Study investigated faculty recruitment procedures across universities, departments, and sectors (public/private) in Australia, using reports from department heads and job applicants and case studies. Results revealed varied recruitment and selection strategies. Job applicants reported satisfaction with most but identified some areas needing…

Heads of departments may find themselves in a counseling role both for staff and for students. Counseling in any department within a college requires skill and sensitivity to meet the needs of students and staff. Heads of departments may be faced with a variety of problems: students who complain about a staff member; scholastic failure or…

The trend toward the interdisciplinary approach to learning is suggested to be more effective for well-rounded study of a subject. Methods for using the approach in a university setting are presented. (LBH)

The results of a survey of department chairmen in nine British university-level institutions concerning the system of external evaluation, especially the duties and approaches of examiners, are discussed. (MSE)

A study concerning performance indicators in five New Zealand higher education institutions had staff in administration, libraries, and an academic department identify appropriate measures of performance for mechanistic activities. For some activities, particularly at senior levels, mechanistic measures are found inappropriate and impractical;…

Leadership was the primary issue when the Lincoln Institute of Health Sciences (Victoria, Australia) introduced academic governance regulations in 1978. The issue resurfaced in 1982, prompting a regulations review. This paper analyzes review findings and relates them to contemporary theory viewing leadership as a relationship between leaders and…

Informal interviews with 12 British university department heads investigated attitudes about: the relative importance of research and teaching, both within the department and for individual faculty members; prestige associated with each; the utility of the categories "teaching" and "research" within the discipline; links…

Strategies used by Griffith University (Australia) to control quality, in response to increasing external pressure for accountability, are outlined. The central strategy involves devolving responsibility to faculties and schools, who must develop plans for quality control within their own academic cultures. Barriers to implementation, including…

Interviews in seven English secondary schools revealed levels of teacher involvement in decisionmaking in the areas of finance and resources that ranged from schools where heads kept information confidential to one where a committee used a formula. (MLF)

Faculty self-appraisal workshops instituted at MacQuarie University (Australia) in response to a call for increased faculty self-evaluation is seen as a useful format for faculty development. The workshops occur at the departmental level, where it is easiest to integrate curriculum design, assessment policies, academic content, and teaching…

An analysis of the status of undergraduate linguistics programs in the United States and Canada includes information about 165 U.S. and 18 Canadian institutions. It presents: alphabetic and state-by-state listings of the institutions offering linguistics education, including the recent history of their participation in the Linguistic Society of…

A study of the usefulness of time analysis as a method of teacher self-evaluation suggests that while the method can be of value, it raises major issues in department management, especially in British and Welsh public institutions. The implications for faculty accountability and participation in decision making are also examined. (MSE)

Summarizes findings of a study that identified the criteria of managerial effectiveness at department level in secondary schools. Outlines both the "universally applicable" and "education-specific" competencies. Discusses implications regarding the selection, appraisal, and training of managerial staff in secondary education.…

The staff development program at the University of New South Wales (Australia) differs from traditional university programs in that it integrates professional development activities for both general and academic staff. The Professional Development Centre operates as an academic unit and performs both teaching and research functions. (MSE)

Computer-based support services needed by individual planners/managers in small academic units (deans' and department heads' offices) within a larger higher education environment should provide the capability to interact easily and inexpensively with powerful information systems which allow the planner to integrate data from several sources, test…