East Tennessee State University Presidential Fellows Program
PURPOSE
The ETSU Presidential Fellows Program provides concentrated and guided enrichment opportunities to qualified
employees who desire to enhance and expand their knowledge and experience in academic leadership. Successful
completion of the program strengthens the potential of fellows to become competitive candidates for future
administrative positions at this and/or other institutions.
GOALS
In general, the program will:
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Further the mission and purpose of ETSU.
Provide enrichment opportunities for learning as well as professional growth and development.
Provide opportunities for participants to expand skills, knowledge, and professional understanding of the administrative
side of academe.
Provide opportunities for participants to experience—in a “real world” setting—the challenges of leadership inherent to
an academic community.
Promote collegiality between faculty and staff and all levels of administration.
Enhance professional opportunities for qualified ETSU employees and encourage them to consider pursuing higher
administrative positions when such positions are available.
Enlarge faculty and staff perspective on higher education administration as a whole.
STRUCTURE
The overall structure of the fellowship will be determined by the president based on current initiatives, which will allow
customization of the program for each individual fellow and flexibility for the president to adapt the program for maximum benefit to
both the institution and the fellow. However, fellows will have opportunity to explore and participate in:
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University strategic planning
Budget development and implementation
Review of policies/policy-making (academic, financial, personnel, student etc.) at the state, TBR/THEC, and local levels
Emergency preparedness
Promoting institutional image
The functions of major units of university administration including, but not limited to, human resources, general counsel,
community and government relations, internal audit, social justice, health affairs administration, research, and athletics.
In general, the program will:
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Be one (1) year in length from July 1 to June 30 for a staff fellow or 12-month faculty fellow or September 1 to May 31
for a 9/10-month faculty fellow
Be limited to 1-3 employees, at the discretion of the president and available resources, and may include representation
from both faculty and staff constituencies.
Consider applications from faculty or staff with at least 3 years of full-time service at the institution, including
consistently satisfactory performance evaluations and the support and approval of their supervisor(s) to participate in
the program.
Provide any accommodation and/or tools necessary to accomplish the initiative(s) assigned by the president.
Provide a fixed dollar amount ($ TBD) directly to the fellow’s home department to allay costs of covering a faculty or
staff member’s services.
Involve members of the current executive leadership team (and the main leaders in their individual divisions) as needed
(or as requested by the president) to function as mentors and possible managers and evaluators of program
participants.
In general, the program does not:
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Carry a stipend or other monetary compensation for the participant.
Guarantee the fellow an administrative position at ETSU or promotion in terms of rank/title change and/or salary
enhancement upon completion of the program.
East Tennessee State University
Presidential Fellows Program
APPLICATION for 2015-16
Name
College/Administrative Unit
Title
Department
Phone
Email
Attach to this application:
A letter of no more than 500 words explaining why you wish to participate in the ETSU Presidential Fellows
Program, what you hope to gain from the experience, and what your future goals are within higher education.
A copy of your curriculum vita/résumé
Applicant Signature
Date
Department Chair/Immediate Supervisor
Date
Dean/Director/Vice President
Date
Return completed application by March 15, 2015 to:
Dr. Jane Jones, Chief of Staff
Office of the President
Campus Mail
Box 70734
Email
jonesj@etsu.edu
In person
206 Dossett Hall
East Tennessee State University
Presidential Fellows Program
CALENDAR
PROCESS
TIMEFRAME
Presidential initiative(s) announced mid-January
Application deadline March 15
Applicant interviews scheduled April 1–30
Selection of Fellow(s) announced May 15
Orientation At the discretion of the President
Program start date
July 1 (12-month employees)
September 1 (9-month employees)
Program end date
June 30 (12-month employees)
May 31 (9-month employees)
Debriefing At the discretion of the President