RLA FAQs

RLA is a university-wide, one-year program that brings together mid-career faculty and academic staff who aspire to broadened leadership roles. The 2023-2024 program topics can be found here. 

Information regarding other cohort-based leadership development programs can be found on this website.

For purposes of nomination to the RLA, mid-career is defined as a person with approximately 7 or more years of scholarly/professional experience. The nominee should be one who has potential for increased leadership responsibility and achievement within higher education.

Approximately 30 individuals will be selected for participation in any given year. 

Nominations for participation in the Rutgers Leadership Academy need to be submitted by vice presidents, deans, directors, chairs or other senior leaders. Once nominated, the nominee will be notified via email about the completion of the nominee information form.

Mid-career faculty and staff working in academic units are eligible to be nominated. The nominee should be one who has potential for increased leadership responsibility and achievement within higher education. 

No. Nominations for participation in the Rutgers Leadership Academy must be submitted by vice presidents, deans, directors, chairs or other senior leaders.

Yes. Using the current nomination form, nominators should submit new nomination materials for prospective RLA Fellows. 

While a nominator may serve as a project champion, the nominator and champion need not be the same person. Designation of a project champion will be required toward the end of the first semester at the time the Fellow’s project is identified. Champions must be current Rutgers University employees with the ability to serve as advisors and mentors for the projects and participate in selected RLA meetings/events towards the end of the academic year. 

Toward the end of the first semester, each Fellow, in conjunction with their project champion, will identify a project of importance to a unit, outside the Fellow’s unit, or the broader campus. These projects are intended to provide a context for applying and furthering the development of leadership competencies, while meaningfully addressing significant needs of the institution. For the purposes of this program, Fellows will only be responsible for the design of the project proposal, with encouragement to implement the project upon completion of the program. 

The sessions meet on 15 Wednesdays from 4:00-6:00 pm, roughly twice a month throughout the one-year program period. About five sessions are held exclusively in-person in New Brunswick, and about 10 sessions are held virtually on Zoom. A full schedule for the 2024-2025 program will be posted in August 2024.

Fellows are expected to attend all sessions, virtual and in-person. However, we recognize there may be circumstances that may affect a Fellow’s ability to attend all classes and meetings. An RLA Fellow should not miss more than one or two sessions during the year-long program. 

No. Materials for RLA class sessions are provided by the Academy.

No funding and/or release time will be available for RLA Fellows or project sponsors from the Academy. 

Decisions for the now-closed 2024-2025 nomination cycle were announced in May 2024. Nominations for the next cohort will be accepted in March 2025. Decisions will be made in May 2025.