Exemplifying the trend that dean positions open every four to six years, in the past 26 years, I have held dean and director positions at five institutions—an average a new position every 5.2 years (Henk, Wepner, and Ali 2022). During that time, I have been a finalist and successful candidate at least 15 times. Part one of this article reviewed lessons and experiences from 1998 through 2013. The following lessons occurred starting in 2017 through 2021. These experiences have informed other practices to consider in how to treat a candidate.
Reciprocity over Hierarchy: Designing and Implementing a Student-Led Reverse Mentoring Program
Many academic leaders, including administrators and faculty members, participate in traditional mentoring programs that prioritize hierarchy. But these programs typically don’t foster engagement and connection between students and faculty or
Marquita Lyons-Smith and Keva Suitte
October 19, 2026
