Over the last decade, many research universities have adopted policies and support mechanisms to help academic parents balance work and family. This study sought to understand what facilitates faculty agency in making decisions about work and family, including parental leave. We conducted 20 interviews with 5 men and 15 women at a research…

The factors that played a major role in the rapid improvement of academic departments at eight major research universities are explored. Five improvement strategies are identified: departmental hiring practices, funding, leadership, strategic planning, and overall institutional reputation. (Author/MLW)

A grounded theory of chairperson management strategy derived from interviews with outstanding chairpersons at three urban universities is presented. Five interacting factors lead to department leadership effectiveness: leader values, department stages, management strategies, congruence level, and resource control. (Author/MLW)