Academic Leadership: A Practical Guide to Chairing the Department

Foreword by Alan T. Seagren

The first edition of this bestselling guide has helped thousands of chairpersons effectively lead their departments. This new edition has been significantly revised and expanded while keeping its focus on practical application.

Now organized into six parts, this second edition contains best practices and ideas from some of today s leading scholars as well as information on some of the newer challenges and responsibilities for department chairpersons, including:

• Developing a departmental vision
  
• Working with constituents
  
• Retaining students
  
• Conflict management
  
• Mentoring faculty
  
• Post-tenure review

Written to assist chairpersons in carrying out their duties, each concise chapter presents advice and suggestions useful to all chairpersons, especially those new to the position. Readers are provided with the expectations of the chair role as well as examples for handling specific tasks. In addition, this book encourages chairpersons to analyze their departments and develop their own approaches to solving problems or improving their departments.

Rich with checklists, tables, and sample forms, as well as expanded information on the key areas of chair work--department management; interacting with faculty, students, and upper administration; financial matters; legal issues; assessment and evaluation--this invaluable resource will help guide chairpersons through the many responsibilities of their position.