Syllabus

PUBPOL 195S.38
Principles and Practices of
Effective Student Leadership

Larry Moneta, Ed.D
Vice President for Student Affairs
Duke University
102 Flowers Building
Durham, NC 27708

919-684-3737 (office)
919-403-0911 (home)
919-681-7873 (fax)

larry.moneta@duke.edu

Abstract: This course will examine the issues, strategies and competencies which
characterize effective student leadership. Designed for students
currently in or aspiring to leadership roles, the course will cover topics to
include: leadership traits and personal competencies, group and team
development, coalitions and community relationships, values and moral
considerations, conflict management, and the notion of leading diverse
organizations. Students will engage in case studies, individual and team
projects and written assignments.

As noted above, this course is intended to serve as a learning laboratory for those you who have been selected to various leadership positions. What you should have in common is a forum for exercising your leadership, a passion for making a difference and genuine desire to be effective in managing your enterprises. Our goals as a class will be to:

· Identify and analyze key conditions and strategies that may optimize the individual and collective efforts of teams and organizations;
· Engage in stimulating and candid dialogue about these and related themes;
· Develop an honest and trusting relationship which will encourage frank dialogue and mutual consultation;
· Recognize differences in leadership styles and in our own identities and interests and understand how these differences influence our leadership approaches;
· Teach and learn from each other;
· Have an intellectually stimulating and enjoyable experience.

The first principle of effective leadership is one of ethical behavior. These days, given our recent experiences with corporate scandals, we may be hard pressed to accept this principle, but in this class ethical behavior must govern our individual and group actions. Thus, we must all take responsibility for adhering to institutional policies regarding academic integrity. This is Duke’s Academic Integrity Code:

http://www.registrar.duke.edu/registrar/studentpages/student/honorcode.htm

Please refer to the following expectations regarding citations and documentation of sources. You will be held responsible for adhering to these regulations:

http://www.duke.edu/web/HonorCouncil/citation.htm

Weekly Schedule and Assignments:

August 25 – The Leadership Context

In this, our opening class, we will focus on developing a shared understanding of the course plans, class participation and grading expectations and the semester’s schedule. We will review each of your own organizations and of the leadership roles you hold in them. We will also talk about governance systems..both of student organizations and of the University.

September 1 –The Leadership Paradigm

What are the fundamental concepts of leadership and can they be learned? In this class, we’ll explore several comprehensive models of leadership and determine the viability of each for the student leader role.

Read:
http://web.cba.neu.edu/~ewertheim/leader/leader.htm

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html

http://www.fastcompany.com/online/44/rules.html

Assignment (due at this class):
Autobiography
Write about the first time you realized your own leadership potential. What is your purpose in life, and what is the significance of your purpose? What is your personal philosophy of leadership? Who and what has influenced or shaped your values and philosophy of leadership, both positively and negatively? Think about your experiences as a participant engaged in a leadership process, and describe the dynamics of being a participant. Discuss the role of mentors or role models in your life. Finally, discuss critical incidents that have occurred in your life and how they have transformed you. Your paper should be typed, double-spaced, and three to four pages in length.

September 8 – The Students

What do we know about today’s college students and how should that knowledge affect leadership and governance? In this class, we will review information ad data about contemporary students and consider successful (and unsuccessful ) approaches to leading these students.

Read:

http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2001/04/brooks-p1.htm

Review CIRP and Senior data (to be distributed in advance of this class)

September 15 – The Ethical Leader

Given current concern with integrity and ethics, we will discuss those principles and practices that constitute “appropriate” leadership. We will consider various moral dilemmas faced by student leaders and will confront those challenges generated by such dilemmas.

Read:

http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/research/leadership/publications/conference1/LeadershipChangingRoleofEthics.html

http://www.communitypolicing.org/publications/comlinks/cl_n12/c12_hawki.htm

http://studentorgs.unomaha.edu/Vbrochures/!ethics.htm

http://www.collegevalues.org/reflections.cfm?id=755&a=1

September 22– Communications and Conflict

Successful leaders communicate effectively both with internal constituents and external stakeholders. With the best of intentions, conflicts are inevitable. Some are internal such as between elected officers of an organization or between officers and general members. Others may be between competing organizations or conflicting individual members. In this class, we will discuss techniques for avoiding and/or minimizing conflicts.

http://www.umich.edu/~salead/resources/managing.conflict.html

http://www.pace.edu/em/StuDevNYC/conflict_management.htm

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/yf/leaddev/he500w.htm

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcom.html

http://www.studentleader.com/slspring2002_talking-tactfully.htm

September 29 –

Hold for Potential Guest Speaker

October 7 – The Arts of Negotiation and Delegation

As we move to specific elements that contribute to successful leadership, we begin with the notion of ‘delegation’. Successful leaders engage and involve others but do so strategically. In this class, we’ll consider the principles and practices of delegation as a fundamental component of student leadership.

Read:

http://www.wisewomen.org.nz/words/fiona/delegate.htm

http://www.pace.edu/em/StuDevNYC/delegating_responsibility.htm

http://www.fastcompany.com/feature/00/act_podziba.html

http://www.fastcompany.com/invent/invent_feature/prob_podziba.html

October 13 – Fall Break; No Class

October 20 - Leadership and Difference

Increasingly, leaders are confronted by the challenges of addressing diverse memberships and demands for inclusion by some historically “left out of the picture”. This class session will explore power distribution in student governance and the evolving landscape of leadership roles challenged to be more inclusive and representative.

Read:

http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2003/09/brooks.htm

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/diverse.html

Read:

http://www.fastcompany.com/feature/00/act_podziba.html

http://www.fastcompany.com/invent/invent_feature/prob_podziba.html

October 28 – Panel on Leadership

We will be visited by a number of leaders who offer their own insights and observations about leadership. Bring lots of questions!

November 4 – Leadership and Consultation; The Role of Advisors

The Lone Ranger may have been an effective leader, but his team consisted of only one partner. Truly successful leaders understand that seeking consultation is a sign of strength. In this class, we’ll discuss the role of the organization advisor(s) and the design of relationships between leaders and advisors that may optimize the leader’s success.

http://www.pace.edu/em/StuDevNYC/working_with_an_advisor.htm

November 11 – Leaving a Leadership Legacy

The ultimate responsibility for a leader is to prepare the organization for a successful succession to the next leader. This week, we’ll discuss succession planning, institutional memories and the difficult prospect of ‘letting go’ when the occasion is inevitable appropriate.

Read:

Assignment (due at this class)
Leadership Action Plan
Reflect on what you’ve learned during the semester about leadership, with a focus on using theory to enhance practice. Write your leadership action plan and include four sections: (1) how you plan to apply certain leadership theories and concepts to make your practice better; (2) your observations of various leadership and participant roles that you and your classmates played in your team and committee (styles, differences, team and group effectiveness, what worked, what didn't, and why); (3) your plans to use the various leadership models; and (4) your leadership development action plan for the next two years. The paper should be typed, double spaced, and five to six pages in length.

November 18 – Group Reports

November 25 – Group Reports

December 2 – Integration and Wrap-up