The Office of the Provost have sponsored two CALS faculty to take part in 2024-2025 Big Ten Academic Alliance professional development. Katrina Forest, professor and chair of bacteriology, has been selected to participate in the Department Executive Officer Seminar. Troy Runge, professor of biological systems engineering and associate dean for research, has been selected as an Academic Leadership Program Fellow.

The Department Executive Officers Seminar is a fall-semester professional development opportunity for department chairs. It includes a mix of virtual and in-person meetings, including a three-day workshop at the Big Ten Conference Center in Illinois. In addition, UW–Madison attendees meet occasionally on campus for networking and professional development.

The Academic Leadership Program is an academic-year fellowship to develop the leadership and managerial skills of faculty and executive-level staff. The program includes a mix of virtual and in-person sessions, including three seminars hosted at different Big Ten institutions. In addition, the UW–Madison fellows meet biweekly on campus with current university leadership.