The Office of the Provost works with the schools and colleges to provide faculty administrators with resources and training programs that will assist them in their work. Several of the schools and colleges also have their own programs, focused specifically on their policies and processes.
University of Michigan Programs
Provost’s Campus Leadership Program
This program, organized jointly by the Office of the Provost and the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, meets monthly during the academic year. It is for faculty on the Ann Arbor campus. In September the session is 1½ days and is for newly appointed chairs and associate deans only. It focuses on information such as the University budget process, working with academic employee unions, and managing staff and colleagues. The remaining sessions include all chairs and associate deans and focus on concerns such as running department/college meetings, creating and implementing a vision for the department/school, and faculty hiring. Program and schedule information is sent to chairs and associate deans annually in the late summer.
Program for Faculty Ombuds
This is an annual program for the faculty ombuds from across the three campuses of the University. The program provides skill training in negotiation and problem solving.
Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Leadership Programs
Academic Leadership Program
Each year the fourteen BTAA institutions that participate in the annual Academic Leadership Program (ALP) appoint a total “class” of about 80 ALP Fellows, who attend three seminars of 2 ½ days each. As part of this annual selection process, the provost at the University of Michigan seeks nominations from the deans and then selects up to 6 ALP Fellows. Nominated faculty typically include associate deans, department chairs, and other faculty who have shown leadership ability. With an eye toward preparing future faculty leaders, the seminars focus on “big picture” concerns and opportunities such as the future of public research universities, university budget models, and opportunities for increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. In addition, the programs help faculty leaders develop skills in areas such as communicating with internal and external stakeholders, negotiation, supporting faculty development.
Departmental Executive Officers Program
This annual BTAA program involves one 2-day session in Chicago. The program focuses on issues such as faculty personnel matters, faculty evaluation, time management, and other administrative concerns. The University of Michigan sends 4-6 faculty members who are department chairs or program directors to the program each year. Faculty members are nominated by their deans, with the provost’s office selecting the participants each year.