The Academic Deanship: Individual Careers and Institutional Roles

by David F. Bright (Emory Univ.); Mary P. Richards (Univ. of Delaware)

• ISBN13: 9780787953508
• ISBN10: 0787953504
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-09-01
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

A deanship is now seen as more of a phase in an overall academic career than as a permanent shift from teaching to administration. In fact, the nature of the job itself has changed, as has the range of likely options at the end of a dean's tenure. This book serves as a guide for the aspiring or new dean, offering practical advice on how to approach the interview process and the new job, as well as providing a thoughtful assessment of the deanship in its wider context. The authors--both experienced academic deans at a variety of institutions--encourage the new or experienced dean to reflect on the larger issues, and address the realities of deaning from several perspectives in efforts to illuminate both the challenges and rewards of the job.

Author Biography

David F. Bright is professor of classics and comparative literature at Emory University. He has held a variety of administrative positions ranging from department chair to vice president to dean of arts and sciences. He has held deanships at three institutions.

Table of Contents

Preface	xii
Acknowledgments	xvii
The Authors	xix
Part One: Becoming a Dean	1	(48)
The Map and the Crossword: Ways to Think about Being a Dean	3	(9)
The Map	4	(1)
The Crossword Puzzle	5	(3)
Deaning as Part of an Ongoing Academic Career	8	(4)
What It Takes to Be a Dean	12	(21)
Relevant Credentials and Experience	13	(5)
Necessary Skills and Expected Duties	18	(7)
How Do I Match Up?	25	(1)
Do I Want a Deanship?	26	(7)
Finding the Right Position	33	(16)
Dean of What?	33	(2)
What Is Available?	35	(2)
Application and Nomination	37	(1)
Resumes and References	38	(2)
Letter	40	(1)
Interviews	41	(4)
Offer	45	(4)
Part Two: Administering the College	49	(60)
The Shift to the Dean's Office	51	(15)
Setting Up and Setting In	51	(4)
Needing Immediate Attention	55	(6)
The First Full Round	61	(5)
Balances of Power	66	(17)
The Office Staff	67	(8)
Faculty Governance	75	(5)
Faculty Unions	80	(3)
Departments, Programs, and Their Leaders	83	(26)
Dealing with the Multiple Identities of Departments	84	(5)
Working with Departments and DEOs	89	(8)
Selecting DEOs	97	(5)
Supporting the DEOs	102	(7)
Part Three: The Work of the Dean	109	(120)
Planning	111	(19)
Preliminaries	112	(4)
Where and How to Begin: Top-Down or Bottom-Up?	116	(2)
The Planning Committee	118	(1)
Developing the Plan	119	(5)
Refining the Plan	124	(2)
Implementing the Plan	126	(2)
Pitfalls	128	(2)
Budgets and Resources	130	(18)
Budget Assistant	130	(2)
When There's Month Left at the End of the Money	132	(4)
Budget Proposals	136	(1)
Grants and Contracts	137	(3)
Outcomes	140	(1)
Personnel	140	(2)
Physical Facilities	142	(3)
Technology	145	(3)
Faculty Development	148	(30)
Recruiting Faculty	149	(5)
Mentoring	154	(2)
Developing Teaching	156	(1)
Encouraging Research	157	(2)
Academic Citizenship	159	(2)
Evaluation	161	(5)
Reward and Support System	166	(3)
Dealing with External Offers	169	(4)
Retooling and Retirement	173	(5)
The Dean's Role in Academic Programs	178	(19)
Types of Programs	178	(3)
The Dean's Role	181	(3)
Reviewing Programs	184	(4)
Special Problems	188	(4)
Maintaining the Curriculum	192	(5)
Working with Students	197	(17)
The Dean's Responsibility to Students	198	(3)
The Dean's Office and Students	201	(3)
Student Problems	204	(7)
Learning from Students	211	(3)
Legal Issues and Other Special Challenges	214	(15)
Legal Issues	214	(4)
Grievances	218	(2)
Sexual Harassment	220	(4)
Special Challenges for Women and Minority Deans	224	(5)
Part Four: Beyond the College	229	(60)
The Provost	231	(14)
The Provost's Role	232	(2)
Reporting to the Provost	234	(3)
Establishing a Relationship with the Provost	237	(2)
The Importance of Communication and Candor	239	(2)
Performance Reviews	241	(4)
Other Deans and Directors	245	(10)
Deans as a Natural Cohort	246	(2)
Directors	248	(1)
Working with the Other Deans	249	(1)
Cooperating on the Academic Agenda	250	(2)
The Wider Community of Deans	252	(3)
External Relations	255	(16)
Alumni	256	(1)
Parents	257	(4)
College Publications and Publicity	261	(2)
Advisory Councils	263	(1)
Media Relations	263	(2)
Development	265	(6)
Beyond Deaning: Building a Balanced Career	271	(18)
Maintaining an Academic Identity	271	(4)
Endgame	275	(10)
The Decanal Afterlife	285	(4)
References	289	(6)
Index	295