Campus & Community

Four Faculty Members to Represent University in ACC Academic Leaders Network

Tuesday, October 22, 2019, By Kathleen Haley

Four faculty members have been selected to participate in the 2019-20 ACC Academic Leaders Network, a program through the Academic Consortium of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to cultivate academic leaders and facilitate cross-institutional collaboration among member institutions.

The four Syracuse University faculty members were identified in consultation with their deans and selected by Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs LaVonda N. Reed with Vice Chancellor and Provost Michele G. Wheatly. Associate Provost Reed serves as Syracuse University’s liaison to the Academic Leaders Network fellows program and also is a participant.

Those selected:

  • Melissa Chessher, professor and chair of magazine, news and digital journalism in the Newhouse School
  • Kishi Animashaun Ducre, associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion and associate professor of African American studies in the College of Arts and Sciences
  • Brian Lonsway, provost faculty fellow, professor and graduate director in the School of Architecture
  • Suzette Meléndez, teaching professor, director of the Children’s Rights and Family Law Clinic, and faculty director of inclusion initiatives in the College of Law

Fellows attend a series of conferences organized by the Academic Leaders Network and hosted by ACC member schools that build leadership capacity and highlight best practices in higher education policy and practice. Fellows tour the institutions and meet with the presidents and provosts of those universities, while attending presentations and networking with other fellows.

The first conference was held Oct. 3-5 at the University of Pittsburgh, with future conferences scheduled for Florida State University in February and North Carolina State University in May.

The ACC Academic Leaders Network provides faculty members with a way to gain valuable insights from educators at other institutions and learn about innovations in higher education. “This is a wonderful opportunity for faculty members who have had some leadership experience and are interested in learning more about paths in higher education to gain additional knowledge and see the possibilities for future leadership roles in academia,” Wheatly says. “The University is committed to investing in faculty development and providing ways for faculty to continue to thrive professionally and explore new roles that will strengthen our own university.”