Performance appraisal for administrators in higher education is an absolute, but good appraisal reflects both sensitivity and a knowledge of institutional and individual rights. Common deficiencies of appraisal systems, methods, purposes of administrative appraisal, goal-setting, and guidelines for conducting appraisal interviews are discussed.…

Essential elements of college or university leadership are a passion for the institution, a commitment to stewardship, a clear but far-reaching vision, and the courage of one's convictions. (Author)

Senior women administrators can use their influence over resources to realize existing institutional priorities, but they can also use it to undertake new priorities. The obligation of senior administrators to advance the cause of women reaches beyond the confines of the university into the surrounding community. (Author/MLW)

Provides an overview of who midlevel administrators are and why they are important to academic organizations, identifies those issues that affect the quality of their work lives, and suggests new areas for research on administrators. (EV)

Although women and minority administrators are becoming more common, they still must enter and learn to work within higher education institutions that are unaccustomed to their presence, much less leadership. Their careers often depend on whether they can successfully negotiate various double-bind situations. (Author/MSE)

It is suggested that, among executives in higher education, particularly in operations management, professional development needs attention. Consideration is given to weaknesses in operations management, inadquacies of career ladders, departmental responsibilities, deanship duties, vice-presidential and presidential development, and reasons for…

The development of administrators is examined in the context of both job role and personal development. This development should proceed in the next few years to acquire some of the sophistication of the faculty development movement, both in terms of technical development and in the application of adult development literature to the higher…

The challenge every college, university, and state higher education coordinating board has is changing demographics. In most states, minorities are becoming majorities, and the importance of gaining an understanding of other cultures becomes much more evident. To promote diversity in academic leadership, educators must recognize that the college…

The most effective college presidents are those whose leadership styles are dominant, decisive, and when appropriate, autocratic. The president has to believe profoundly in the intrinsic value of the college. (Author/MSE)

Administrators whose leadership style makes them problem-solving heroes or mediators may deprive faculty of pride and sense of control over the institution's future. The "team leader" style encourages the creativity needed for institutional renewal. (Author/MSE)

Institutions must develop an attitude that will let them deal effectively with mistakes and anticipate future circumstances as present problems. The price of creativity will be greater tolerance for uncertainty and risk. (MSE)

Creating a presidential administrative team requires assessing the institution, its organizational structure, and its personnel. The selection process must be rooted in an understanding of the needs of the institution, its president, and key administrators. (Author/MLW)

Understanding and communication between the off-campus culture of practicing professionals and the on-campus culture of academic research and education require special skills of the professional school dean including maintaining a sense of fairness, insisting on excellence, encouraging collaboration, demonstrating respect for faculty governance…

The chapter examines the characteristics of effective academic administrators and the pathways to and from an academic administrative position from the faculty member's perspective.

Managing and shaping the ascent of one's own career comes through understanding that what goes up must come down and that satisfaction in the experience is determined by recognizing the moment of balance.