As the higher education landscape shifts and changes, academic institutions continue to evaluate which programs they offer and how those programs are structured.

All faculty and academic leaders can benefit from preparing for and learning about academic restructurings. Attend this webinar whether you’re in the thick of the process and looking for helpful insights now, or if you’re looking to bolster and grow your program so it’s better positioned for a future reorganization.

Each of our three presenters have navigated academic reorganizations themselves. They will share:

• Needs, issues, and opportunities that can occur during a restructuring or renaming process;
• Strategies to manage those needs, issues, and opportunities; and  
• Proactive ways to strengthen your program before a reorganization or cuts to faculty and programs arise.

Understanding & Responding to a Reorganization

Presenter Lawrence G. Shelton, Ph.D., will address how faculty and program leaders may respond to an organizational restructuring. He’ll illustrate how to apply developmental and ecological perspectives to understand transitions in the academic ecosystem, and how those transitions can impact faculty and your program both positively and negatively. These perspectives will help faculty and leaders prepare for and adjust during reorganizations, and to resist or reduce detrimental consequences.

Anticipating & Adapting to the Unexpected

Presenter Sharon N. Obasi, Ph.D., will provide insights into and examples of factors you may not otherwise anticipate that could impact the restructuring and reorganization process — for instance, navigating change from a resourced unit to an under-resourced unit. This head start on “expecting the unexpected” will support strategic thinking and ultimately make the restructuring process more efficient and effective.

Avoiding the Chopping Block: Proactively Strengthening Your Program

Presenter Sterling K. Wall, Ph.D., CFLE, will provide insights into increasing the value of your program before a reorganization occurs. He’ll share how his self-proclaimed “tiny” Family and Consumer Sciences unit not only avoided the chopping block but became one of only eight programs at the university to grow during a time of cuts and reorganization. Reflecting on what was a difficult time for everyone on campus, Dr. Wall will share lessons learned and highlight a few things he would do differently in hindsight.

By the end of the webinar, attendees will be able to:

• Prepare for, manage, and adjust during an academic reorganization by applying developmental and ecological principles to lead and manage faculty responses to change;
• Anticipate otherwise unexpected factors that could affect a reorganization process, and adapt to those factors to make the process more efficient and effective; and
• Proactively strengthen and grow their program to help prevent faculty reductions or program elimination.

Approved for 1 hour of CFLE continuing education credit.

Purchase/Access On Demand Recording

NCFR members receive discounts on all webinars, and free on-demand access to all webinar recordings one year after their live debut. Select webinars, like this one, are completely free for members. Become a member today and receive the full benefits of NCFR membership!

The views expressed in this webinar may not represent the views of the entire NCFR organization.

About the Presenters

Lawrence G. Shelton, Ph.D., has served more than 50 years in various capacities as program head, program coordinator, and department chair in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Vermont, where he is associate professor emeritus. He has resisted, suffered, managed, designed, and initiated multiple academic reorganizations at the program, department, college, and university levels.

Sharon N. Obasi, Ph.D., is associate professor and chair of the Family Science program, and director of research integrity (compliance), at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK). In these roles, she helped to facilitate the restructuring and reorganization of UNK’s Family Science program, which involved a program name change from Family Studies to Family Science, a department restructure and name change from Family Studies to Counseling, School Psychology and Family Science, and a college change from College of Business and Technology to College of Education.

Sterling K. Wall, Ph.D., CFLE, is professor in the Family and Consumer Sciences program at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. Dr. Wall has implemented several measures to grow and enhance the value of his program in the university landscape, in the face of multiple reorganizations during his time at his institution.  

On-Demand Webinar Recording

Unable to attend the live webinar? Your registration will grant you access to watch the recording at your convenience. This webinar is now free for NCFR members and Certified Family Life Educators (CFLEs), and $94 for nonmembers and non-CFLEs.

Classroom Use

Webinars are a great resource to use in the classroom. Classroom and departmental use licenses allow faculty members to share the video in class or embed the video in their online learning management system. Departmental use licenses allow more than on faculty member to use the webinar in their class. We request that links or downloads are not shared with students.

License for classroom use by one professor is available for $141 for NCFR members, $215 for nonmembers.

License for departmental use (multiple professors) is available for $194 for NCFR members, $341 for nonmembers.

Departmental license for CFLE-approved programs is $167.

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