Establishing and Sustaining a Culture of Collegial Collaboration

Abstract

Creating a cohesive team of coworkers can be challenging in any organization, and an academic department is no exception. The Centre College Mathematics Department has established a culture of collegial collaboration by investing in developing a strong mathematical community of faculty and students, and through careful attention to the hiring and mentoring of new faculty members. This article discusses our approach to creating and maintaining this culture in the midst of several transitions in leadership and personnel as well as multiple modifications to our curriculum and major. While the Centre College Mathematics Department is a relatively small group working at a liberal arts college, many of these ideas can be readily adapted to and implemented in departments of varying sizes and types.

Keywords:

• Collegiality
• department chair
• mentoring
• hiring

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alex M. McAllister

Alex M. McAllister joined the Centre College faculty in 1999, and he has taught mathematics to undergraduates at the University of Notre Dame, Dartmouth College, and Centre College. He has served as the department chair for five years, the chair of the Division of Science and Mathematics for three years, and is currently Associate Dean of the College. He was awarded the H.W. Stodghill Jr. and Adele H. Stodghill Professorship in Mathematics in 2015 and the Mathematical Association of America's Kentucky Section Teaching Award in 2015. His scholarly interests include mathematical logic and foundations, computability theory, and the history of mathematics.

Lesley Wiglesworth

Lesley Wiglesworth received her Ph.D. in Applied and Industrial Mathematics from University of Louisville in 2008. She joined the Centre College faculty in 2008, and is currently in her third year as chair of the Mathematics Department. She enjoys learning about different teaching methods, particularly those designed to force students outside of their comfort zone.

John H. Wilson

John H. Wilson found his calling in the Centre College mathematics program after earning his Ph.D at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1985. He has served as department chair on five different occasions for a total of fourteen years. He has also served for three years as the chair of the Division of Science and Mathematics at Centre. He has been active in the Mathematical Association of America, holding leadership positions at the local, sectional, and national levels. In 2000 he was awarded the Elizabeth Dowling Professorship in Science and in 2004 became one of the initial recipients of an H. W. Stodghill, Jr. and Adele H. Stodghill Professorship at Centre.