Work and Family Integration for Faculty: Recommendations for Chairs

by Lisa Wolf-Wendel and Kelly Ward

Institutions of higher education are increasingly recognizing that being “family-friendly” is an asset for faculty recruitment and retention. Read More.

Leading an Energized Academic Department: Seven Timely Reminders

by Kina S. Mallard and Ann Singleton

Because the spring semester doesn’t have quite the same spark as the start of a fall semester, we wanted to remind you of the ways your work as chair can energize your departmental faculty and, in the process, even energize you. Read More.

Ten Tough Realities of Academic Administration

by Juston C. Pate

Accepting your first appointment as an academic administrator is an exciting time, but unless you are prepared for the realities of the position, it can be followed by one of the most disappointing periods of your career. Read More.

Working with the Passive-Aggressive Colleague

by R. Kent Crookston

In my interaction with hundreds of chairs I have found that the passive-aggressive colleague represents one of the most taxing of all personnel challenges. Read More.

At the Top, a Cheerleader: Attracting and Retaining Students

by Christopher O. Lynch

Department chairs must be cheerleaders for their departments—marketers and public relations specialists who are constantly promoting the value of learning—and they must be innovative and up to date in attracting and retaining students.  Read More.

The Department Chair Spring Issue

by Jossey Bass

Please click the link below to access the current issue of our journal The Department Chair.

Department Chair: Sample Issue Read More.

Leading from the Middle

by Lee G. Bolman and Joan V. Gallos

Higher education administrators juggle multiple roles and a myriad of expectations from diverse constituents. Read More.

Typology of Department Chairs: The Case of the Swivel Chair

by Walt Gmelch

Chairs swivel. Caught between the conflicting interests of faculty and administration, department chairs often don’t know which way to turn. Read More.

Mending a Fractured Department: Strategies for New Chairs

by Randall McClure

Despite the efforts to better prepare faculty to assume the responsibilities of the chair role and in doing so provide stronger leadership for their academic units, new chairs only really learn their jobs by doing them. Read More.

What About the Department Chair Reappointment Process?

by Carol A. Mullen

The subject of chair reappointments is relevant to the leadership of academic departments across disciplines and institutions, yet it tends not to be talked about. Read More.

Accept and Embrace Your Role as Chair

by R. Kent Crookston

In a recent survey of America’s academic chairs (see Crookston, 2010), more than one thousand participants indicated they were struggling to accept their role as chair, to embrace and make the most of it. Read More.

Legal Issues in Faculty Evaluation: Avoiding Problems

by Jon K. Dalager

Evaluations have become a part of academia. Read More.

Zoom to Doom Chart

by Walter Gmelch and Val Miskin

An except from the article "The Chair Loop: Zoom to Doom—How Long Is Long Enough?" by Walter Gmelch and Val Miskin, published in The Department Chair, this chart illustrates the relationship between department chair effectiveness and competency with the length of time the position is held and commitment of the chair. Read More.