Queens, Elon Department Leaders to Collaborate in ‘Side-by-Side’ Conversations

A new series of listening sessions will bring department leaders from both Queens and Elon together to share insights and explore opportunities for collaboration as part of the merger process.

Hosted by members of the merger Sprint Team, a group of administrative representatives from both institutions, the “side-by-side” conversations will pair leaders of comparable academic and non-academic departments for key discussions around future collaboration, possibility, and innovation. Discussions will highlight strengths, surface opportunities for partnership, and identify areas that will require thoughtful planning. More than meetings, they represent an important step in building the relationships and shared understanding that will guide future work together.

These “side by side” conversations offer Sprint Team members another opportunity to listen to and learn from each campus community — an effort that remains central to guiding merger discussions. Team members note that these dialogues will be especially valuable as planning moves into deeper operational details.

Department leaders invited to the side-by-side conversations have been encouraged to seek input from their teams and bring forward ideas and reflections around key questions, including:

1. What are the strengths of your unit? What about your team culture and impact are you most proud of
2. What do you want colleagues at Queens/Elon to better understand about your unit? Where are you eager to learn from your counterparts?
3. Are there emerging needs or opportunities you would like leadership to keep in mind?
4. What ideas do you have for collaboration?
5. What excites you most about this merger and the opportunities it may create? What questions are top of mind for you?

Feedback gathered through these sessions will help lay the foundation for a unified institution that reflects the best of both Queens and Elon. By working together, both campus communities can ensure that the integration process strengthens academic offerings, supports colleagues, and expands opportunities for students.

Department leaders can expect invitations to the side-by-side conversations in the coming weeks.

What’s Next

To make sure students have a dedicated space to ask questions and share input, we’ve scheduled several student-focused listening sessions in the coming weeks:

• Wednesday, October 29 at 10:40 a.m. – Ketner Auditorium
  General Listening Session for Students with Dr. Sarah Fatherly and Dr. Amber Slack
• Monday, November 10 at 4 p.m. – Ketner Auditorium
  Student Session with Elon President Connie Book and Queens President Jesse Cureton
• Monday, December 1 at 6 p.m. – Virtual
  Graduate Program Listening Session with Presidents Book and Cureton, and Dr. Fatherly