Keynote Address: Developing Mentoring Relationships

Speaker: Susan C. Aldridge, President, University of Maryland University College

The role of mentors and the importance of cultivating strong relationships throughout one's career is the focus of this keynote address. Aldridge will explore the kinds of relationships that can most benefit career ascension, how to find mentors - both male and female, how to become a mentor to others, and what mentors should (and should not) provide.

Concurrent Sessions

Why Does the Education and Advancement of Women Matter?
Susan Lennon, Executive Director, Women’s College Coalition

When John Roberts was named to the U.S. Supreme Court, Anna Quindlen wrote: "There is now only a single woman on the Supreme Court. Imagine the world if homes, businesses, and schools had only one woman for every eight men. I would be an odd sort of world, wouldn't it?" Women have been the majority on college campuses for more than 20 years. They have higher academic success and graduation rates. Yet they remain underrepresented in leadership positions in all sectors. How do we make the education and advancement of women across all ethnic, racial, age religious, and socioeconomic groups both in the U.S. and around the world matter? What are the tough questions we need to ask and what is the broader context of this conversation?

Moderator: Laura Wilcox, Vice President for Communications, Council of Independent Colleges

Dealing with Difficult Employees, Peers, and Supervisors
Speakers: Coleen Collins, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources and Operations Services, American Council on Education and Erytheia Lambert Jones, Associate Vice President, Employee and Organizational Development, University of Maryland University College

Working with a difficult person - whether it is a co-worker, a subordinate, a peer, or boss - can dramatically decrease your productivitiy while taking a toll on you personally. Participants in this session will learn to identify the behaviors of difficult people; determine their own difficult and/or "co-dependent" behaviors; and explore strategies for coping with difficult employees.

Moderator: Dawn Kemp, Coordinator, Faculty Development and Training Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Maryland University College

Making Career Transitions
Speakers: Maura Porcelli, Director of Business Operations, SimpsonScarborough, and Sue Blanshan, Director of Academic Affairs, Maryland Higher Education Commission

This session will include an in-depth discussion of the many phases and steps that are necessary for a successful career transition. How do you take your skills and transfer them to a different career or position? How do you move from "who you are" to "what you do" to "what now"?

Moderator: Maggie Margiotta Melson, Special Assistant to the President, St. John's College (MD)

Luncheon Roundtable Discussion: Report by the Association of American Colleges & Universities, A Measure of Equity: Women’s Progress in Higher Education
Speakers: Caryn McTighe Musil, Senior Vice President and Kathryn Campbell, Program Assistant and Editor, Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) will share data from their upcoming report. The luncheon discussion will focus on "hot topics" from the report.

Moderator: Gloria Thomas, Associate Director, Office of Women in Higher Education, American Council on Education

Hot Topics Discussion Leaders:
The Boy Crisis - Catherine Hill
Socioeconomic Status - Kathryn Campbell
STEM representation - Claire Van Ummersen
Balancing Books and Babies: How Parenting Affects Academic Careers - Gloria Thomas
Redefining Faculty Roles - Donna Phillips
The Leadership Gap - Judy Touchton
Inclusive Institutions - Caryn McTighe Musil

Concurrent Sessions

Women and the Art of Leadership
Judy Touchton, Consultant & Coach, Women Leaders in Higher Education, Touchton Partners LLC and Tamela Hawley, Professor of “Women as Leaders” in the Women-in-Business Program, University of Maryland University College

What are your strengths as a leader? What are your strengths as a woman? How does honoring both help you in life? What makes you stand out? How do you deal with challenging situations? Did you know it's healthy to be happy? And that "authentic happiness" helps reduce stress, enhance relationships, and increase productivity?
This session will focus on mentoring, clashes of expectations, self-efficacy, spirituality, support networks, and professional versus personal allegiances.

Moderator: A. Deloris James, Assistant Academic Director, Business Administration and Management Studies, and Director, Women-in-Business Program, University of Maryland University College

Gender Inequalities in Salaries & Benefits: Developing a Knack for Negotiating
Marlene Ross, Senior Advisor, American Council on Education and Catherine Hill, Director of Research, American Association of University Women

The presenters will provide a brief overview of the latest data on salary inequalities based on gender in the workplace. Tips and tools will help women learn some of the skills to negotiate for fair and equitable salaries and working conditions. The session will include role-playing the newly acquired negotiations skills and information about where to obtain comparable salary and other information by industry sector.

Moderator: Nancy Cantalupo, Assistant Dean for Clinical Programs, Georgetown University Law Center

Financial Planning for Women in Higher Education
Mara R. Bralove, Certified Financial Planner™, Second Vice President-Wealth Management and Financial Planning Specialist, The Bralove Group at Smith Barney

This session will focus on the unique challenges women face when dealing with finances. We will cover goal setting, creating and sticking to a budget, the importance of saving for retirement, and things you can do NOW to get your financial house in order.

Moderator: Vana Nespor, Chair, Education, Argosy University

Closing Plenary Session: Path to Leadership – My Story
Charlene Dukes, President, Prince George’s Community College

President Dukes will tell the story of her career path - choices she made along the way and mentors and leaders who helped her develop her leadership skills. She will explore the qualities, skills, and characteristics of successful leaders, and discuss how mid-level career women in higher education can prepare for leadership positions.

Moderator: Melissa Di Leonardo, Director of Communications, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities