Managing a Department

Managing a department is very different from managing your own academic career. As the head or chair of a department, it is your job to prepare budgets, allocate resources, help resolve problems, evaluate your colleagues, and more. Unless you had a previous career in management, you'll be learning many of these skills on the fly. The resources and references below can help.

Resources

Magna, publisher of Academic Leader, an online newsletter for academic deans and department chairs, also offers online seminars. On December 6, 2007, they broadcast The Chair's Role in Fostering Department Collegiality. (You can order a CD and transcript of the broadcast from the website.)

References

• Managing a Career Versus Managing a Program or Department
  This article, from the Tomorrow's Professor Mailing List, addresses the challenges inherent in making the transition from managing one's own career to managing a department or program. The author describes several common, incorrect assumptions new chairs make, and suggests alternative points of view.
• Resource Management
  The American Council on Education Online Resource Center for department chairs includes a section on resource management, covering such topics as budget management and physical plant management.
• The Chair and Faculty
  The American Council on Education Online Resource Center for department chairs also has a set of resources that address such topics as supporting your faculty and evaluating your colleagues.