The Department Chair Primer
What Chairs Need to Know and Do to Make a Difference
J-B Anker Resources for Department Chairs
2. Auflage Februar 2012
128 Seiten, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
If higher education is to fulfill its vital social mission, new
department leaders must be prepared for their positions and get up
to speed on the basics quickly, educating themselves about the role
and continuing to learn on the job.
In this second edition of his classic resource, Don Chu outlines
the proven ideas and strategies new department chairs need in order
to do their jobs well. Thoroughly revised and updated, The
Department Chair Primer contains information that addresses the
current pressures and challenges in higher education and offers
practical suggestions for responding to them.
Filled with illustrative examples, the book gets straight to the
heart of challenges and issues. Each chapter details a particular
problem, includes a brief introduction to the topic, and provides
tips on how to deal with the situation. Covering a wealth of
topics, The Department Chair Primer
* Explores the chair's role as department leader
* Offers suggestions for handling stress and conflict
* Includes information on budgeting, resource management, and
development
* Contains strategies for professional development, people
management, and working with challenging personnel
* Presents ideas for handling department communications, student
development, and strategic positioning
Written in a concise and accessible manner, The Department Chair
Primer is an ideal resource for the busy new department chair.
Part One: What New Chairs Need To Know 1
1 Why Department Chairs Are Important 3
2 The Chair's Role as Department Leader 9
3 The Chair's Ecosystem 16
4 Handling Stress and Conflict 26
5 What Kind of Chair Will You Be? 30
Part Two: Getting Started: How New Chairs Can Make A Difference 35
6 Before You Begin 37
7 Planning 42
8 Budget, Resource Management, and Development 52
9 Curriculum, Scheduling, and Instruction 67
10 Professional Development, Personnel Management, and Handling Challenging Personnel 76
11 Departmental Communication 85
12 Student Development 92
13 Strategic Positioning 97
14 Understanding Your Institution and Your Role as Department Chair 102
Resources 107
References 109
The Author 111
Index 113