Planning effective retreats for department chairs: Opinion

In a recent article from the Chronicle of Higher Ed, Kevin Dettmar provides advice to a new dean who is interested in planning a retreat for their department chairs. Dettmar writes that a retreat can provide an opportunity for new deans to get acquainted with department heads, while also helping department heads to build relationships with one another. The author recommends a variety of strategies to help participants form connections with each other, such as finding an off-campus venue for the retreat, providing catering to break up the day with a meal, and including a social hour at the end of the schedule. Dettmar further encourages new deans to take the opportunity to explicitly lay out their communication styles and how they plan to support department chairs, so that their new colleagues know what to expect.