As demonstrated through the experiences of executive administrators who lost their jobs, higher education leaders experience pain when they fail. Leaders at any stage of their life and career can process the pain of failure in constructive ways using a recovery formula built on a "half-life of pain" concept. The time it takes for a…

The lack of women holding high-level leadership positions in higher education institutions is problematic. From a historical standpoint, women face several more obstacles while working toward obtaining leadership roles in higher education than men do. In addition, from a societal lens, women are judged differently in regard to leadership style,…

The McDonaldization of higher education refers to the transformation of universities from knowledge generators to rational service organizations or "McUniversities". This is reflected in the growing dependence on a casualized academic workforce. The article explores the extent to which the McDonaldization thesis applies to universities…

Describes how a financial disaster involving Idaho's flagship university, its private foundation, and possible conflicts of interest has brought down a college president. (EV)

Discusses the trend toward short tenures for state university presidents, and indeed, for all university presidents, and concludes that evaluations make little difference in decisions to retain or remove presidents. Annual reviews or reports are considered valuable in improving the performance of university presidents. (SLD)

Recognizing that termination is viewed by the employee as the equivalent to capital punishment of a career, an administrative contract can reduce the emotional and financial entanglements that often result. Administrative contracts are described. (MLW)

Begins with a general discussion of downsizing and its outcomes, then offers an analysis of downsizing in higher education with an emphasis on three points: the factors causing universities to consider downsizing, the special nature of universities that makes downsizing particularly difficult, and the downsizing methods used by universities. (EV)

Discusses the role of collegiality in college personnel tenure decisions. No court has held that the use of collegiality in tenure decisions is inappropriate, but judicial conflicts arise as to whether collegiality has been invoked in a manner that is discriminatory or that violates free speech. (Author/SLD)

Discusses the difficulties in telling a student editor that the work being done is not satisfactory and in relieving the student of the job. Suggests some kinds of early preventative action an adviser can take to keep that step from being necessary. (TJ)

Describes the breach-of-contract lawsuit brought by former faculty members at Mount Vernon College, Washington, DC, as a result of the takeover of the small college for women by George Washington University, which resulted in the closing of Mount Vernon and the dismissal of its faculty. (SLD)

There are ways to fire an unproductive volunteer and still do minimal damage to both the volunteer and the alumni association, but an ounce of prevention is advocated. Some types of volunteers that might cause problems are identified and advice on what to do when dismissing a volunteer is provided. (MLW)

The difference in the degree of academic due process which tenure provides as compared to that to which a younger person lacking tenure is entitled when his appointment is not renewed. (IR)

An AAUP investigating committee report is presented concerning the dismissal of Professor Erwin D. Harris from his position as a tenured member of the faculty at Bridgewater State College. (MLW)

Since renegotiation or termination of a president's contract by a governing board can bring misunderstanding, irritation, and trauma, an outside expert is suggested as being beneficial to both sides. A contractual expert can represent the governing board and help determine whether the chief executive should be rehired or terminated. (Author/MLW)

The court decision of the Bloomfield College case concerning dismissals and abolition of tenure is presented with an explanatory introduction. (PG)