Department chairs are essential to the management, staff retention, and atmosphere of their academic department, but they are often not provided with formal leadership training. A study led by Cinzia Cervato (Iowa State University) explores the effectiveness of a workshop series for department chairs to help them develop management, communication, and administrative skills. The researchers developed a virtual workshop series for department chairs from four research-intensive universities. Running between 2020 and 2023, these workshops covered topics such as conducting faculty evaluations, building an equitable department, and dealing with faculty incivility. Reflecting on the success of these workshops, the researchers conclude by highlighting the importance of providing targeted professional development to department chairs.
