The Academic Chairperson's Handbook

Between 1990 and 2004, universities and colleges will compete fiercely for 335,000 new faculty members. That is just one challenge looming for chairpersons, whose domain has been transformed by changing departmental missions. Until now, the academic chair has received little guidance not only in dealing with new trends but in the daily running of a department. Academic Chairperson's Handbook is an important resource book for leaders who can make a positive difference.This handbook draws on interviews with two hundred successful academic chairpersons from seventy campuses, who discuss their solutions to typical problems that occur in bridging the relations between faculty, administration, students, and the public. The first of ifs two parts presents fifteen strategies for developing a department, exercising leadership, and reaching out to faculty. The second part applies these strategies to the everyday business of improving teaching performance and promoting scholarship, hiring, and dealing with personnel conflicts. Based on a national project supported by TIAA-CREF, Academic Chairperson's Handbook will be indispensable to department heads at colleges and universities of all sizes throughout the United States.