About

The Chairs Leadership Program was started by the Institute for the Arts and Humanities in the 2007-2008 academic year. The College of Arts and Sciences recommends, but does not require, participation by new and reappointed chairs.

The CLP provides crucial monthly support and community for Chairs. This program serves in addition to the College’s annual chair’s orientation, council, manual along with the assistance of the senior associate deans.

Department chairs provide an important service to their colleagues and the university and sometimes face demanding and difficult situations. Chairs help form the strategic direction for their departments and manage budgets, instructional programs, and new faculty recruitment. They have major responsibilities for developing and evaluating new faculty.

Program Director: Adam Versényi, anversen@email.unc.edu

Adam Versényi is Professor of Dramaturgy in Dramatic Art and Dramaturg for PlayMakers Repertory Company. He was chair of the department from 2014-2022.

A theatre scholar, dramaturg, critic, translator, and director, he is the author of Theatre in Latin America: Religion, Politics, and Culture From Cortés to the 1980s (Cambridge UniversityPress) and The Theatre of Sabina Berman: The Agony of Ecstasy and Other Plays (Southern Illinois University Press), Ramón Griffero: Your Desires in Fragments and Other Plays (Oberon Books), and The Dramaturgy of Space (Methuen), among others. He has written widely on Latin American theatre, U.S. Latino/a theatre, dramaturgy, theatre production, and theatrical translation.

Programming

Modeled after the Tyson Academic Leadership Program, the CLP offers first-time and reappointed chairs a year of monthly, confidential conversations in which they can share ideas, identify best practices, and explore challenges related to the important roles they play within the university.

Topics for discussion may include the chair’s role in mentoring and evaluating new faculty, developing incentives and rewards for faculty productivity, strategic leadership and departmental goal setting, dealing with difficult interactions, developing new departmental resources, celebrating success, and encouraging a collegial climate.

Eligibility

All new and reappointed chairs in the College of Arts and Sciences are eligible to participate in the year of their appointment or reappointment.

Contact

For more information, contact:

Silas Webb
Program Administrator
919-843-2651
slwebb@email.unc.edu

Adam Versényi
Program Director, CLP
Professor, Dramatic Art
anversen@email.unc.edu