Online Training

New Programming!

Gain in-depth knowledge and prepare for the fall semester with hands-on, intensive workshops for department chairs:

Program Assessment and Curriculum Review
June 14, 2012
12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT

The Highly Effective Department Chair
June 21, 2012
12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT

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BOOKS

FERPA Clear and Simple: The College Professional’s Guide to Compliance

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) compliance has always been challenging due to complex regulatory language and exposure to risk. However, institutions that do not comply are in jeopardy of losing federal funding. Accessible and user-friendly, FERPA Clear and Simple clarifies the regulations and provides a ready reference for compliance and problem solving. This need-to-have guide offers critical and relevant material (including the 2008 Amendments) from a new perspective to help staff in student affairs, academic departments, and administrative support positions understand and comply with FERPA guidelines.

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JOURNAL

This quarterly periodical for department chairs and deans features practical advice, useful information, and up-to-date resources. Its applications, techniques, case studies, strategies, and guidance are directly relevant to today's academic leaders.

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E-NEWSLETTER

WHAT'S THE DEAN THINKING?

8/15/2011 12:00 AM

Sharing Information with the Dean

From The Department Chair Insider, December 2010 – Vol. 1

Q. How much information should chairs share with the dean?

A. This is something that will vary considerably, depending on your dean’s leadership style and need for details. For instance, some deans want to be copied on everything, hate being blindsided on even very minor issues, and find it easier to understand the big picture if they’re exposed to every single one of its elements. Other deans are likely to feel overwhelmed by that much information and may assume that you’re sharing all of it because you’re unable to distinguish between what’s important and what’s trivial. If either you or the dean is relatively new to the position and you haven’t established a clear working relationship, start by erring on the side of sharing too much rather than too little. Then, in a conversation with the dean, ask candidly how well informed he or she wants to be about day-to-day issues: Thus far, have you been sending on too much or too little? The dean will probably be grateful that you asked and make clear his or her needs as they relate to personal style, goals, and administrative philosophy. Moreover, if you end up working for more than one dean during your tenure as chair, don’t be surprised if what had seemed like far too much information to one of them barely satisfies another’s desire for detail. We all manage differently and, just as you’ll want the dean to respect your own approach to making decisions and processing information, so will you want to respect the individual differences among various deans.

—Jeffrey L. Buller is dean of the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College at Florida Atlantic University.