From: Cheryl Regehr, Vice-President & Provost
Date: March 31, 2023
Re: Invitation to Apply — Provost’s Leadership Academy

Background

The Provost’s Leadership Academy is a new pilot program intended to identify, engage, and support mid-career faculty members with interests and capacities for future University leadership.

The Academy, launching in September 2023, will offer a two-year program of cohort-based leadership curricula and mentorship opportunities to approximately 24 mid-career Fellows selected from across the six Multi-Department and eleven Single Department Faculties.

The program consists of these major components:

• Presentations from senior leaders to increase Fellows’ literacy and awareness of the University’s institutional structures, mission, activities, and operations (including institutional priorities, governance, advancement, and budget). (Year 1)
• First-person accounts from a diverse array of senior university leaders on why and how they moved from traditional faculty roles into leadership positions. (Year 1)
• The opportunity for Fellows from across the University to meet in collegial and social contexts, to allow for shared reflection on what they are learning and on their own interests and career plans. (Years 1 & 2)
• One-on-one mentorship opportunities with senior leaders. (Year 2)

Eligibility

This program is intended for mid-career faculty (i.e., those who achieved tenure/continuing status at least one year ago) who have yet to hold an academic administrative appointment under the Policy on Appointment of Academic Administrators (i.e., not yet served as Chair, Director, or Dean). We are seeking candidates who are interested in learning more about the University while exploring pathways to various forms of academic leadership.

This program is intended to further the University’s goal to support and increase recruitment of diverse faculty and academic leadership candidates. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities.

Time Commitment

Fellows are appointed for two academic years. A high-level time structure is outlined below.

Year 1 (September 2023-April 2024):

• 6 two-hour meetings with the cohort and presenters (3 in the Fall and 3 in the Winter)

Year 2 (September 2024-April 2025):

• One-on-one mentorship meetings with senior leaders
• 2 two-hour meetings with the cohort (1 in the Fall and 1 in the Winter)

Meetings with the cohort will take place at various locations across the three campuses and will be scheduled well in advance.

How to Submit Expressions of Interest

We are now seeking expressions of interest for the first cohort of Fellows (September 2023 – April 2025).

Submission materials should include:

• CV
• Brief statement of interest
• Optional: Letter of nomination from the candidate’s Chair or Dean

Materials are due to Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life (vpfal.prof.dev@utoronto.ca) by May 1 at 5:00pm. Please use the subject line: “LastName_LeadershipAcademy”.