The causes and consequences of stress experienced by college faculty were investigated. Stress was defined as any characteristic of the job environment that posed a threat to the individual--either excessive demands or insufficient resources. In addition to identifying stressful job situations, attention was directed to ways that faculty members…

The Beginning Department Chair Study used qualitative methodology to examine the developing identities of 13 new department chairs at 10 public and private colleges and universities in eight states. Data were gathered during on-site semistructured interviews (approximately two per month) during the chair's first year and periodic telephone…

Information is presented on a study which investigated the managerial role of the academic department chair and compared it to a study of traditional managers. The study compared management activities to determine whether or not there was a difference between academic management and management outside of the university setting. It made use of the…

Nearly 80,000 scholars currently serve as department chairs, and almost one-quarter will need to be replaced each year. Such a high turnover rate is partly due to surprises and unexpected sacrifices embedded in the department chair position. In an effort to help professors prepare for and overcome unforseen tradeoffs, the University Council for…

Findings from a study that examined stresses associated with the role of the university department chair are presented in this paper. The focuses are on career paths, transitions to the chair position, commitment to administration, role orientation, and strains of chairing. A survey of 808 department chairs in 101 research and doctoral-granting…

This paper provides an overview of leadership by college deans, proposes a definition of academic leadership, and assesses the degree to which deans exhibit the behaviors embedded in academic leadership. Drawing on the literature, a definition of academic leadership was constructed. Academic leadership is the act of building a community of…

A discussion of conflict in academic departments describes current philosophies in conflict resolution, including a principled approach emphasizing positive benefits. Structures within organizations that inherently create conflict are identified, and various strategies for dealing with conflict are outlined based on one theory of response modes.…

A survey of 101 research and doctorate-granting universities explored, in part, the tradeoffs professors have to make to become department heads. Tradeoffs include time required by the department head to deal with administrative pressures and demands. Rewards include monetary benefits, status, and leadership satisfaction. (MSE)

This book provides a comprehensive guide to the role of the academic department chair in a time when the chair's role is rapidly becoming more important and more complex. Part 1 describes the new roles chairs face, followed by a general discussion of their responsibilities. Part 2 is concerned with the department chair's work with people,…

This multidimensional study examined the stress experienced by academic department chairs with emphasis on the chair's "person in the middle" role between faculty colleagues and the institution's administration. The study combined factors from the Administrative Stress Index with the Faculty Stress Index to develop a single,…

Over 800 academic department chairs, stratified by discipline, were selected from research and doctorate-granting institutions and completed the Department Chair Stress Index along with demographic questions. Results indicate that, overall, stress among department chairs is monolithic. Chairs expressed high stress both in faculty and…

Six questions associated with students' perceptions of their qualifications to make ratings of various aspects of their college teaching were explored. Students were found to perceive their qualifications to rate differently for different aspects of teaching. Perceived qualification to rate the instructor's scholarship was low. (Author)

College faculty are offered ways to assess their time management practices, recognize common time traps, keep urgent matters from overtaking their schedules, prioritize activities based on a matrix of importance and urgency, build on important-but-not-urgent areas of activity, and find balance between professional and personal aspects of life.…

This chapter examines the various roles, challenges, and responsibilities that department chairs must balance in the course of their work.

Considerations for establishing purposes of evaluation are described in view of controversies that focus on justification and use of ratings of instructors as well as attempts to meet demands and ward off pressures for accountability. General models are proposed to serve as guidelines for further development and specification of purposes.…