What is the purpose of the WSU Higher Education Academy?

  • To provide a better understanding of the world of higher education

  • To provide personal growth and enrichment opportunities

  • To build relationships and networking opportunities

  • To increase participants' career satisfaction

  • To promote life-long learning

Who is the anticipated audience?

Many participants hold supervisory positions within WSU.   Some are preparing themselves for a supervisor role and others are primarily interested in a professional growth experience.  All, however, are interested in being leaders in higher education, whether formal or informal.

What topics will be covered?  The academy has four parts:

  1. Introduction/We Are Weber -- The purpose of the introduction is to lay the foundation for the WSU Higher Education Academy (HEA) and to provide background information regarding the larger community. Expectations will be shared by both the Academy and participants. Since no university exists in a vacuum, particularly if it is publicly funded, the larger community will also be addressed.

  2. What We Do and Why We Do It – The purpose of this unit of material is to give participants a grounding in higher education as an endeavor with its own unique values and traditions. An overview of the history and philosophy of higher education will outline the traditions that shape practice and, coupled with an exploration of the basic concepts of student development and governance, provide an understanding of the role higher education plays in American society.

  3. Getting the Job Done – The purpose of this unit of material is to give participants a practical understanding of getting the job done in higher education. The processes and issues of financial management, computing, and assessment will be addressed.

  4. Leading Change in Higher Education – The purpose of this final unit of material is to give participants more skills and abilities that will enable them to become better leaders in higher education. Topics covered will include the principles of leadership, driving influences for change, problem solving, fostering an innovative culture, facilitating team building, dealing with ethical issues, and networking and mentoring.

Detailed draft of curriculum

 

What are the expectations if I'm interested in attending this academy?

1. Attendees agree to do the following:

  • Prepare advance reading assignments and attend and participate in all sessions

  • Provide a short biography and a listing of expectations of the Higher Education Academy

2.  WSU agrees to do the following:

  • Provide a learning opportunity, a pleasant environment, snacks, and certification of completion

  • Provide networking opportunities, resource materials, and a form to fill in biography and expectations

  • Provide one hour per week of time to attend the academy.

I'm interested!  What do I do?

Sign up for the academy on the WSU Training Tracker.  To access the Training Tracker online web application:

1. Open your Internet Browser
2. Go to the WSU Faculty/Staff Portal
3. Login to the portal using your GroupWise ID and Password.

Follow these instructions if you want to include this link on your purple Links Bar to the left of your portal main page:

1. Click on PREFERENCES from the purple Links Bar on the left.
2. Choose QUICK LINKS from buttons across the top (under the word Preferences).
3. Click the box next to TRAINING TRACKER
4. Click the SUBMIT button at the bottom of the page.

Otherwise:

Login to the Faculty/Staff portal on the WSU web site and click on "Training Tracker" located in the "A to Z" index.

For additional information, contact Sarah Rivkind by email or phone (626-6388) and she'll give you the details.