Gifted students can perform a variety of roles in groups, and it is important for career choice and satisfaction that the role chosen be a natural one. Gifted students may function best and contribute most in the role of exemplar or eccentric rather than in more traditionally conceived leadership roles. (CL)

An attempt is made to demythologize certain aspects of academic administration that even knowledgeable and experienced academic administrators often ignore at the peril of effective leadership. Eight essays are presented which question these myths associated with upper level administration in universities. These myths tell us that administrators…

Case studies of two colleges of very different financial status are contrasted to illustrate principles of leadership during both good economic times and difficult times. Visits and interviews at four prospering colleges and four colleges under financial stress were conducted to determine the financial state of each college and the role of…

A course of study in social psychology should progress from the personal to the social. It should be organized around the study of four topics: (1) the boundaries of the self; (2) the relation between individuals; (3) communication between individuals; and (4) leadership and social power. (Author/RM)

The paper examines the joint interactive process of top-level administrative leadership teams of colleges or universities, with emphasis on the team's collective thinking. It focuses on how individual team members, who report directly to the president, make sense of their own and each other's activities on the team (for example, by constructing…

This article argues that critical meeting facilitation skills support a collaborative group approach to working and learning, and that a computer-based technology, Group Support Systems (GSS), is a useful tool. Use of GSS with the case study method is offered as an example of blending technology and skills to teach people to work together more…

Two higher education professionals discuss cultural issues that separate librarians and information technology professionals, and inhibit enlightened leadership as their changing roles cause professional convergence. Guiding principles for the information professional are outlined: developing oneself and a new generation of leadership; recognizing…

This study of the school board agenda-setting role among 30 Minnesota superintendents interprets their perceptions in relation to environmental contexts, group demands, issues control, and district enrollment size. A microperspective of David Easton's political systems model provided the guiding conceptual framework. Respondents were interviewed…