Departmental Leadership: Navigating Productive Tension While in a Paradoxical Role
The landscape of higher education is dynamic and calls for faculty and academic administrators to not only prepare those entering the workforce with current skills, knowledge, and values but to do so in an environment that is resourceful with the tools, and personnel necessary to educate the citizen...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/feduc.2019.00097/full |
| _version_ | 1819087329392852992 |
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| author | Rosemary M. Caron |
| author_facet | Rosemary M. Caron |
| author_sort | Rosemary M. Caron |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The landscape of higher education is dynamic and calls for faculty and academic administrators to not only prepare those entering the workforce with current skills, knowledge, and values but to do so in an environment that is resourceful with the tools, and personnel necessary to educate the citizenry. A critical component in achieving this noble mission is the role of the Department Chair, who spans both the academic and administrative environments. The Department Chair, whether at a public or private institution must serve multiple masters which include, senior academic administrators, departmental faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, community partners, and donors. The challenges that arise while in this role are many, for example, budgetary, personnel, and academic program accreditation/certification. Successes also do occur as evidenced by enrollment and graduation rates, and sincere appreciation from those we have taught. The Department Chair role is essential and deserves to possess the authority necessary to make decisions that are in the best interest of students, faculty, and the academic programs offered. The purpose of this perspective is to offer recommendations, grounded in experience, that may assist the Department Chair in navigating productive tension that can arise while working in this role that is often paradoxical at times. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T21:34:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8476927fd8564253aa7008cf1a53a494 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T21:34:25Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-8476927fd8564253aa7008cf1a53a4942022-12-21T18:49:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2019-09-01410.3389/feduc.2019.00097474159Departmental Leadership: Navigating Productive Tension While in a Paradoxical RoleRosemary M. CaronThe landscape of higher education is dynamic and calls for faculty and academic administrators to not only prepare those entering the workforce with current skills, knowledge, and values but to do so in an environment that is resourceful with the tools, and personnel necessary to educate the citizenry. A critical component in achieving this noble mission is the role of the Department Chair, who spans both the academic and administrative environments. The Department Chair, whether at a public or private institution must serve multiple masters which include, senior academic administrators, departmental faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, community partners, and donors. The challenges that arise while in this role are many, for example, budgetary, personnel, and academic program accreditation/certification. Successes also do occur as evidenced by enrollment and graduation rates, and sincere appreciation from those we have taught. The Department Chair role is essential and deserves to possess the authority necessary to make decisions that are in the best interest of students, faculty, and the academic programs offered. The purpose of this perspective is to offer recommendations, grounded in experience, that may assist the Department Chair in navigating productive tension that can arise while working in this role that is often paradoxical at times.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/feduc.2019.00097/fulldepartment chairpersoneducational leadershipfaculty team buildingparadoxtransition |
| spellingShingle | Rosemary M. Caron Departmental Leadership: Navigating Productive Tension While in a Paradoxical Role Frontiers in Education department chairperson educational leadership faculty team building paradox transition |
| title | Departmental Leadership: Navigating Productive Tension While in a Paradoxical Role |
| title_full | Departmental Leadership: Navigating Productive Tension While in a Paradoxical Role |
| title_fullStr | Departmental Leadership: Navigating Productive Tension While in a Paradoxical Role |
| title_full_unstemmed | Departmental Leadership: Navigating Productive Tension While in a Paradoxical Role |
| title_short | Departmental Leadership: Navigating Productive Tension While in a Paradoxical Role |
| title_sort | departmental leadership navigating productive tension while in a paradoxical role |
| topic | department chairperson educational leadership faculty team building paradox transition |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/feduc.2019.00097/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rosemarymcaron departmentalleadershipnavigatingproductivetensionwhileinaparadoxicalrole |