Texas Academic Leadership Academy

TALA Logo

Sponsored by the Texas Council of Chief Academic Officers, the Texas Academic Leadership Academy (TALA) supports, prepares and enhances the leadership skills of those aspiring to department and college level leadership positions. Faculty and leaders at all Texas institutions of higher education are eligible to participate, following nomination from their institutions.

The year-long program includes three in-person events as well as online meetings, readings, mentoring, and other resources. Participants learn more about topics that are crucial for leaders in higher education, like conflict management, free speech, faculty concerns, research, assessment, accreditation, strategic planning, and more.

Program Details

TALA is sponsored and facilitated by Sam Houston University and the Texas Council of Chief Academic Officers (TCCAO), a group of chief and system academic officers from 37 universities dedicated to advancing higher education in Texas. Each year the TCCAO sponsors a cohort of TALA Fellows composed of aspiring leaders from members universities. The selection process for the year-long program begins in early spring.

How it works:

First, TCCAO opens nominations and alerts participating universities. Faculty Development then contacts all college deans and asks them to choose three nominees. Next, the finalists are selected from the group of nominees. Faculty Development then notifies the selected nominees.

Faculty Development pays the program registration fee for nominees, and nominees' colleges or departments cover travel expenses for in-person events.

This Year's Texas State University TALA Fellows

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Dr. Caitlin Gabor, Professor, Department of Biology

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Dr. Raphael Travis Jr., Professor, School of Social Work

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Dr. Carmen Westerberg, Professor & Associate Chair, Department of Psychology

Questions About TALA?

TALA has a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the program that explain additional details.

What is the TCCAO?

Read about the Texas Council of Chief Academic Officers' mission, members, and meeting activity on their website.