Butler Center announces spring events

The Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence announces a spring program filled with initiatives for professional growth and advancement, opportunities for building networks and celebration of women’s leadership.

The semester will feature the Third Annual Conference for Associate Professors and continue the faculty support initiatives, the Support Circle and the Coaching and Resource Network. The center also will co-organize a set of special events named Courageous Conversations, focusing on how to participate in discussion of social justice and move that discussion to action.

“As in past semesters, the spring (2021) lineup from the Butler Center is intended to engage our campus in conversations about current and meaningful topics,” says Mangala Subramaniam, professor and director of the Butler Center. “At the same time, our initiatives address cultural and structural matters and reflect our commitment to faculty success and leadership. I hope everyone on campus will participate.”

At the current time, all events open to the campus community will be virtual events requiring registration. Event announcements will be made in Purdue Today and sent to the center’s email list about 10 days in advance. Registrants will receive a link for joining the event. All times are Eastern.

A downloadable spring schedule is available. It includes more details and the names of scheduled speakers and panelists. Also available are guidelines for speakers and guidelines for attendees to have a successful experience using Zoom virtual technology.

JANUARY

Jan. 25 (M), noon-1:30 p.m. — Reception: Meet Support Circle Faculty Allies. The center’s Support Circle is a support to all instructors on campus for coping with the current stresses of COVID-19 and strife over racial injustice. The faculty allies are tenured professors who have completed training related to their role.

Jan. 27 (W), noon-1:30 p.m. — Dialogue: Being an Ally and Better Leader by Investing in Others. Mita Mallick, head of inclusion, equity and impact at Carta; and Jonathan Atwood, purpose driven communications and public affairs leader. This session will explore ways to establish and sustain a sponsor-protégé relationship and how it may overlap with the mentor-mentee relationship.

FEBRUARY

Feb. 2 (Tu), 11 a.m.-noon — Invitation-only meeting with the provost. For members and mentees of the Coaching and Resource Network and faculty allies in the Support Circle. This will provide a chance to discuss faculty well-being with and ask questions of Jay Akridge, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity.

Feb. 9 (Tu), 11:30 am.-1:30 p.m. — Workshop: How Can You Engage in Courageous Dialogues? This workshop is a precursor to the Courageous Conversations sessions Feb. 16, Feb. 23, March 31 and April 7. Participants will learn about a process of engaging in courageous conversation with openness, authenticity, respect, responsibility and flexibility. Conducted by LeaderShape, the workshop will be limited to 60 participants. Participation in this workshop is not required for participation in the Courageous Conversations sessions.

Feb. 16 (Tu), noon-1:30 p.m. — Courageous Conversations: Social Justice in Higher Education (Topic 1, Part 1). This session will recognize that this topic can be difficult to converse about, and it aims to provide time to gain knowledge, broaden perspective and foster trust. This session will be led by the Butler Center. The series is organized by the Butler Center and the Purdue Policy Research Institute (PPRI) in Discovery Park, with co-sponsorship by others on campus.

Feb. 23 (Tu), noon-1:30 p.m. — Courageous Conversations: Social Justice in Higher Education (Topic 1, Part 2). This session will consider how to take the principles and objectives identified in Part 1 and structure next steps. The session will yield a summary report. This session will be led by PPRI.

MARCH

March 4-5 (Th-F) — Third Annual Conference for Associate Professors. The conference title is “Expand Your Sphere of Influence by Becoming a Full Professor.” It will have a keynote address by Ana Mari Cauce, president of the University of Washington; a panel session about promotion; a workshop on publishing; and more. The conference website is open with program details and for registration, which is free for Purdue faculty, postdocs and graduate students who use a coupon code obtainable from the Butler Center. For others, registration costs $25.

March 9 (Tu), 3:30-5 p.m. — Violet Haas Awards and Leadership in Action Awards Reception. This reception is open to all.

March 17 (W), 3:30-5 p.m. — Distinguished Women Scholars Awards Reception 2020 & 2021. This reception is open to all.

March 31 (W), noon-1:30 p.m. — Courageous Conversations: Future of Work and Well-Being (Topic 2, Part 1). This session will draw on the timeliness of these subjects in a time marked by COVID-19 and high attention to racial injustice. What do we seek and what can we do to gain it? This session will be led by the Butler Center. The series is organized by the Butler Center and the Purdue Policy Research Institute (PPRI) in Discovery Park, with co-sponsorship by others on campus.

APRIL

April 7 (W), noon-1:30 p.m. — Courageous Conversations: Future of Work and Well-Being (Topic 2, Part 2). This session will consider how to take the principles and objectives identified in Part 1 and structure next steps. The session will yield a summary report. This session will be led by PPRI.

April 15 (Th), noon-1:30 p.m. — Perspectives on Leadership from a Panel of Deans. This conversational session will focus on leadership trajectories and challenges faced by  those in leadership positions. The deans scheduled for the panel are five women at Purdue and three from other institutions in Indiana.

April 16 (F) — ACE Women’s Network of Indiana Leadership Conference. This conference has the topic “Lead from Where You Are.” It will  be virtual and live,  The conference includes two panel sessions; a keynote by Ashleigh Shelby Rosette, senior associate dean of Executive MBA and Non-Degree Programs, The Fuqua School of Business, Duke University; and a talk by Ted Mitchell, ACE president. Registration for this conference will open in February.

April 27 (Tu), 3:30-5 p.m. — Faculty Recognition Reception. This will be the Butler Center’s presentation of awards and end-of-semester reception.

In addition, a talk by Diana Wall, professor of biology at Colorado State University and director of its School of Global Environmental Sustainability, is to be arranged, and details will be provided in early spring. It is being organized by Purdue’s Center for the Environment and co-sponsored by the Butler Center.

OTHER RESOURCES AND EVENTS

Best Practices Tools — These ideas can be useful for faculty and possibly for shaping policies and procedures. The website has tools No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 posted. The tools provide best practices documenting how faculty research, teaching and service are impacted by COVID-19 as well as support, annual reviews and recognition.

Working Paper Series: Navigating Careers in the Academy; Gender, Race, and Class. The series will offer a special issue, “Higher Education and COVID-19.” Also, the call for abstracts for the Spring 2021 issue is open through Friday (Jan. 15).