May 6, 2009
TO:University Senate
Faculty Council
Employee Council
Administrative Council
On behalf of the Women in Leadership Committee (WIL) of the President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW), I write to let you know about a significant leadership development opportunity available to women at Emory, and to invite you to nominate or support the application of women to this program.
Through support from the Office of Community and Diversity, the PCSW, and with modest support from the home department or unit of no more than $1500, Emory will send one woman leader to the HERS Institute for Women in Higher Education Administration at Wellesley College. Founded in 1976, this program offers intensive residential professional development experiences for faculty, staff and administrators in mid- and senior-level positions in higher education.
HERS participants include women from across the country whose higher education career goals include academic and administrative leadership at the highest levels in an institution. Participants benefit from interaction with colleagues from a variety of colleges and universities who represent a diverse mix of academic and administrative areas. The curriculum is intended to prepare women for leadership in complex organizations with particular emphasis on academic leadership, fiscal management, and organizational operations. The Class of 2009-2010 will meet on the Wellesley campus on the following dates: October 8-10, 2009; November 19-21, 2009; February 4-6, 2010; and March 11-13, 2010.
I invite you to nominate a member of your faculty or administrative team to be considered for the HERS program. Women may apply to the program on their own; however a formal nomination from a supervisor or mentor strengthens the application. Nominees will be contacted and invited to complete the application process. That process requires an applicant to include a letter of support from their dean or director, which indicates an area’s willingness to support the applicant’s participation in the program. If you are asked for a supporting letter from a qualified applicant, I urge to write on their behalf. Additional information can be found on the PCSW website (
If you have questions about the program or the process, please feel free to contact me.
Alicia A. Franck
Chair, Women in Leadership Committee
Associate Vice Provost, Emory University
404.727.4632