SEC Academic Leadership Development Program (ALDP) Fellows
Overview
The University of Georgia’s SEC Academic Leadership Development Program (ALDP) Fellowship
allows faculty to gain valuable knowledge and experience in academic leadership. The
program is part of a broader initiative involving the academic initiative of the Southeastern
Conference, known as the Academic Leadership Development Program. The mission of the
SEC ALDP is “to identify, develop, prepare, and advance faculty and early career administrators
from within the Southeastern Conference universities.”
The goal of UGA’s ALDP is to expose faculty interested in administration to the challenges and rewards of such institutional service and to prepare them for potential leadership positions within the academy. Among UGA’s various leadership development opportunities for faculty, this program is the most externally focused, offering in-depth looks at two SEC schools’ operations. Whether or not a Fellow ultimately chooses to pursue an administrative position in the future, the program will, at a minimum, provide participants with a better understanding of University operations and leadership.
A list of past SEC Academic Leadership Development Program Fellows can be found here.
Fellowship Year
Up to four outstanding individuals are selected each academic year to serve as UGA
ALDP Fellows. During the fellowship year, they gather at monthly intervals to meet
with senior campus leaders and participate in leadership development activities tailored
to the cohort’s interests. In addition, Fellows attend two SEC ALDP Workshops hosted
by different SEC schools in October and in February. These workshops address varied
topics, such as conflict resolution, instructional initiatives, operations, budgeting,
emergency preparedness, accreditation, and accountability, and follow a format designed
to maximize interaction among the Fellows. Case studies, group discussions, and other
group exercises are incorporated into the workshops.
Selection Process
Individuals interested in participating in the SEC ALDP should consult with the appropriate
senior administrator in your school, college, or unit regarding nominations.
Senior administrators and deans of all schools and colleges are invited to nominate one individual each year for an ALDP Fellowship, with the exception of the colleges of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Education and Veterinary Medicine, which each may forward two nominations, and the Franklin College, which may forward one nomination from each of its five divisions. To be eligible, a nominee must be a tenured faculty member or have a standing appointment as service or administrative faculty. Nominees are expected to possess strong leadership experience, as well as outstanding records of achievement in their current and past positions, along with a sincere interest in administrative service.
Nomination packets must include the following:
- A brief cover email from the nominator (senior administrator or designee) transmitting and supporting the nomination;
- a personal statement (1-3 pages) from the nominee that outlines 1) the nominee’s interest in the program; 2) the program’s potential impact on the nominee’s professional development at this point in time; and 3) the nominee’s aspirations for future administrative service or interest in exploring this topic (attached);
- a curriculum vita (attached).
Senior administrators or deans should submit nomination packets as a single pdf via email to Ms. Sherri Bennett at sherri@uga.edu. The submission deadline for nomination packets is April 10, 2023.
Questions regarding the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program should be directed to Dr. Elizabeth Weeks, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs, at weeksleo@uga.edu.
