Perceptions of advising held by new faculty, department heads, and administrators were investigated in 1981, and the need for training faculty for advising was explored. Questionnaires were completed by 18 new faculty and 25 department heads at George Mason University, Virginia, and 8 administrators were interviewed. Although the majority of…

These three position papers were prepared as part of a project to develop a job description for departmental chairpersons at Delaware Technical and Community College (DTCC). The first paper, "A Profile of the Role and Function of the Departmental Chairperson," contains a brief description of DTCC and an overview of the evolution of the…

A review and analysis of higher education planning efforts is presented, followed by findings from two studies: (1) the survey of the planning attitudes of administrators in colleges and universities, and (2) a pilot study of the fit between community college division heads' planning perspectives and the assumptions underlying strategic planning.…

The perspective of a legislative staff member regarding the utility of research concerning policy making is presented as well as recommendations about other useful areas of research. (CB)

A survey of general faculty, faculty advisors, and department heads in four universities to examine attitudes about the importance of academic advising and its rewards shows that advising does not rate high in the traditional academic reward structure. What rewards there are come from departments and department heads. (MSE)

Describes a study of 3,000 community college department chairs to identify and prioritize strategies used to cope with job-related challenges. Indicates that top strategies were related to relations with business and industry, maintaining the chair position, and internal departmental operations. Discusses implications for future research. (10…

Statistics on the relative importance of teaching and research were among the findings of a nationwide survey of 2,423 university department chairmen. Some of the findings of the survey on institutional policies covered: the overall faculty, academic rank, tenure systems, limits on tenured faculty, employee benefits, collective bargaining, etc.…

The paper looks at staffing issues in meeting special educational needs in high schools in Manchester, United Kingdom. The concerns of Heads of Departments (N=26) included improved training and inservice, their extended roles within their schools, the support role of special needs staff, and the need for more planning and evaluation. (Author/DB)

University department heads in the United States and Australia function under increased uncertainty and stress: diverse student populations; funding shortages; demands for quality; downsizing; balancing academic/administrative roles. Article examines environmental pressures on these administrators explores strategies department heads in the two…

An open-ended survey was sent to speech communication department heads to determine their perceptions about forensics as an educational activity. Results showed that administrators overwhelmingly considered debate to have been the most important educational activity they engaged in when they were students; they attributed many of their…

A survey of Ohio rural superintendents examined their perceptions of the methods by which the State of Ohio Department of Education influences public school districts. The Power Perception Profile, which classifies power into seven categories, was completed by 63 rural, 53 suburban, and 42 urban Ohio superintendents with reference to the state…

Kentucky's first education service agency (ESA) network was initiated in 1972. After expanding to cover most of the state, it was dissolved in 1976 for lack of funding. Using case study methodology, this paper discusses the historical background of Kentucky's educational system, the establishment and abolition of educational regions and of the ESA…

A survey was conducted to gauge the communicative needs of students outside the field of speech communication. Respondents were 120 chairpeople from academic programs in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. These chairpersons perceived a great need for training in communication skills, but did not perceive speech communication courses as…

This report concerns efforts of the Maryland State Department of Education to improve black-white relations throughout the school system. It describes a special staff within the Department of Education whose concerns include institutes and workshops on human relations; recruitment, hiring, and promotion; resolution of intergroup problems; and…

Realizing that the innovative potential of a state division of vocational education can be enhanced through communications networks, this study sought (1) to describe the degree of association between selected communication network characteristics and attitudes of personnel in a state division of vocational education, and (2) to assess the…