2020 Department Chairs Webinar Series

In 2020, the Teagle Foundation sponsored a series of online seminars to support history department chairs through the transitions and uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The seminars were organized by AHA staff in collaboration with Elizabeth Lehfeldt, dean of the Mandel Honors College and Mandel Professor in Humanities at Cleveland State University.

 

Making the Case for History: Curriculum, Enrollments, and Advocacy

December 10, 2020
David Messenger (Univ. of South Alabama)

Making the Case for History: Curriculum, Enrollments, and Advocacy

November 17, 2020
Randi Storch (State Univ. of New York, Coll. at Cortland)

A Primer for New Chairs

October 15, 2020
Elizabeth Drummond (Loyola Marymount Univ.)
Discussion topics include identifying the foremost concerns for new chairs; identifying key resources and allies at your institution; strategizing how to lead a department when everything is remote.

Advocating for History and the Humanities

September 8, 2020
Tim Schmitz (Wofford Coll.)
Discussion topics include advocating for history with upper administration against the backdrop of budget cuts; working with other allied departments to make the case for the humanities.

Supporting Graduate Students

September 1, 2020
Katrin Schultheiss (George Washington Univ.)
Discussion topics include how to support graduate student research and teaching during the pandemic; how to build community among graduate students; how PhD and MA programs might look during the pandemic.

How to be Human in a Crisis, or How to Support Faculty and Student Needs while Taking Care of Yourself

August 25, 2020
Ann Waltner (Univ. of Minnesota)
Discussion topics include time management; setting expectations; juggling the demands of students, faculty, teaching, and research.

Supporting Faculty in the Transition to Online and Hybrid Teaching

August 20, 2020
Laura McEnaney (Whittier College)
Discussion topics include the role of teaching evaluations and balancing the extra effort needed to work online and hybrid; safety in online discussions and work; zoom management; the impact of online teaching with student experience, especially for majors and gen ed populations; requirements for research in the major with library and archive access uncertain, etc.

Enrollments, Retention, and Curricular Design at Regional Public Universities

August 18, 2020
Amy Froide (Univ. of Maryland, Baltimore County)
Discussion topics include how to build student interest in history; curricular opportunities (e.g. history of medicine); finding constructive ways to use online/virtual formats to build and maintain student communities.

Supporting Faculty in the Transition to Online and Hybrid Teaching

August 13, 2020
Liz Lehfeldt (Cleveland State Univ.)
Discussion topics include the role of teaching evaluations and balancing the extra effort needed to work online and hybrid; safety in online discussions and work; zoom management; the impact of online teaching with student experience, especially for majors and gen ed populations; requirements for research in the major with library and archive access uncertain, etc.

Enrollments, Retention, and Curricular Design at Small Liberal Arts Colleges

August 11, 2020
Darién J. Davis (Middlebury Coll.)
Discussion topics include how to build student interest in history; curricular opportunities (e.g. history of medicine); finding constructive ways to use online/virtual formats to build and maintain student communities.

Supporting Faculty Research

August 4, 2020
Paul Deslandes (Univ. of Vermont)
Discussion topics include helping to manage the research agendas of faculty during this crisis; helping faculty manage tenure and promotion processes and decisions during this crisis.

A Primer for New Chairs

July 30, 2020
Elizabeth Drummond (Loyola Marymount Univ.)
Discussion topics include identifying the foremost concerns for new chairs; identifying key resources and allies at your institution; strategizing how to lead a department when everything is remote.

Enrollments, Retention, and Curricular Design at R1 Universities

July 21, 2020
James H. Sweet (Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison)
Discussion topics include how to build student interest in history; curricular opportunities (e.g. history of medicine); finding constructive ways to use online/virtual formats to build and maintain student communities.

Supporting Faculty in the Transition to Online and Hybrid Teaching

July 14, 2020, and July 16, 2020
Laura Westhoff (Univ. of Missouri, St. Louis)
Discussions topics include the role of teaching evaluations and balancing the extra effort needed to work online and hybrid; safety in online discussions and work; zoom management; the impact of online teaching with student experience, especially for majors and gen ed populations; requirements for research in the major with library and archive access uncertain, etc.