Media Contact:
Dr. Leila Gonzalez Sullivan, 919/513-4870
Anna Turnage, College of Education, 919/513-0034

Dec. 1, 2004

NC State’s College of Education Offering Institute To Sharpen Skills of Community College Leaders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Department of Adult and Community College Education in North Carolina State University’s College of Education and the North Carolina Community College System are hosting the second year of the Department Chairs Institute, which helps develop and enhance the leadership capabilities of new and experienced community college department chairs.

The first workshop was held Nov. 10-12 at Craven Community College in New Bern. Two others will be held on Feb. 2-4, 2005 at Caldwell Community College in Hudson and March 16-18, 2005 at Randolph Community College in Asheboro. Spaces are limited for the other available workshops. The registration fee is $400.

The institute is designed to build the skills of front-line academic administrators in the 58 North Carolina community colleges. These leaders often move up from the faculty level and have little experience or training in administrative responsibilities.

“The department chair is the front line of leadership in these colleges as well as the source of candidates for higher-level administrative positions,” says Dr. Leila Gonzalez Sullivan, W. Dallas Herring Extension Professor at NC State and director of the institute. “They have a primary responsibility for curriculum, faculty management, student relations, budgeting and communication of institutional policies, and other tasks. Yet many have had no formal training to prepare them for these roles.”

During the institute’s 2003-04 inaugural year, a total of 81 department chairs, program directors, deans and instructors from 36 community colleges participated in the program. The chairs represented all curriculum areas, as well as continuing education, and attended seminars at one of three locations: Guilford Technical Community College in Greensboro, Pitt Community College in Greenville and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in Asheville.

The institute’s curriculum is based on the work of a select committee of deans from around the state who determined the competencies needed for this administrative level. Seminar sessions cover the history and mission of the North Carolina Community College System; how the system budget moves through the legislature each year; academic leadership with student learning in mind; communication skills; conflict resolution; nurturing faculty and staff; time management; personal survival skills; and managing change. Participants also assess their own leadership skills and prepare a professional development plan.

For more information about the workshops or to register, contact Dr. Leila Gonzalez Sullivan at lgsullivan@ncsu.edu or 919/513-4870.

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