AAG Department Leadership Workshop

July 9-11, 2009, Wilmington, NC

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• Workshop Agenda (PDF)

AAG members are invited to the 6th annual workshop devoted to departmental leadership and healthy departments. The workshop will begin with a dinner on Thursday, July 9. Workshop sessions will take place on Friday, July 10 and on the morning of Saturday, July 11. For those able to arrive a day early, Doug Gamble, from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, will lead a field trip to explore the geography of Wrightsville Beach, historic Wilmington and the Intercoastal Waterway.

Learn from Experienced Department Chairs and University Administrators

The workshop is designed for all geographers who wish to make their departments stronger and more visible, but it is particularly well suited for those persons already in or expecting to assume positions of departmental leadership. The 2009 workshop will follow the format of previous workshops in having geographers who have served as department heads and university administrators start each session with comments regarding the session’s focus but with most time devoted to question and answer and discussion among all participants. Time will be allocated for informal sessions in which participants can exchange ideas and experiences with guest panelists and among themselves.

Workshop Panelists

• Susan Cutter, former department head, University of South Carolina, President of COSSA, and former president of AAG.
• Carol Harden, AAG Vice President, former department head, University of Tennessee.
• J.W. Harrington, University representative to the state legislature, former department head, University of Washington.
• Jerry Ingalls, Department Head, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
• Risa Palm, Executive Vice Chancellor, State University of New York.
• Michael Solem, Director of Educational Affairs, AAG.

Workshop Topics

The 2009 workshop has the timely theme of “Advancing Geography Departments During Lean Years.” A wide range of topics will be covered, including:

•  Engaging in effective strategic planning
•  Defining, measuring, and improving “program quality”
•  Identifying and acquiring resources to expand department activities
•  Fostering the professional development of faculty
•  Creating a positive, welcoming workplace, even in hard times
•  Assessing performance
•  Working effectively in a “hybrid” department
•  Effectively training the next generations of geographers
•  Preparing faculty for departmental leadership

Additional Information

Workshop cost is $265 and will include workshop materials, instructor expenses, field trip expenses, and attendee meals.

The Department Leadership Workshop will be held at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside hotel. The AAG has negotiated a room rate of $149 per night (single or double) for the workshop, and this discounted room rate may be extended both 3 days prior to and 3 days after the workshop should you wish. The hotel will hold this low rate until June 9, 2009. Please make your reservation by calling (910) 763-5900 or (888) 324-8170 between 8am and 5pm EST. Mention that you are with the AAG Healthy Departments Workshop to get the reduced rate. More information on the hotel, including the option for beach passes at nearby Wrightsville Beach, is available at www.wilmingtonhilton.com. A room-sharing option also exists for those trying to keep expenses even lower. Please contact Carol Harden if you would like to share a room with another attendee, and she will coordinate the arrangements.

Wilmington, North Carolina is a charming, historic coastal town. If you are traveling by air, you may choose to fly directly to Wilmington, or you might increase your flight options by flying to Raleigh and driving to Wilmington (2 hour drive).

If you have questions about the organization or content of the 2009 AAG Departmental Leadership Workshop, contact AAG Vice President, Carol Harden, at charden@utk.edu.

If you have questions about workshop registration or other logistical issues related to the AAG Departmental Leadership workshop, contact AAG Conference Director, Oscar Larson, at olarson@aag.org or 202-234-1450.

Field Trip

An optional field trip will be available at no additional cost for workshop attendees on Thursday, July 9. The field trip destinations include a visit to Wrightsville Beach, where participants will examine the link between coastal geomorphology and the community’s historical geography and current development issues. Participants will explore a ½ to 1 mile stretch of sandy beach and be able to get their feet or entire body wet in the ocean. After Wrightsville Beach, participants will return to Wilmington to tour the historic river front and the site of the 1898 election’s racial violence and its recently installed memorial.

Register Now

About Healthy Departments

AAG Past President Vicky Lawson launched the Healthy Departments Initiative to strengthen the leadership and administrative skills of Department Chairpersons in the discipline. The project has organized a series of workshops to assist Department Chairs and facilitate sharing of successful strategies for maintaining healthy departments.

The Healthy Departments website is intended as a resource to assist Department Chairs and provide practical resources and information that can improve program quality. Because the Healthy Departments website will evolve over time and will have new information added on an ongoing basis, the AAG invites suggestions for additional resources to be included.