Table of Contents

The Author xiIntroduction xiiiPART ONE The Chairs Role and Career Path1. In the Trenches 32. Preparing for the Chairs Role 143. Assessing What Kind of Department Chair You Are 234. Serving as an Untenured Department Chair 345. Coexisting with a Former Chair 416. Creating a Career Plan 497. Returning to the Faculty 588. Seeking Higher Administrative Positions 669. A Scenario Analysis on the Chairs Role and Career Path 75PART TWO Departmental Management and Politics10. Understanding Departmental Ethics and Politics 8511. Chairing Small Departments 9212. Chairing Large Departments 9913. Setting Course Rotations and Schedules 10814. Making Decisions 11415. Setting Annual Themes 12416. Creating Departmental Centers for Excellence in Teaching and Learning 13217. A Scenario Analysis on Departmental Management and Politics 142PART THREE The Chairs Role in Searches, Hiring, and Firing18. Writing Job Descriptions and Position Announcements 15719. Understanding the Chairs Role in the Search Process 16820. Interviewing Candidates 17621. Letting Someone Go 18822. A Scenario Analysis on Hiring and Firing 196PART FOUR Mentoring Challenges and Opportunities for Department Chairs23. Helping Faculty Members Sharpen Their Focus 20524. Coaching Faculty Members to Increase Productivity 21125. Promoting a More Collegial Department 21726. Coping with Passive-Aggressive Behavior 22427. Resolving Chronic Complaints 23128. Addressing Staff Conflicts 24029. Overcoming Conflicts 24730. A Scenario Analysis onMentoring Challenges 257PART FIVE The Chairs Role in Faculty Development31. Facilitating a Positive First-Year Faculty Experience 26732. Coaching Faculty in Writing Effective Resumes 27433. Creating an Effective Professional Development Plan 27934. Creating an Effective Teaching Portfolio 29035. Creating an Effective Course Syllabus 30236. Promoting Creativity in Teaching and Learning 30937. A Scenario Analysis on Faculty Development 317PART SIX Best Practices in Evaluation and Assessment38. Creating Written Evaluations 32739. Conducting Oral Evaluation Sessions 33740. Writing Letters of Recommendation 34341. Doing Assessment Effectively 35242. Conducting Program Reviews 36443. Conducting Posttenure Reviews 38044. A Scenario Analysis on Evaluation and Assessment 389PART SEVEN Essentials of Budgeting and Planning45. Strategic Planning 40146. Planning a Budget 41147. Implementing a Budget 41848. Fundraising 42549. Accounting for Sponsored Research 44050. A Scenario Analysis on Strategic Budgeting and Planning 449Epilogue: A Checklist for the Essential Department Chair 457Index 463TOCUpdater-Profile-25@1326755513816

About the Author

Marie LeBaron is the founder of the popular parenting blog Make and Takes (makeandtakes.com). Prior to starting her blog, Marie worked in early childhood and elementary education.