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Checklist for Termination or Non-Renewal of Faculty or Staff

Introduction

As a Chief Academic Officer, you may have handled numerous non-renewals and terminations throughout your career. However, it is always beneficial to use a checklist to ensure you have addressed all necessary aspects. This checklist highlights key issues that can help you determine whether additional assistance is required, when to consult counsel, or when further action is needed before proceeding with a non-renewal or termination. Taking the time to complete a thorough non-renewal process, supported by proper documentation, can make the process smoother for everyone involved. I hope you find this checklist helpful.

Checklist: For Terminations or Non-Renewals of Faculty or Staff1

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Authentic Leadership

I’ve spent my entire career in higher education, primarily as a faculty member and mid-level administrator. Ambitious since I left my mother’s womb, I knew I was drawn to executive level leadership.  Throughout my tenure in academia, I grew more and more convinced I would not be selected for c-suite leadership because of one thing: my honesty. My approach to working with people seemed so entirely different to all the examples I had witnessed. Top leadership most often seemed hidden, secretive, and certainly not wearing their hearts on their sleeve as I do. I feared there wasn’t a place for my style which emphasized relationship building, transparency, and authenticity.

I was steadfast in my belief that I could only be myself and I interviewed demonstrating this.  To my astonishment, one (very smart) president gave me an opportunity to live my dream of serving as a provost. One of the countless strategies and tactics I employed when I began was to send a weekly message, often with a motivational bent, to my extended team.  The messages typically came from a personal space and included quite a bit about me alongside some academic theme.  They appeared to be well received and I would often receive responses from staff sharing their opinions and insights. As the years progressed, I slowly began to send fewer of these messages. I felt I had established a very strong relationship with my team and wanted to save them from reading one more email.

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