Welcome to FALP!
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Welcome to the Faculty Administrator Leadership Program (FALP)! We are delighted to have you join this year’s cohort of dedicated faculty leaders.
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The goal of FALP is to help you broaden your understanding of administrative work and deepen your knowledge of leadership issues that are pertinent to career advancement. Sessions are intentionally designed to align with the University’s mission, strategic priorities, and commitment to building a strong pipeline for emerging UIC leaders.
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FALP provides a supportive structure for a diverse group of faculty and administrators to engage beyond their disciplines, interact with near peers and campus leaders, and space to reflect on your leadership goals and challenges. We look forward to learning with you as you build skills, expand your network, and shape your leadership journey.
Program Components
FALP is designed to support your leadership development through intentional structure, meaningful relationships, and personalized learning. Below you will find additional information about the program’s three core components, including expectations and available resources.
Mentorship and Career Development
Each participant is matched with a current campus leader who will serve as a mentor throughout the academic year. Your mentor will provide insight into leadership at UIC, offer career guidance, and serve as a confidential thought partner as you reflect on your leadership path.
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Participant Expectations:
- Participate in at least four meetings with your mentor between sessions.
- Follow up with Mentor is you have not yet received communication.
- Come prepared with questions, goals, or topics for discussion.
- Use this time to explore career interests, leadership challenges, and the real-world dynamics of academic administration.
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Mentor Expectations:
- Initiate and schedule at least four times across the program year (once between each session).
- Offer perspective on leadership roles, administrative decision-making, and institutional priorities.
- Help your mentee reflect on their leadership values, skill development, and career planning.
- Attend the Welcome Dinner and Closing Reception.
Program Sessions
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FALP includes four, one and a half immersive in-person sessions focused on UIC’s strategic priorities contextualized for academic leadership. Sessions are highly interactive and include guest speakers, personal reflection, and small group work.
In case of an emergency and you must be tardy or miss a session, please notify falp@uic.edu as soon as possible to discuss options for staying connected with the cohort and content.
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Participant Expectations:
Active participation in all cohort sessions is a key part of the FALP experience. Faculty participants are expected to attend all scheduled sessions (see dates listed), as the curriculum is designed to build community and learning over time. We understand that faculty have many professional responsibilities, and we encourage participants to plan ahead to protect their time for this commitment.
Mentor Expectations:
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Meetings may take place in-person or virtually, depending on mutual availability. The FALP team is available to support scheduling or troubleshooting as needed.
FALP Mentors are invited to join us for each Session’s closing Lunch if schedules allow. RSVP via Outlook calendar.
The anticipated time required: a minimum of ten hours across the academic year, designed with flexibility to align with your schedule and the program’s pacing. See table below.
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Mentor Professional Development Engagement
- Complete the Five Paths Leadership Assessment and register for the Five Paths Leadership Debrief session before your first meeting with your mentee to have a shared language around leadership styles.
- Explore on-demand webinars, courses, and tools through Academic Impressions that align with your leadership interests and those you might suggest for your mentee.
Summary of Time Commitment
| Touchpoint | Required/Optional | Approximate Time |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome Dinner | Required | 2 hours |
| One meeting between each session (4 total) | Required | 45–60 min each, with flexibility |
| Final session and closing reception | Required | 2–3 hours |
| Session closing lunches | Optional | 1 hour each |
Professional development Services via Academic Impressions
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As a FALP participant, you will receive a complimentary one-year membership to Academic Impressions, a national provider of leadership and professional development resources tailored to higher education leaders.
What’s Included:
- The Five Paths Leadership Assessment to reflect on your strengths and growth areas.
- Leadership Audit to evaluate your current activities and identify priorities aligned with your values.
- Individual Coaching to support your personal development and apply program learning to your professional goals.
- Access to on-demand Academic Impressions platform.
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Participant Professional Development Engagement:
- Complete the Five Paths Leadership Assessment by Session 1, Day 1 (before October 23, 2025). More details will be provided via electronic communication.
- Attend the online Orientation to your 360 Leadership Audit and Coaching sessions (details provided after Session 1) and communicate your Coach preferences with our partner.
- Participate in three scheduled one-on-one coaching sessions following the completion of the leadership audit.
- Complete assigned Academic Impression on-demand courses or readings between sessions.
- Explore on-demand webinars, courses, and tools through Academic Impressions that align with your leadership interests.
- Track and share selected insights with your mentor or in small group reflection.
bios
Access key information about your cohort and resources for each session in our shared Box Folder.
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Your FALP Organizing Team:
Mike Stieff
Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
Mike Stieff was named UIC’s Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, effective June 16, 2022. He is a tenured Professor of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and former co-director of the UIC Learning Sciences Research Institute. Professor Stieff has been a member of the UIC faculty since 2010, is an Honors College faculty fellow, and in August of 2021 was awarded the Honorary Professorship of Learning Sciences in the School of Education at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Professor Stieff earned his Ph.D in Learning Sciences, with a Certificate in Cognitive Science from Northwestern University, and has served as a Humboldt Fellow at the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien in Germany, as an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, in addition to the University of California, Davis, and also taught at Harold Washington College, as well as, Northwestern University prior to joining UIC in 2010.
Professor Stieff’s interdisciplinary research has focused on the design and study of educational technologies, faculty development, and organizational change in higher education with an emphasis on dismantling deficit thinking with respect to both students and faculty, and his work has been funded continuously by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education since 2004 with funding currently secured through 2026. Recognized by numerous awards, Professor Stieff is a Humboldt Fellow for Experienced Researchers, a Spencer Foundation Fellow, and a recipient of the UIC Teaching Recognition Award, as well as, the ACS Editors’ Choice Article Award for work appearing in the Journal of Chemical Education. His work has been featured in more than sixty peer-reviewed publications, dozens of conferences and seminars, and his research has been highlighted in multiple published books.
In his own words, “UIC faculty are among the best educators and researchers working in higher education. I am excited to help our faculty thrive and to work together to promote faculty success from recruitment to retirement.”
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Miquel Meler-Gonzalez
Assistant Vice Provost for Leadership Development, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Biological Sciences (LAS), University of Illinois Chicago
Co-Chair, Faculty Mentoring Committee
Dr. Meler-Gonzalez’s research interest areas are in physiological and ecosystem ecology, global change and stable isotope ecology. The Gonzalez-Meler Stable Isotope Lab focuses on the study of plant and ecosystem functioning in different global change scenarios and in ecosystem feedbacks on biosphere-atmosphere interactions. His specific interests are: 1) role of plant and ecosystem respiration in the global carbon cycle; 2) effects of environmental change on plant and ecosystem respiration; 3) understanding the mechanisms of physiological acclimation and adaptation of plants to the environment; 4) use of stable isotopes for understanding physiological and ecosystem processes. His research is an interdisciplinary effort aim to scale up mechanisms of environmental acclimation and adaptation of plants to ecosystem process and function. Mechanistic understanding is crucial when predicting the effects and roles of terrestrial ecosystems to global environmental change scenarios.
Some of the research sites include restoration prairies in the Chicago area to understand the potential of ecosystems to mitigate environmental change; crop fields in Illinois to understand the effects of elevated CO2 and ozone on plant productivity; and coniferous forests in North Carolina to understand the effects of elevated CO2 on forested ecosystems. In addition to his role on the FALP Organizing team, Miquel is also the co-chair of the Faculty Mentoring committee.
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Elizabeth Houlihan
Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Engagement
Elizabeth’s career reflects a deep and consistent commitment to educational equity, community-building, and developmental support across the academic lifecycle. She brings a unique lens to institutional transformation, rooted in empathy, access, and strategic action. Her work has focused on key transition points in both student and faculty journeys, designing programs that foster belonging, mentorship, wellness, and long-term success. Elizabeth cultivates systems that honor the whole person and advances the collective strength of the academic community. As Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Engagement, she leads strategic initiatives to advance faculty success, engagement, and recognition across the faculty career life-cycle. Elizabeth develops and directs high-impact programs and events that support new and current and faculty, including the University’s New Faculty Orientation and Promotion and Tenure Celebration. She also oversees initiatives focused on mentoring, faculty wellness, academic leadership development, and collaborating closely with academic leaders and partners to foster a more inclusive and supportive faculty climate.
Prior to this role, she served as the Director of UIC’s Academic Center for Excellence, where she led efforts to support undergraduate and graduate student transition, academic coaching, and peer mentorship. She holds a Baccalaureate in Psychology from DePaul University and a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Illinois Chicago.
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Megan Wells
Megan Wells joined Faculty Affairs in 2024 as the Faculty Professional Development Manager, coordinating programs and resources that support faculty leadership and engagement. She coordinates the Faculty Administrator Leadership Development Program, managing logistics and program support, and coordinates the monthly Department Chair and Head Professional Development Success Series. Megan also develops on-demand resources for the faculty affairs website and supports key faculty engagement events, including New Faculty Orientation, the New Deans, Heads, Directors, and Chairs Orientation, and faculty awards events. With deep experience in adult learning, Megan is committed to fostering leadership, continuous growth, and team development. She believes that everyone is a lifelong learner and, when given the right opportunities and tools, can achieve their full potential and optimal team collaboration. She centers her work on supporting faculty resilience, designing for belonging, and leveraging institutional resources for professional growth. She has her Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and Linguistics and been connected to UIC since 2014.