This essay revisits and expands on Gary A. Olson and Joseph M. Moxley's 1989 article "Directing Freshman Composition: The Limits of Authority" by looking at revised notions of writing program administrators' work and authority in 2012. Whereas the original essay surveyed only department chairs, our study includes data from both…

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…

Many teachers have known of (or been members of) departments in which all of the potentially successful chairs--after having proven themselves by running subunits or graduate programs--have decided to devote themselves solely to research or teaching, and to leave department administration to whoever is willing to do it or whoever can be talked…

A look at the problems of the English department chair, through a proposed curriculum containing such courses as Jargon for the English Administrator. (AA)

Stresses the importance and need for a college English department chair--in spite of the difficulties. (HOD)

Offers some perspectives drawn from a recent experience in making a transition from faculty to dean in the hope it will be of some help to other chairs considering crossing the "great divide." Discusses the decision, the preparation, the application, the search itself, the "rules of the road," and the results. (SG)

Presents a personalized account of the difficulties administrators of English departments face in maintaining an effective department and still balancing the budget. (RB)

Describes the joys and frustrations of serving as head of a university English department. (AEA)

Applies the ruling strategies from Machiavelli's "The Prince" to the job of successfully holding the position of English department chairperson. (HTH)

Relates some of the author's experiences in hiring new instructors as chair of the English department at Western Washington University. States that hiring is basically a year-round job. Discusses how position descriptions are written, thoughts on affirmative action, and the importance of organization and maintaining a timetable. Presents some…

Considers how deans look at departmental budgets. Presents 10 ways in which to think about English department funding that will enable department heads to build coalitions with the dean including: (1) keeping count; (2) reorganizing; (3) managing and capitalizing; (4) innovating; (5) investing; (6) generating; (7) connecting; (8) setting…

Tells stories, somewhat fictionalized, that may help English chairs frame the discussion on curricular revision. Describes the institutional and management issues chairs need to explore when they think about initiating the curriculum debate. Considers departmental structural issues, campus structural issues, organizational issues, and a set of…

Considers how the creativity of individuals can best benefit the whole, without making others feel disenfranchised. Presents four assumptions addressing fragmentation, the reason for fragmentation, the role of the chair regarding fragmentation, and the role of individuality in a small vs. large institution. Notes the author's department has…