CHAIR AT THE TABLE

Black Women &

Academic Leadership

| Research Collective |

chairatthetable.net

About Us

Leadership & Research

Consulting & Resources for Administrators

Chair at the Table is a research collective established in Spring 2018 as a peer-mentoring network. Members are current and former Black women department chairs at colleges and universities across the U.S. and Canada. This project considers Black women’s perspectives of academic leadership, particularly in light of the 50th Anniversary of Black Studies and Women's Studies (in 2019-2020). As experienced administrators in a variety of disciplines, our reflections and recommendations are a resource to re-define the academy.

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Consulting & Resources for Administrators

Our discussions, published in journals like The Department Chair journal (Wiley Press, 2021) and Palimpsest Journal (SUNY Press, 2021), are tools for faculty interested in administrative experience, mentoring guides for current chairs, resources for those moving "Beyond the Chair," and reference points for upper-level administrators who are working to diversify their ranks.

"A Seat at the Table"

Consulting & Resources for Administrators

"A Seat at the Table"

The dozens of scholars in this network have decades of experience at various institution types and now publish and present papers that collectively suggest a paradigm shift in the perception and experience of unit heads in higher education. Inspired by Solange's "Seat at the Table" and "Borderline (An Ode to Self Care)," this collective

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MENTORING WORKSHOP: january 8, 2021

Mentoring for Department Chair & Administrative Leadership: Strategies for Professional Development

This virtual workshop explored race, gender, and higher education leadership. Invited speakers were presenters from the Working Symposium held at Vanderbilt University in 2019. The event was free and open to the public. Over fifty scholar-administrators attended this professional development workshop. Registrants who are current or aspiring department chairs, academic program coordinators, research institute directors, deans, or provosts participated in a day-long retreat to share information about four topics:

1. Administration 101

2. Leadership, Balance, & Self-Development

3. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Change, & Transformation

4. Faculty, Staff, Students, and Community.

In addition to a Keynote Address by Dr. Sharply-Whiting, two sessions covered mid-level administration and next-level administration:

Morning Session: "Chairs at the Table" (current and former department chairs)
Afternoon Session: "Beyond the Chair" (current deans and upper administrators)

This virtual gathering built on the 2019 discussion and will be followed by future gatherings (check back on this web page for notification). Presenters previewed their articles that will appear in the Palimpsest journal in Fall 2021. For a list of attendees in the Chair at the Table network, see below.