Big Ten Academic Alliance

 

btaalogoThe Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA), formerly known as the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), is the academic consortium of the Big Ten universities and the United States’ pre-eminent model for effective collaboration among research universities. For more than half a century, these world-class institutions have advanced their academic missions, generated unique opportunities for students and faculty, and served the common good by sharing expertise, leveraging campus resources, and collaborating on innovative programs. Governed and funded by the Provosts of the member universities, Big Ten Academic Alliance mandates are coordinated by a staff from its Champaign, Illinois, headquarters. Through BTAA leadership programs, participants who have demonstrated exceptional ability and administrative promise are aided in further developing their leadership and managerial skills.

Academic Leadership Program (ALP)

Established in 1987, the ALP develops the leadership and managerial skills of faculty from Big Ten Academic Alliance campuses who have demonstrated exceptional ability and administrative promise. Those selected from Penn State for the program were chosen because of their significant contributions and further potential for University leadership.

 

The BTAA’s six ALP Fellows for 2023-24 from Penn State are:

Friederike Baer
Division Head, Arts and Humanities
Associate Professor of History
Penn State Abington

 

 

Beth Gugino
Assistant Dean for Graduate Education
Professor of Vegetable Pathology
College of Agricultural Sciences

 

 

Scarlett Miller
Professor of Engineering Design and Industrial Engineering
College of Engineering

 

 

Erin Murphy
Promotion and Tenure Coordinator for the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Professor of English
Penn State Altoona

 

 

Tahira Reid Smith
Associate Department Head for Inclusive Research and Education
Arthur L. Glenn Professor of Engineering Education
College of Engineering

 

 

Josh Wede
Teaching Professor of Psychology
Associate Department Head for Instruction
Director, World Campus (Psychology)
College of the Liberal Arts

 

PAST ALP FELLOWS:

In June 2022, the BTAA announced Penn State’s six ALP Fellows for 2022-23 

In June 2021, the BTAA announced Penn State’s five ALP Fellows for 2021-22

In June 2020, the BTAA announced Penn State’s six ALP Fellows for 2020-21

In May 2019, the BTAA announced Penn State’s six ALP Fellows for 2019-20

Department Executive Officers Program (DEO)

In 1997-98, the Big Ten Academic Alliance initiated the DEO, an annual program of leadership development opportunities for department heads and chairs. Institutional team participants include seasoned veterans as well as newer department heads and chairs.

The BTAA’s five DEO Fellows for 2023-24 from Penn State are:

Meg Bruening
Head, Nutritional Sciences
College of Health and Human Development

 

 

 

Jennifer Gilley
Interim Director of the Penn State Commonwealth Campus Libraries
Head Librarian at Penn State New Kensington
University Libraries

 

 

 

Matthew Jordan
Head, Department of Film Production and Media Studies
Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications

 

 

 

Brian King
Head, Geography
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

 

 

 

Randy McEntaffer
Head, Astronomy & Astrophysics
Eberly College of Science

 

 

 

 

PAST DEO FELLOWS:

In June 2022, the BTAA announced Penn State’s five DEO Fellows for 2022-23 

In June 2020, the BTAA announced Penn State’s five DEO Fellows for 2020-21

In May 2019, the BTAA announced Penn State’s five DEO Fellows for 2019-20