University of Central Florida

• Joya Misra, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

• Timothy D. Pippert, Augsburg University

• Celeste Atkins, University of Arizona

• Daniel F. Chambliss, Hamilton College

• Jennifer A Johnson, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Renee A. Monson, Hobart and William Smith Colleges

• David G. Ortiz, New Mexico State University

Session Organizers

• Margaret Michele Gough Courtney, American Sociological Association

• Mattin Avalon, American Sociological Association