34.066 - Program Directors for Social Equity: Eliminating Barriers to Opportunities and Success

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

One challenge in today’s educational climate is serving in a position of leadership without giving into current leadership paradigms that operate from a market-driven deficit premise. Such models are informed by an oppressive neoliberal vibe where programs and their directors are expected to generate outcomes without inputs: secure their own funding sources; grow enrollment; and graduate students in a timely manner. Instead, each presentation here provides insight into ways to foster an ethical leadership that serves people in supportive and caring ways. Rather than “producing producers” (Deresiewicz, 2015), we resist such oppression by creating loving educational environments where students are provided supports to become thoughtful collaborators who stand in solidarity and work together to foster equitable, sustainable democracies.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Leadership for Social Justice

Chair

• Rachelle Lanette Rogers-Ard, Oakland Unified School District

Papers

• Maneuvering Neoliberal Directives to Disrupt Hierarchical Power and Discourse - Lisa L. Zagumny, Tennessee Technological University; Tessa Bishop, Tennessee Technological University

• Navigating Neoliberal Pressures and Program Coordination to Construct an Equity-Centric Program - Brandon L Fox, Stephen F. Austin State University

• Ethical Educational Leadership Within Academic Plantations - Christopher B. Knaus, University of Washington - Tacoma

• A Critical Program Director Exploring the Revolutionary Potential of Postmodern and Posthuman Ideals: A Self-Study - Lauren P. Hoffman, Lewis University

Discussants

• Bradley J. Porfilio, Seattle University

• Carolyn M. Shields, Wayne State University