Nearly 250 division and department chairs from 121 colleges and universities participated in the 2007 Department and Division Chair Workshops, held in San Francisco, CA (March 30–31); Chapel Hill, NC (May 22–24); Philadelphia, PA (May 30–June 1); and St. Paul, MN (June 5–7). Through case studies, discussions, and sessions on best practices, workshop participants explored topics such as using conflict for improvement, conducting difficult conversations, using data for program review, working with the chief academic officer, and navigating through the legal thicket.

Strategies for addressing conflict was the topic of one of the most popular sessions offered at CIC’s sixth annual series of workshops that focused on “Essential Tools for Leading the Academic Department.” “Conflicts are a department chair’s best friend—they are the events and energy that offer an opportunity to improve the chair’s department and institution,” said a presenter at the workshop.

Many institutions sent teams of three or more department chairs to build stronger interdepartmental relationships. Some institutions took the team-building approach to heart: Northwestern College (MN) sent a team of nine chairs to the workshop in St. Paul, MN. In some cases, chief academic officers such as George Forsythe, senior vice president and dean of faculty at Westminster College (MO), joined the team of department chairs. Other institutions were represented by department and division chairs at two or three workshops to gain the perspectives of different speakers and learn from multiple approaches. Chairs from Wheaton College (MA), for example, attended workshops in San Francisco, Chapel Hill, and St. Paul.

One topic at this year’s workshop focused on using data for program review, a subject of growing interest on many campuses. Presenters maintained that when chairs understand how to interpret data, they are more apt to make better decisions. Many chairs commented in their evaluation that the strategies they learned in using data were “empowering.”

Workshop participants also noted that the sessions offered “a good combination of theory and practical advice” that will be useful back on campus. One department chair said, “Most of us have never been trained like this before—the workshop was very beneficial.” The sessions on conducting difficult conversations especially proved to be “a growth area for chairs” with “good tips and suggestions for handling such conversations in a professional manner.”

Jane Jakoubek, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty at Monmouth College (IL) and one of the speakers on “Using Conflict for Improvement,” clarified the difference between simply managing conflict and using it as a catalyst for change. In her view, “managing conflict seeks to remedy the immediate situation, soothe feelings, remove the source of conflict, and contain conflict. Using conflict for improvement seeks to see potential for long-term benefits, use the power of feelings to foster change, elucidate the issues underlying the conflict, and capture the creative potential of conflict.” She advised participants to view conflict as an opportunity to improve both the department and the institution.