The XXVth Anniversary of CercleS brings back memories not only of the CercleS Association and its development, but also of the role of Language Centres in European universities. This article presents the Centre of Languages and Communication (CLC) at Poznan University of Technology (PUT) in Poland. It focuses on the main challenges the CLC has…

This article provides a detailed description and analysis of how one Canadian institution used groups of department heads as change agents to address their most acute department head role tensions. It is demonstrated that this institution's change initiative aligned very closely to the recommendations proposed, in both the literature pertaining to…

This dissertation examines how nomenclature and the act of naming shapes disciplinary identities for scholars and teachers of rhetoric and composition. The discipline is named differently by many of its members, sometimes called "composition studies," "writing studies," "composition and rhetoric," "rhetorical…

Describes a program in which a department chairperson gains released time for volunteers from a full-time faculty to serve as administrative associates. Discusses such a procedure at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. (AEA)

The three-year Miami University (Ohio) project to develop teaching portfolios is described. The department-based approach acknowledges that departments and disciplines have different cultures, and that departments are where rewards are determined. Issues in portfolio development and use, including benefits and problems, are discussed and…

The design and methods used in the training program for department heads at University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres are described and their roots in the institution's needs and context are discussed. (MSE)

This booklet describes a research program that developed eight Educational Leadership Appraisal (ELA) exercises specifically relevant to the roles of middle-management personnel in state education agencies (SEAs). ELA is a performance-based procedure for the observation, assessment, and training of leadership behavior in educational managers and…

The rapid introduction of a faculty evaluation program at the University of Liverpool is described, addressing such issues as the consultation and negotiation involved in getting the program accepted, the changing role of the department head, and the program's part in the institution's overall academic plan. (Author/MSE)

The development of a college writing program can offer many challenges to a program director drawn from the ranks of the English faculty. The discipline of writing, an act of production, is both scorned and clutched by faculty who have been trained to analyze literature, an act of perception. Literature specialists, to be qualified to teach…

A discussion of the University of Oslo's training programs for department heads describes their design, content, frequency, and methods. These administrators' roles are examined and the importance of higher level support of the programs is stressed. Reluctance to participate and special problems in applying content of the programs are discussed.…

Tompkins Cortland Community College (TCCC) in Dryden, New York, opened the College Teaching Center (CTC) in 1988 to address the professional development needs of full- and part-time faculty. The CTC is an autonomous, faculty-directed, professional development program with its own budget and Board of Directors. Activities sponsored by the CTC are…

At McGill University (Canada), rather than implement a costly, high-tech contingency and disaster recovery plan for information services, planners focused on risk assessment and avoidance for central and departmental information systems. Actions included better backups, less dependence on key individuals, and an institutional awareness campaign.…

A study of the faculty evaluation system at Nene College (England) is reported and compared with studies in other British universities. Evaluator, faculty, and administrator views of the program were generally positive, particularly concerning the opportunities the evaluation interviews present for discussing issues. Assessment by line manager…

The efforts of the biology department at William Paterson College, a state college in New Jersey, to use strategic planning at the department level are chronicled. Planning focused on establishing a direction for hiring faculty, developing curriculum, purchasing equipment, and training students. Results, unanticipated outcomes, and lessons learned…

Discussions about the social responsibility of businesses have led to questions about the social responsibility of academic institutions. As governmental support of community activities appears to be lessening, activities by educational institutions in support of local communities becomes more essential. New developments in the linkage between…