Each June the Association of Departments of Foreign Languages arranges two seminars where chairs of ADFL-member departments or their designees share information and consult about issues facing their departments and the field.
Lectures and discussions range in focus from the teaching and learning of language and literature in the broad context of the humanities and the changing university to concrete challenges of leadership and management. We invite you to read endorsements from participants at previous seminars.
The seminars are preceded by a workshop for new chairs where experienced administrators lead practical discussions on the tasks of chairing for those who are about to start or have just completed their first year as department chair.
A preseminar workshop for department reviewers and chairs of departments preparing for review will be held at both seminars.
A preseminar workshop on strategies for interacting with the press will take place at Seminar North.
A preseminar workshop on teaching language through literature and literature through language will take place at Seminar South.
Endorsements from participants at previous seminars.
"The New Chairs Workshop provided priceless information [and] a sharing of experiences, challenges, and successes in a safe environment. You gave me a network and resources that would help any chair get through that first year on the job."
Susana Rivera-Mills, Oregon State Univ.
"Thank you, thank you for providing this essential service…. I am re-energized and ready to tackle things that will inevitably come my way."
Elizabeth Locey, Emporia State University
"I gained important tools to navigate any era, but especially these times of uncertainty."
Nancy Faires, Truckee Meadows Community College, Nevada
"What a terrific conference – so many good ideas and great colleagues in one place."
Victor Peppard, University of South Florida
"You really do gain a whole new set of colleagues through participating!"
Gwendolyn Barnes-Karol , Saint Olaf College
"As in the past, this has been a tremendous experience. I am not sure how you manage the magic of open and candid give-and-take in and out of sessions, but I always enjoy and profit from it."
Janice Zinser, Oberlin College
"The ADFL seminars are extremely useful for experienced as well as novice chairs. I derived a great deal from attending my first summer seminar in 2005 after years of chairing a department."
Carlos Alonso, Columbia University
"It will take time to reflect on the many issues that were introduced – but they allowed me to contextualize the experiences that I have had in my first year as head. …The sharing of information and how-to’s and networking that occurred in such a short period of time will have long-lasting results for me."
Victor Arizpe, Texas A&M University
