Chairs in the hot seat

I'm not sure I'm the right person to be writing a manual for department chairs and planning workshops in support of their work. After all, it's been nearly 15 years since I left the chair's seat and a lot has changed since then--policies, procedures, computer programs used for assessment and curricular changes and reviewing job applicants' materials. But the essence of the job hasn't changed: it's all about managing people and resources, building consensus, and responding to problems. I can provide support for most of these tasks and I know where to find experts to help with the others. 

I took on this project because I needed a little variety in my life--and a course release. My contract confirms that I was a lousy negotiator when I first started working here 23 years ago, but since then I've learned a thing or two, so when I perceived that the Provost's office needed someone to organize some training for chairs, I offered to take on the task in exchange for a course release. I could come up with some moving rhetoric about my desire to make a lasting difference and ease the load for my colleagues, but really, I'll do just about anything to get a semester away from first-year composition.

Now I'm deep into drafting the chairs' manual and planning two training workshops and I'm impressed, frankly, that we're able to get anything done on this campus. Like many colleges, we expect chairs to perform a daunting list of tasks without adequate resources or support. Procedures are convoluted and sometimes contradictory, and administrative turnover has resulted in a loss of institutional memory and a lack of clarity about where to go for help.

Not that I'm complaining. If department chairs didn't need help, I wouldn't have my course release. My goal is to provide enough training over the next couple of years so that by the time I'm ready to retire, they won't need my help anymore. In other words, I'm trying to work my way right out of a job.