Upcoming VAuLTS Events

Please join us for the Spring 2024 NSF ADVANCE Northwest Regional Partnership Meeting.

The Conference

The meeting will explore the successful strategies of different types of leaders, and will include keynote talks and facilitation by Dr. Ann Austin and Dr. Jaime Lester.

Participants will:

• Learn the different levers for organizational change and their connections to different leadership styles in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion organizations
• Hear from experts and leaders with success at implementing organizational change
• Participate in discussions amongst colleagues to support one another in their own initiatives

Keynote Speakers and Facilitators

Ann E. Austin is the MSU interim associate provost and associate vice president for faculty and academic staff affairs. She previously served as associate dean for research (2016-2021) and the interim dean of the college (2021-2022). As part of the Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education programs at MSU, she has been selected twice to hold the Mildred B. Erickson Distinguished Chair.

Austin’s research concerns faculty careers and professional development, organizational change in higher education, teaching and learning in higher education, doctoral education, reform in STEM education, the academic workplace, equity and inclusion in academe and higher education in the international context. Her work is widely published, including her recent book with Sandra Laursen called “Building Gender Equity in the Academy: Institutional Strategies for Change” (2020).

Jaime Lester (she, her, hers) is the Vice Dean and Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. Prior to Hopkins, she served as a faculty member and Associate Dean in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at George Mason University.

With over 50 peer-reviewed academic publications and research expertise in organizational change and collaborative leadership—with a particular emphasis on faculty development—Lester works to enhance the school’s existing teaching methods, instructional practices, and leadership decision-making based on data-informed evidence. Her research has been funded by federal and private organizations and is widely disseminated in academic publications. Her publications regarding educational technologies, equitable workplace practices, and organizational change are broadly used in higher education practice, and Lester regularly consults on issues such as faculty workload, pedagogical innovations, and leadership. The overarching goal of her work is to examine organizational change and leadership in higher education with a focus on faculty development that promotes local and institutional change and highlights the importance of individual identity in creating equitable workplaces in colleges and universities.

Conference Details

When: May 13-14, 2024
Where:  Memorial Union Joyce Journey Room (104), Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR
Registration: Complete the form below to register for the event.
Registration Link: https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aXgikVUvOZnGbb0

Food will be provided for all conference participants.
Our room block is now closed, but those in need of hotel accommodations may reserve a room through the Hilton Garden Inn. For information regarding other travel support, contact your VAuLTS administrator.

Tentative Conference Agenda:

Day 1: May 13, 2024 (Noon – 9:00 PM)

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Registration, Lunch, and Networking
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Welcome and Conference Overview
– Introduction to the VAuLTs Conference
– Objectives of the Gathering
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM: Keynote 1: “Creating More Inclusive and Equitable Organizations: Strategies for Fostering Systemic Organizational Change.”
2:45 PM – 3:15 PM: Break
3:15 PM – 4:00 PM: Breakout Groups
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Break Out Group Report Out Session
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM:  Break
6:30 PM– 7:15 PM: Dinner at hotel
7:15 PM– 8:15 PM: Lightning Talks
8:15 PM– 9:00 PM: Networking Break and Closing Day 1

Day 2: May 14, 2024 (8:30 AM – 4:00 PM)

8:45 AM – 9:30 AM: Breakfast
9:30 AM – 10:45 AM: Keynote 2: Change Leadership to Create More Equitable Organizations: Why and How Both Grassroots Leaders and Positional Leaders are Needed.
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM: Break
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM: Change Leaders Panel
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM: Lunch
1:30 PM – 2:15 PM: Breakout Groups
2:15 PM – 3:00 PM: Break Out Group Report Out Session
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM: Closing Remarks and Workshop Evaluation
– Reflecting on the Workshop Experience
– Collecting Feedback for Future Workshops

Please note that this agenda is subject to minor adjustments, and participants are encouraged to actively engage in discussions, networking, and group activities throughout the workshop to maximize their learning and collaboration opportunities.