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Dougherty Family College, a new two-year division of Minnesota’s University of St. Thomas, was beginning to see positive outcomes among its enrollment of disadvantaged students. But social distancing may imperil that progress.

Rather than talking about who is more overwhelmed, students are trying new resources to figure out — and share — what wellness means to them.

Traditional classes on giving presentations weren’t cutting it at Northeastern, so the dean of computer science turned to the theater department.

“Good followers have to get along with people of different backgrounds,” says Frances Villagran-Glover, vice president for student services at Northern Virginia Community College.

“You would think your first couple of weeks you’re going to create your vision and your plan,” says Yolanda Gibson of Shenandoah University, but grasping budget data, policies, procedures, and protocol are more important.

After Jeff McClurken became an administrator at the University of Mary Washington, the professor of history and American studies wanted to continue teaching.

“Burnout can happen quickly,” says Nicole Reaves, a provost at Northern Virginia Community College. She says it’s crucial for leaders to “unplug” sometimes because they must take care of themselves to work effectively with others.

Irma Becerra, president of Marymount University, in Virginia, recommends that if you want to pursue a career as a college president, you should “take on increasing responsibilities as an administrator” and not skip any steps along the way.

Responsive colleges are the ones that will survive continuing changes in the landscape of higher education, says Brian O. Hemphill, president of Radford University.

“The way that music feeds me and gives me energy has really helped to propel me forward in a lot of administrative ways,” says Heather Coltman, provost of James Madison University.

Peggy Lewis of Trinity Washington University says the ability to listen is crucial.

Kimberly Kelley, provost of the Rockville campus of Montgomery College, in Maryland, suggests ways to excel at that job.

What happens after you’ve been named department chair? A sure change in department dynamics and tasks to do. In this Two-Minute Tips video, Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz offers five tips to smooth your transition to department chair based on Rob Kramer and Peter J. Mucha’s article “5 Tips on Surviving Your First Year as a Department Head.”

Finding it hard to concentrate on your writing? You’re not alone. Lots of people come up with all kinds of excuses to avoid sitting down and knocking out a few pages. In this video, Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz offers six tips that will get you off and running based on Rachel Toor’s article “The Habits of Highly Productive Writers.”

Looking for a way to improve your teaching? Start by working on your pre-class routine. The minutes before class begins provide a prime opportunity to set the tone for a successful lesson. Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz tells you how in this Two-Minute Tips video based on James M. Lang’s article “Small Changes in Teaching: The Minutes Before Class.”

They typically have personality, presence, preparation, and passion. Want to cultivate and fine-tune those traits and become a better teacher? Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz tells you how in this Two-Minute Tips video based on Rob Jenkins’s article “The 4 Properties of Powerful Teachers.”

Three traits are essential to becoming an academic dean, and four key elements are needed to make a deanship run smoothly. In this Two-Minute Tips video, Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz gives you tips for becoming a new dean based on Dan Butin’s article “So You Want to Be a Dean?”

There are ways to further your quest for tenure without overworking. In this Two-Minute Tips video, Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz gives you five tips toward that goal.

Writing a teaching philosophy can be a daunting task. Just how do you articulate your approach to the classroom? Worry not. Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz is here with six tips for expressing your philosophy and landing that job interview based on Gabriela Montel’s article “How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy.”

Got writing troubles? You are not alone. In this inaugural edition of Two-Minute Tips, we offer six helpful hints to make your prose sing, based on Michael C. Munger’s article “10 Tips on How to Write Less Badly.”

If you’re in a writing rut, look no further. It’s time for some tough-love advice for motivation. Watch this video to learn how to best use your dedicated writing time.