There is a growing body of literature on the roles that deans play in challenging times; however, what is often missing are deans' own voices as they reflect on their experiences trying to manage the dilemmas and crises inherent in their work. This is particularly true of the past few years when deans have managed unprecedented levels of…

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is being felt across all higher education institutions. Deans, central to institutional response and college/school repositioning, are being challenged to provide leadership that result in successful institutional response. This study illuminates the current understanding of three trends requiring critical…

Interpretive and narrative research approaches, the experiences of academic administrators other than deans, chairs, and presidents, and academic identity work beyond graduate students and beginning professors are all areas that are underrepresented in the literature on higher educational administration. This article builds on recent narrative…

Position postings and professional literature represent opportunity for insights into the expectations of aspiring position applicants as well as describe appropriate skills, experiences and management or leadership approaches that can inform incumbent information executive (e.g. Chief Information Officers and Library Deans) on effective…

A national sample of 1515 university administrators (academic deans, directors, associate deans, and department chairs) completed a survey of leadership skills, preparedness for administrative role, and job satisfaction. Overall, participants felt least well prepared in the areas of developing entrepreneurial revenue, developing metrics to…

This study explored the preparation and career paths of academic deans in Church of God (COG) theological institutions located in Latin American and Caribbean. This study used a qualitative research approach and the in-depth interview method for data collection. A group of 14 academic deans that serve in COG theological schools and that…

Power is embedded within all aspects of human experience and has been a fundamental constituent in social systems since the beginning of recorded history. Power exists in every organization and evolves as the culture of the organization exerts its influence. Organizational structures and systems dictate the elements of power, its use, and its…

This case study presents the findings from a qualitative research project about a Black woman scholar, the first non-White female to serve as chair of a department and the associate dean of the college in its 100 year history. The study focuses on the experiences of a Black woman scholar as a chairperson and the learning she achieved during her…

The concept of actively leading constituents, internal and external, is second nature to many university administrators in most areas, except one: fundraising. For many university presidents and academic deans, it's a part of the job that is not well defined or well understood. They know there is an expectation that private funds will flow into…

Within the last twenty years, some educational researchers initiated an emphasis to study the accomplishments and contributions of African-American women in higher education. Although they were marginally recognized, some African-American women forged into uncharted territories by providing examples of administrative leadership in post-secondary…

Previous research suggests that academic deans follow the human relations and structural perspectives in conflict management (Feltner & Goodsell, 1972). However, the position of an academic dean has been described to have undertones that are more political and social than hierarchical and technical. Hence, the current study evaluated the role of…

A UK business school was researched to record its history and to account for its development. The data collection and interpretation were influenced by the flexible and iterative nature of the methodology. Theories and concepts used to make sense of the findings include: open systems, force fields, and power. The focus is on strategic leadership,…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine professional leadership experiences of college deans of education with formal and informal mentoring in the course of their career progression at 4-year nonprofit private colleges and universities in California. Methodology: Using a mixed-methods approach that emphasized the qualitative data…

Community college deans and other senior administrators are faced with a variety of issues and challenges that include, but are not limited to, the ever-changing nature of technology, changes in diverse populations, industry training, and job placements. At this level, the frequently identified emergence of leadership and supervision issues have…

Examines two areas of accountability associated with the role of ideal dean: planning, which includes developing a strong internal database, and leadership. (PD)