ADVANCED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
SECTION 101
THURSDAY 3:30-5:30 P.M.
FALL SEMESTER 2012
Watauga River Room
W.H. Plemmons Student Union
Course Purpose:
The mission of Appalachian State University acknowledges the significance of
instruction, both inside and outside the classroom and a commitment to the intellectual,
cultural and personal development of students in curricular programs and activities. This
mission is implemented through programs that "help students discover for themselves,
their capability for social, moral, and intellectual growth, and their capacity for selfreliance, interdependence, human intimacy, moral autonomy, intellectual development
and self-direction."
Course History and Background:
This course first developed through conversations with the Vice Chancellor for Student
Development and the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership. At the time, a
number of courses were offered in the area of leadership including introduction courses
in leadership development, applied courses for club officers, Greek leadership, and
others. What seemed to be missing from these course offerings was a class designed for
those students in significant leadership roles, whether appointed or elected, whose
responsibilities made them potentially significant “players” in the success of the
university. The course was developed with a number of objectives in mind. These
include:

Providing students with a “capstone” experience in the area of leadership where
they could understand both the concepts and context of leadership from a broader
perspective;

Creating opportunities for students to engage in self-assessment designed to give
them a fuller understanding of themselves personally and as leaders;

Creating opportunities where students who have significant, but varied leadership
roles within the institution, could have a forum to share information, exchanged
ideas, discuss issues and develop relationships which could foster collaboration
and cooperative problem solving among them;

Providing a forum where students in significant leadership roles could in a group
setting offer recommendations and input to the Vice Chancellor for Student
Development or others on a variety of topics related to institutional management;
and

Providing an experiential component to the course.
The content of the course has been modified over the years, but the basic mission for the
course, including the objectives listed above, have not. The participants in the course
meet once a week during the semester in which the course is taught (traditionally the
Fall). While not everyone eligible to take the course is able to, the course has been
successful in bringing together a significant number of those in leadership roles.
The group will continue to meet in the Spring semester in a capacity known as the Vice
Chancellors’ Leadership Cabinet. This group which is composed of those in the class
and others who are eligible, but unable to take the course, and generally meets once per
month. These “meetings” have included guest speakers, topical discussions, dinners, etc.
Course “Modules/Phases”:
I.
Conceptualizing Leadership: Students will engage in guided and self-directed
discovery designed to conceptualize or recognize their philosophy of leadership,
preferred leadership characteristics and practices, and the challenges these
present. To facilitate in this process students will:
 identify contemporary and historical individuals who the student finds
intriguing or believes reflects their own or their aspirational
philosophy or practice of leadership and, learn more about these
people through readings, conversations, etc;
 learn more about their leadership style, traits or practices through selfassessment and guided reflection; and
 evaluate the “compatibility” of their philosophy or style with the
organization that they are leading.
II.
Synthesizing Leadership: Students will engage in learning opportunities designed
to provide greater knowledge and awareness of the complexities of leadership by:
 developing a class project, in consultation with their organizational
adviser and with instructor approval, designed to address a need or
concern within their student organization;
 learning from recognized leaders through in-class conversation and
exchange;
 reading and participating in class discussions designed to create an
understanding of and context for the challenges of leading; and
 analyzing their preferred leadership philosophy and style by gaining a
greater understanding of the myriad of approaches that exist to
leadership.
III.
Crystallizing Leadership: Through a greater recognition and understanding of
their own leadership preferences, competencies, and limitations along with those
of others, students will develop a more complete and fully functioning approach
to leadership.
Course Structure and Evaluation:
The course is designed to be a seminar or discussion course. It will include extensive inclass opportunities for interaction and discussion, readings on various leadership topics,
and individual or group assignments. There is also an “experiential” component of the
course which is planned to include a class trip.
The course is graded based upon a traditional A through F grading system. The aspects
upon which you will be evaluated for the course are:

Attendance: as a seminar course, it is imperative that you attend every class.
When you miss a class, you and your classmates suffer as a result. You are
expected to be at all classes. If you have a conflict with a scheduled class, you are
expected to discuss the conflict with one of your instructors in advance of the day
the class meets.

Participation: seminar classes by nature are built upon discussion and
participation in class. There is no textbook for this class and readings will be
provided. In-class “work” includes opportunities for extensive discussion and
you will therefore be evaluated on your participation. Your participation will be
evaluated based upon your contributions (quality more than quantity) to the class
discussion, contributions to group work, and contribution or participation in the
experiential component of the course.

Class Trip: all class members are expected to go on the class trip and be an active
participant in the experience.

Class Readings: there will be various readings for the class provided by the
instructors or your classmates. You are expected to read these in advance of the
class and contribute your insights.

Class Assignments: as student leaders you are responsible for the continued
development and success of your respective organizations. You will identify
some area of need or improvement for your organization and as part of the class
develop a plan to address it. It must be related to your role as leader, be discussed
and supported by your adviser or supervisor, have some longer term impact on the
success of your organization, and result in a final product/activity. You will be
responsible for submitting a final paper at the end of the project that demonstrates
the impact of your work. All projects or activities selected must have the support
and on-going advisement of your adviser or supervisor, and be approved by the
course instructor.
Instructor Information:
Ms. Cindy Wallace
Vice Chancellor for Student Development
109 B. B. Dougherty Bldg.
wallaceca@appstate.edu
262-2060
Mr. Dino DiBernardi
Associate Vice Chancellor
109 B. B. Dougherty Bldg.
dibernardibj@appstate.edu
262-2060
As a community of learners at Appalachian State University, we must create an
atmosphere of honesty, fairness, and responsibility, without which we cannot earn the
trust and respect of each other. Furthermore, we recognize that academic dishonesty
detracts from the value of an Appalachian degree. Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying,
cheating, or stealing in any form and will oppose any instance of academic
dishonesty. This course will follow the provisions of the Academic Integrity Code, which
can be found on the Office of Student Conduct Web Site:
www.studentconduct.appstate.edu.
Appalachian State University is committed to making reasonable accommodations for
individuals with documented qualifying disabilities in accordance with the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Those
seeking accommodations based on a substantially limiting disability must contact and
register with The Office of Disability Services (ODS) at http://www.ods.appstate.edu/ or
828-262-3056. Once registration is complete, individuals will meet with ODS staff to
discuss eligibility and appropriate accommodations.
In its mission statement, Appalachian State University aims at “providing undergraduate
students a rigorous liberal education that emphasizes transferable skills and preparation
for professional careers” as well as “maintaining a faculty whose members serve as
excellent teachers and scholarly mentors for their students.” Such rigor means that the
foremost activity of Appalachian students is an intense engagement with their courses. In
practical terms, students should expect to spend two to three hours of studying for every
hour of class time. Hence, a fifteen hour academic load might reasonably require
between 30 and 45 hours per week of out-of-class work. This statement has been
approved by the Faculty Senate and the Academic Policies and Procedures Committee.
HPC4300 Advanced Leadership Development
Tentative Course Schedule
Fall 2012
August 21, 2012
Introductions, course syllabus review and expectations, and
course project discussion. Reading Assignment
Discussion: “First Who…Then What” from Good to Great
by Jim Collins
August 30, 2012
Project proposals follow-up discussion; Aspirational leader
September 6, 2012
Project proposal due; Aspirational leader
September 13, 2012
Aspirational leader; TBD
September 20, 2012
Board of Trustees; Aspirational leader
September 27, 2012
Aspirational leader; TBD
October 4, 2012
Aspirational leader; TBD
October 11, 2012
Fall Break-No Class
October 18, 2012
Aspirational leader; TBD
October 25, 2012
Aspirational leader; TBD
November 1, 2012
Aspirational leader; TBD
November 8, 2012
Aspirational leader; TBD
November 15, 2012
Project presentations
November 22, 2012
Thanksgiving Break-No Class
November 29, 2012
Project Presentations
December 6, 2012
Project presentations
December 10-15, 2012
Final Exam and Project Presentations