L&S Resources

The L&S KB is intended to help department chairs and program/center directors locate the information they need to effectively lead their units.  Many documents are (or will be) available in this database - but if users cannot find answers they seek, they should feel free to suggest documents, or send questions to the site's lead editor (Lisa Tew, Assistant to the Associate Deans, lisa.tew<at>wisc.edu). 

Prior to the beginning of each academic year (usually on the morning of the Tuesday preceding the first week of classes), the Dean of the College of Letters and Science holds a plenary meeting for all department and program chairs, directors, and department/program administrators. This meeting serves several purposes, some of which have to do with addressing practical matters essential to college operations. These include, but are not limited to:

• introduction of new chairs and key personnel in L&S Administration;
• sharing news of campus- and college-wide developments and activities;
• presentation of new or revised policies and procedures; and
• announcement of hiring authorization and budgetary developments.

The Dean also presents the "State of the College" address, which, in addition to celebrating the individual and collective successes of the L&S community, outlines challenges and priorities for the coming year.

Other Resources

The Office of the Provost provides and helps coordinate a number of services designed to support faculty and staff at UW-Madison. Under the direction of the provost, the university’s vice provosts are responsible for key areas of leadership that support faculty and staff in a variety of ways, and through a variety of programs and initiatives. In particular, the Vice Provost for Faculty and Staff sponsors specific leadership development "community of practice" sessions that include an annual "department chair boot camp" and "chairs chats"  These programs are intended to help new department chairs and program directors learn the ropes as they assume new administrative duties. "Boot camp"sessions are generally held the week before classes begin in Fall. Topics vary, but sessions are led by experienced chairs and focus on leadership strategies, developing connections to the many offices and units that support the activities in which departments are engaged - as well as the range of problems chairs may be called upon to help resolve.