Ten Graduate From First Class of Provost's Leadership Academy

A woman in a green suit speaks to faculty seated around a table in a conference room.
Leadership Academy fellow meet with Provost Carol Kim. (Photos by Patrick Dodson)

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 11, 2023) — The first cohort of 10 faculty fellows graduated last month from the Provost’s Leadership Academy.

The Leadership Academy is designed to serve associate professors and early full professors in order to facilitate the success of the University's emerging leaders. The goals are three-fold: to increase knowledge about UAlbany and enhance a comprehensive understanding of university academic, governance and administrative functions; to provide leadership training to develop faculty leaders and voices for UAlbany’s future; and to facilitate excellence in scholarship, teaching and service.

“Leadership development is our goal with this program. We teach our fellows leadership skills and introduce them to the many facets of UAlbany,” Provost Carol Kim said. “We highlight points of pride, how the budget office works. We introduce them to the leaders in our Research Office, our Office of General Counsel, the Division of University Advancement.”

The inaugural Leadership Academy began with a two-day orientation in August 2022, led by associate vice provosts Glyne Griffith and Christine Wagner. Provost Kim joined the fellows for lunch, which was followed by a conversation with deans Jeanette Altarriba, Mary Gallant, Virginia Goatley and Bob Griffin.

Through a series of six workshops during the fall and spring semesters, the fellows were joined by leaders from 14 different units on campus, each of whom described the primary functions of their offices and their roles and responsibilities as administrative leaders. The workshops also included discussions on leadership styles and approaches appropriate in different situations, as well as a look at opportunities and challenges each of the fellows may face in pursuing their own leadership roles. As a capstone project, fellows interviewed a prominent UAlbany leader to further understand best practices, and reported on their findings to the group.

In addition, associate professors met separately with Griffith and Wagner to create individual strategies and timelines for promotion to full professor.

On April 20, the fellows completed their year-long training.

“This first cohort of Leadership Academy fellows was engaged from right out of the gate,” Kim said. “We were inspired by their motivation, and we look forward to seeing how they continue to grow as leaders moving forward." 

The 2022-23 Leadership Academy Fellows are:

  • A group of 12 faculty stand in a semicircle in the University Hall atrium
    The 2023 Leadership Academy are (front, left to right) Yu-Hui, Youqin Huang, Mila Gascó-Hernández, Provost Carol Kim, Robert Miller, Alex Greer and Angie Chung. Back, left to right are Sean Rafferty, Kimberly Colvin, Julia Hormes, Associate Vice Provost Christine Wagner, Eric Hardiman and Associate Vice Provost Glyne Griffith.
    Yu-Hui Chen, librarian, University Libraries
  • Angie Chung, professor, Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Kimberly Colvin, associate professor and chair of Educational & Counseling Psychology, School of Education
  • Alex Greer, associate professor and of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security, College of Homeland Security, Emergency Preparedness and Cybersecurity
  • Mila Gasco Hernandez, associate professor of the Department of Public Administration and Policy, Rockefeller College, and research director at the Center for Technology in Government
  • Eric Hardiman, associate professor, School of Social Welfare
  • Julia Hormes, associate professor and associate dean, Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Yuoqin Huang, professor, Geography & Planning, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Robert Miller, associate professor, School of Social Welfare
  • Sean Rafferty, professor and interim chair, Department of Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences

A call for applications for the Leadership Academy for the 2023-34 academic year was distributed to deans on May 10. Contact Glyne Griffith or Christine Wagner for more information.