University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Names 2012-2013 CIC Academic Leadership Fellows

Five UI faculty members have been named 2012-13 fellows of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation’s Academic Leadership Program, an intensive experience that develops the leadership and managerial skills of faculty who have demonstrated exceptional ability and academic promise.  Since 1989, many of the program’s nearly 1,000 fellows have gone on to serve in leadership roles such as college presidents, provosts and deans.

The newest class of fellows are:

• Jennifer T. Bernhard, professor of electrical and computer engineering.
• Germán A. Bollero, head of crop sciences and professor of biometry in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.
• Feng Sheng Hu, department head and professor of plant biology and of geology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
• Helen Neville, professor of educational psychology and African American studies.
• Richard T. Rodríguez, professor of English and interim chair of Latina/o studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

“(The program) introduces faculty to issues and challenges in higher education,” said Barbara Wilson, the vice provost for academic affairs and the campus CIC liaison. “It also gives (the fellows) an opportunity to visit peer institutions and meet with leaders at those insitutions, and it fosters connections to faculty in similar positions at other Big Ten universities.”

“(The UI fellows) are a talented group of faculty and I am excited to work with them during the year,” Wilson said. “We travel together to three Big Ten campuses so we get to know each other quite well.”

For bios and background on each fellow, please visit UI's profile article.