Briefly reviews personal experiences as an English department chair and compares the relative advantages of two systems of department administration: long-standing and short-term headships. (AEA)

Describes seven things the author would do, were he chairing an English department, to solve some of the problems that go with the post. (DD)

Promoting academic departmental productivity requires vision, passion, and sensitivity while coping with the rapid pace of change. This paper presents 10 proven strategies for managing some common challenges faced by academic department chairs: (1) building a sense of family purpose; (2) establishing mechanisms to assure accountability; (3)…

Considers the position of the subject area supervisor. Reports on a survey of the characteristics of these positions as they are found in the school districts of Pennsylvania. Assesses the potential for the continuation of the positions in the districts surveyed. (HB)

This paper explicates the elements of several policy instruments used in Connecticut, the political conditions under which they were chosen, and their intended targets and expected effects on teacher quality and student learning. The purpose of the paper is to explain how the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA) and the Connecticut State Department…

Describes the joys and frustrations of serving as head of a university English department. (AEA)

Traces the history of the author's experience as the chair of an English department and discusses the leadership required of an effective chair. (DD)

Discusses the department head as an advocate for the department, a recruiter, and a human being; describes the relationship between department heads and faculty. (DD)

Encourages English department chairpersons to adopt a cross-disciplinary approach and suggests a sequence of cross-disciplinary courses. (DD)

Applies the ruling strategies from Machiavelli's "The Prince" to the job of successfully holding the position of English department chairperson. (HTH)

Ways are discussed for making faculty assessment an integral part of a department. Suggestions relate to developing career plans, specifying goals, identifying skills, conducting regular reviews, and locating assessment within the departmental and institutional culture. Guidelines and procedures are illustrated with sample letters and third-year…

Considers how the creativity of individuals can best benefit the whole, without making others feel disenfranchised. Presents four assumptions addressing fragmentation, the reason for fragmentation, the role of the chair regarding fragmentation, and the role of individuality in a small vs. large institution. Notes the author's department has…

Discusses what it means to work in and chair an English department in a University of Excellence. Clarifies what a university dedicated to excellence means in his experience. Suggests that the effort to show excellence is fundamentally about making an account, a narrative that inspires public credulity. (SG)

Contrasts scholarship in technical communication with that in literary studies. (HOD)

Suggests some of the roles required of English department heads and gives a few practical tips on how to cope with them. (AEA)