Presents a series of "self-evident truths" based on the personal experiences of department chairs. Groups the 22 truths into 4 areas: departments are cultural and social entities; departments are connected to other units as well as to various constituencies; there are personal skills, feelings, and values involved; and there are philosophical…

Examines teaching effectiveness as it affects faculty and administrators in departments of speech communication. Summarizes a survey of current evaluation practices in these departments. Discusses what these practices mean for both faculty who are seeking promotion and tenure and administrators who participate in these decisions. (MS)

Discusses ways the department chairperson can assist in the continued development of tenured faculty. (PD)

Focuses on the academic unit which wishes to establish a degree program at a site remote from its parent institution. Attempts to give direction and structure to a department's early efforts to decide whether or not to undertake the development of an extended program. (MS)

Discusses the role of the administrator in communication programs. Considers educational goals and values of students; variations in enrollments; historically under-represented student populations; and faculty turnover and replacement. (MS)

Defines "cross-cultural,""multicultural,""cultural diversity," and "cultural pluralism." Maintains that theater administrators and artists must begin preparing their responses to the realities of cultural change. (SR)

Discusses the compelling motivations for a department to recruit faculty effectively and efficiently and how to integrate these motivations into the hiring process. Explores different perspectives of chairpersons and new hirees on retaining new faculty. Offers six steps to facilitate retention of new hires. (SR)

Focuses on the case of an untenured assistant professor being proposed for promotion to tenured associate professor. Offers three essential steps for the department to take in evaluating the candidate for reappointment or tenure and in recommending the candidate to other committees and the dean. (PRA)

Uses the rating systems of a number of studies recently undertaken concerning research productivity of speech communication departments to determine a profile of the chairs of 27 doctoral-granting departments considered prolific. Finds that chairs of prolific departments publish more than the "average" author listed in the author index for speech…

Explores journalism and mass communication administrators' support for paid media consulting (such as a writing coach, a market analyst, or a management consultant) by faculty members. Examines whether their programs' policies encourage such activity. Finds that administrators generally encourage their faculties to consult. (KEH)

Reports results of a survey of department chairs in many disciplines regarding communication problems they face. Finds that most department heads experience serious communication problems in conflict management, persuading/motivating others, public relations, and information management. (SR)

Provides background on the general issues of performance assessment and suggests intervention strategies for department chairs. (KEH)

Identifies the competencies that faculty members believe their department chairs need to possess in order to function effectively as academic leaders. Considers whether those competencies are generalizable across different academic departments. Assesses the degree of relationship between perceptions of department chairs' competencies and overall…