While the longstanding structural challenges in the professional development of junior scholars of color can be confronted through strong mentoring relationships, the potential power of effective mentoring will only be realized when the environments in which these relationships exist begin to change. Derived from insights gleaned from grantees of…

Human resources is in an excellent position in many institutions to initiate collaboration and cooperation with other campus departments. In this article, the leaders of the departments of HR and academic resources at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, share their insights on the importance of partnership-building on campus and describe how a…

This book presents 11 contributed papers which examine communication aspects of the department chair position in academia. It is noted that most academic department chairs are not trained in management skills, including communication strategies. After an introductory chapter by Christopher H. Spicer and Ann Q. Staton, the following papers are…

Presents rankings of U.S., university, economics departments. Explains the rankings are based upon representation of the departments on the editorial boards of leading economics journals. Reports that results are similar to rankings based upon other criteria. (DK)

Analyzes the establishment, expansion, and contraction of geography departments at the college and university level beginning in the late 1800s and concluding with the present decade. Reports that in the 1980s the total number of geography departments in the United States decreased for the first time. (DB)

Nearly 80,000 scholars currently serve as department chairs, and almost one-quarter will need to be replaced each year. Such a high turnover rate is partly due to surprises and unexpected sacrifices embedded in the department chair position. In an effort to help professors prepare for and overcome unforseen tradeoffs, the University Council for…

A survey of 101 research and doctorate-granting universities explored, in part, the tradeoffs professors have to make to become department heads. Tradeoffs include time required by the department head to deal with administrative pressures and demands. Rewards include monetary benefits, status, and leadership satisfaction. (MSE)

Little empirical research has focused specifically on the process of identifying comprehensive training needs for department chairs and school directors in public universities. A case study is presented to demonstrate the systematic design and implementation of a program to comprehensively assess the training needs of department chairs and school…

This book addresses principles of management and leadership in higher education, particularly leadership at the academic department level. It argues that academic leadership can improve academic outcomes and staff commitment in the current highly competitive and rapidly changing climate of higher education. Emphasis throughout is on the actual…

A survey was conducted of 114 (a 62.6% response rate) academic deans of predominantly IIA institutions (Carnegie Classification) to gather information concerning the equitable and fair treatment of department heads at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. The survey revealed that the duties of department heads included teaching/research;…

This report addresses Washington State's historical and current information regarding salary increments for college faculty, salary disparity among postsecondary institutions and within institutional departments, and performance-based compensation plans for college faculty. Included among the report's findings are the following items: (1)…

Salaries and promotion patterns in the social sciences faculty at a large Canadian university were examined for evidence of gender discrimination. No patterns of discrimination in promotion were found, and women were not more underrepresented in higher-salaried departments. Male and female faculty similar on salary-relevant variables were found to…

The purpose of this paper was to determine faculty perceptions about the role a department chair does and should play in a faculty member's movement toward tenure. A group of 485 full-time, tenured, and tenure-track faculty from 13 U.S. doctorate-granting universities participated in the study. Answers to the following questions were solicited:…

This statement includes the Council of Chief State School Officer's (CCSSO) position on the international dimensions of education and presents a series of proposed action steps. The international dimensions of education are fourfold: (1) the capacity to communicate in languages other than English; (2) understanding of other nations, cultures, and…

This paper synthesizes leading national studies of academic labor markets and focuses on the implications of changes in faculty labor markets for comprehensive universities, four-year primarily undergraduate universities that are neither research universities nor liberal arts colleges. It draws on several national studies to present statistics on…