Examines two cases of university department-based, practice-centered peer inquiry projects as a means of faculty development. Compares the leadership, structure, and outcomes of each department's project. Discusses the role of department culture, the norms of scholarly collaboration, standard work patterns, curricular standards, university status,…

Focus is on the allocation of academic staff between university departments. General principles of staff allocation, techniques for allocation, and practical problems in implementing a given method are discussed. Decentralized decision making and allowing some freedom of choice are considered. (Author/MSE)

The role and functions of university department heads as analyzed in the literature are outlined and compared with the perceptions and expectations of the staff of eight departments in one Australian university, who attached great importance to the administrator's function of encouragement. (MSE)

A small departmental survey revealed significant differences in perception among faculty and students of the chairperson's role as departmental executive officer. Although styles of leadership vary, the chairperson's role in higher education requires further investigation and clarification. (MSE)

This case study of three university departments was designed to generate substantive theory about decision-making in academic departments. Homans' social systems theory was used as a framework, and it is shown that the rate of interaction affects the crystallization of norm structures and processes of influence and decision-making. (Author/LBH)

A study of patterns of perceived management functions in schools of social sciences, physical sciences, and medicine showed deans perceived as paying more attention to outside than inside activities. Correlations of faculty perceptions with faculty career characteristics (publishing, seniority, rank, tenure, and job satisfaction) are also…

Policies and professionalism are discussed with reference to experiences in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Great Britain. A professional development policy is considered to be a prerequisite for inservice programs for academic staff, evaluation of academic performance, and career-related decisions. (Author/MLW)

The foreign composition of faculties in schools and departments of education in 10 Australian colleges and universities is examined in terms of the proportions, qualifications, nationalities, and influences of these faculty members on the institutions. (MSE)

A survey of 1,579 faculty members in 201 academic departments at Norway's 4 universities found no significant relationship between department size and research productivity, as measured by scientific publishing. Faculty in smaller departments were more content with their research environment than their colleagues in larger departments. However,…

A survey of 90 department heads in six Israeli universities concerning their role perceptions, role fulfillment, and satisfaction with role fulfillment found five main role factors and significant differences between fulfillment of roles and the desire to fulfill them. (MSE)

A study of research productivity among 890 Australian faculty members in 18 universities during 1985-89 found the overall average to be low but with a wide range of variation. Additional variables examined include level of research activity, subject area, institution type, gender, age, early research interest, and satisfaction with the promotion…

Three faculty workload planning methods in United Kingdom universities are compared, focusing on workload planning principles, computerized decision support, institutional contexts, political dimensions, and management of change. One is based on contact hours; the second on actual hours; and the third on translating supervision, teaching,…