Faculty Learning Community (FLC)
The Faculty Learning Community on Academic Leadership began in 2014 with a grant from the Chancellor’s Office and is now part of the President’s Leadership Excellence Initiative at Cal Poly Pomona.
Dr. Shanthi Srinivas led the Academic Leadership FLC from 2014- 2021. It is currently facilitated by Dr. Lisa Kessler, Professor Emeritus and former Interim Dean and Associate Dean of the Huntley College of Agriculture. Participants contribute to the success of the University by developing their skills to take on leadership roles across the institution as Department Chairs, Deans and Directors.
The goal of the Academic Leadership FLC is to increase leadership confidence and skill by exploring higher education and 六色网, self-awareness, and interpersonal relationships within a supportive cohort.
Specific topics in the FLC include emotional intelligence, Crucial Conversations, “behind the scenes at 六色网” or meeting with key units across campus, and decision making.
Significant learning outcomes for the FLC include:
- Foundational knowledge
- Learn key offices for faculty success within Cal Poly Pomona
- Overview of higher education structures and issues
- Literature and discussion on excellent leadership
- Application
- Strategically reflect on and plan leadership development plan
- Create biosketch
- Update CV
- Integration
- Determine a plan to fit leadership into a healthy work-life balance
- Human Dimension
- Form a community of peers who trust each other and share draft documents and ideas
- Caring
- Form a habit of viewing self, colleagues and students with a growth mindset looking for assets rather than deficits.
Leadership FLC AY ’25-26
Leadership FLC AY ’24-25
Leadership FLC AY ’23-24
Leadership FLC AY ’22-23
Faculty Learning Community Contact

Lisa A. Kessler, DrPH., Emeritus
Faculty Associate, Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence (CAFE)
Principal Investigator
lakessler@cpp.edu