This study assessed Heads of Departments' effectiveness in providing academic leadership at the departmental level. I research question and 2 hypotheses were formulated to give direction to this investigation. Survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 110 Heads of Departments from 2 universities in Cross River…

Issues arising from relationships between academic departments in universities and external stakeholders are numerous and complex. The matter is illustrated in this paper by focusing on a dispute in the theology department at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, which came to a head from 2004 to 2007. The dispute itself is detailed and…

Middle leadership roles in higher education have been identified as important for institutional effectiveness yet fraught with tensions, and those in middle leadership roles often feel unprepared and unsupported. This study of the responsibilities, skills and competencies, and support required for heads of school in a New Zealand university, drew…

This article discusses the need for chairs to recognize the changing and interconnected nature of postmodern times by engaging with policy makers, politics, and coalitions in this age of supercomplexity. Chairing a kinesiology department is a rewarding and complex position fraught with uncertainty; nevertheless, tolerating and planning for…

This study is based on interviews with 25 programme leaders at two universities in England. Programme leadership is ubiquitous and essential to effective university operations, yet there is surprisingly little research on the role. It is an ambiguous and complex form of leadership, existing as it does in the space between standard academic and…

Research on women in leadership has received growing attention in recent years. But not enough studies have investigated the way women construct leadership and management of the academic department. This article reports on the findings of an inquiry into the experiences of women heads of academic departments (HoDs) at universities in South Africa…

This article focuses on leadership behaviour and effectiveness of university academic program directors who have responsibility for managing a program or course of study. The leadership capabilities were assessed using the Integrated Competing Values Framework as its theoretical foundation. Data from 90 academic program directors and 710…

This paper draws on a study of academic chairpersons' experiences in one research-intensive university in New Zealand. The research goal was see if there were recurring threads in chairpersons' narratives about their experience and management of conflict and challenge. The research revealed that one of the most pervasive stories concerned a set of…

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…

Measures of attributes of leadership situations faced by department chairmen were theoretically and empirically related. Findings indicated that high task structure (faculty homogeneity and academic task structure) is associated with better member relations and greater cooperation on administrative matters. Implications for administrators are…

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to analyze traditional duties of academic administrators in light of fundamental changes in the ways universities operate, increasing demands in teaching, research and costs management, and a looming shortage of qualified faculty, to determine need and opportunity for a better administrative design.…

Discusses how a communications department can thrive and what allows for it to be reduced and threatened with extinction. Provides specific advice for survival: (1) avoid isolation; (2) pursue political positioning; (3) seek support and strong leadership; (4) capitalize on contributions of adjunct faculty; and (5) develop departmental…

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…

As vocational programs take on increased importance during the 1980's, it becomes necessary to assess the effectiveness of the vocational education leadership exercised at the national, state, university, and local college levels. At the national level, leadership is evidenced in legislatively mandated programs, such as the Graduate Leadership…