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Essential courses for business school faculty. Whether you are a seasoned instructor tasked with chairing a department, a business executive beginning a career in the college classroom, or a faculty member developing a business ethics curriculum, AACSB International offers many seminars designed to support the goals of business school faculty. TEACHING BUSINESS ETHICS SEMINAR December 8–9, 2008 ■ Tampa, Florida USA ADVISORY COUNCIL SEMINAR March 4–5, 2009 ■ Crystal City, Virginia USA DEPARTMENT CHAIRS SEMINAR March 19–20, 2009 ■ Tampa, Florida USA LESSONS FOR ASPIRING DEANS SEMINAR April 25–26, 2009 ■ Orlando, Florida USA TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS SEMINAR May 28–29, 2009 ■ Tampa, Florida USA Visit online for details on these events. www.aacsb.edu/seminar Space is limited—register today to secure your seat. Sutcliffe agrees, noting that professors at the Ross School submit annual reports that keep the administration updated about what's happening with their projects and what they need to thrive in their jobs. The school also has taken the indi- vidual development of its faculty one step further: It plans to open a fitness facility and offer a series of personal wellness seminars for faculty. "Faculty can better maintain their energy through exercise, yoga, meditation, and healthful eating," says Sutcliffe. "That's going to be a focus of our school." 8. Target Potential Any organization's staff breaks down into three groups— those with superior abilities, those with great potential, and those who are just doing their jobs. In most cases, a school can maximize its faculty development budget by focusing its efforts on those faculty members with the most enthusiasm and potential, says Stumpf of Villanova. "Not all professors will benefit from development efforts. In most schools, there is that top 10 percent of faculty members who are exceptional. They should be tapped as role models and mentors, but they don't necessarily need development," he says. "Then, there are those professors who aren't ready learners—they're not interested in development or motivated to become better teachers." Those in the middle are the ones taking risks and striving to be better—and the ones who are looking for opportunities to grow, Stumpf argues. To identify these ready learners and risk-takers, Stumpf advises administrators to look for professors whose student evaluations vary from course to course. "When I look at pro- fessors who are getting 4.9 ratings in every course, I have to ask, 'Are they really the best teachers? Or have they just found a way to satisfy their students?' Instead, I focus on the teachers whose ratings vary—say, from 4.4 to 4.6—and whose teach- ing loads vary. These are the people who have the ability to teach a wide variety of people on a wide variety of topics." As ready learners, Stumpf says, they'll appreciate faculty develop- ment as a reward, not view it as an obligation. A Head Start Many forces have aligned to push business faculty in new directions: internationalization, technological innovation, accelerated communication, and a host of other "-ations" that are sure to come. That means that professors must do more and more to keep their teaching, research, and other activities at the forefront of business. However, those schools that develop the right support sys- tems will give their faculty a head start. When given oppor- tunities to renew their skills, refresh their perspectives, and revive their passion for their disciplines, high-performing fac- ulty members don't just further their own professional goals. They also help business schools advance their programs, build their reputations, and enhance their brands. ■ z BizEd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 33