Western Academic Leadership Academy

Professional development opportunity for aspiring chief academic leaders

The Western Academic Leadership Academy (Academy) is a year-long professional development program for academic leaders aspiring to become chief academic officers in the WICHE region’s postsecondary sector. The Academy, sponsored by the Western Academic Leadership Forum and the Western Alliance of Community College Academic Leaders, seeks to encourage the talents of the next generation of Western chief academic officers by helping to build the knowledge and skills of academic leaders who are poised to move to that level.

2026 Academy Dates – July 14-17, 2026

About the Program

The Academy’s faculty members share their expertise on the unique roles and responsibilities a chief academic officer assumes at a two or four-year institution and systems. They focus specifically on developing practical skills within academic affairs, fiscal affairs, student affairs, and external relationships, with a special sensitivity to the culture and environment of the West’s higher education community.

The summer seminar is followed by opportunities for cohort members to meet with a faculty mentor as well as their cohort colleagues at national meetings or electronically throughout the year for individual consultation about career paths.

Academy Faculty

• Are sitting or previous campus and system chief academic officers from the West.
• Share expertise on the unique roles and responsibilities a chief academic officer assumes at an institution and system office.
• Specifically focus on developing practical skills within academic affairs, fiscal affairs, student affairs, and external relationships, with a special sensitivity to the culture and environment of the West’s higher education community 

Program Elements

• Intensive three-day, face-to-face seminar at WICHE’s headquarters in Boulder, CO 
• Cohort members meet with a faculty mentor as well as their cohort colleagues at national meetings or electronically throughout the year for individual consultation about career paths
• Webinars presented several times during the year.    

Eligibility

To be considered for participation, candidates:

• must hold a position of senior academic leadership (e.g., associate dean, dean, associate vice provost) at a 2-year or 4-year institution, related system office, or state coordinating board in the WICHE region.
• must be from an institution or organization that is a current member of the Western Academic Leadership Forum or Western Alliance of Community College Academic Leaders; if not a current member, institution or organization must commit to membership if candidate is selected to participate in the Academy.   

Candidate Submission Process

Candidates for the Academy can apply for the program with a letter of support from their chief academic officer, president, or chancellor or be nominated to the program by their chief academic officer, president, or chancellor.

For candidates applying to the program

• must submit a letter of interest.
• must submit a current CV.  
• must submit a letter of support from their chief academic officer, president, or chancellor.

For those nominating a candidate to the program

• must submit a letter of nomination.
• must submit the candidate’s letter of interest.
• must submit the candidate’s current CV.  

All submission materials should be submitted via email to Kay Hulstrom, associate director of operations and program implementation, at khulstrom@wiche.edu.  All application and nomination materials are reviewed by the Academy’s faculty.

Academy Cost: $4,499

Application and Nomination Deadline for the 2026 Cohort: February 20, 2026

All applicants and nominees will receive notification of their participation in the program in late March 2026.

Learn more about the current and prior cohorts of the Leadership Academy

• 2025 Cohort
• Academy Alumni

For more information, please contact: