Info for Dept Chairs
This page provides resources for professional development of department chairs, academic leaders and those interested in learning more about these roles. In addition, resources are provided to assist leaders in working with their departments and units.
Chairs of departments and academic units on campus participate in quarterly Department Chair Briefings. These events present opportunities to learn about Stanford-wide initiatives and discuss issues and topics of mutual interest. New chairs are invited to the New Chair Orientation held in fall quarter.
Quarterly Department Chair Briefings
Department chairs receive invitations from OFDDE to participate in quarterly briefings hosted by the provost. Please contact our office at facultydevelopment@stanford.edu for additional information.
CREATEngagement Toolkit for Improving Department Climate
This guide provides an overview of five characteristics of an engaging faculty climate. A checklist and assessment tool are provided to help evaluate strengths and challenges in a unit's climate, in order to plan for improvement.
More resources
Stanford Faculty Search Committee Briefing
Faculty search briefing and resources for faculty search committees. Information on this site is intended for faculty search committee chairs, members and administrators who assist faculty search committees, as well as senior associate deans or others in dean’s offices working with faculty searches. Click here for the self-registration link.
Newsletter | The Department Chair. Quarterly journal that discusses topics of leadership and management for chairs across institutions. Stanford University has an institutional subscription, so current and past issues are available via Stanford University Libraries.
Video | The Prepared Faculty Leader: A Conversation with UPenn's John Jackson and Erika James
This video features University of Pennsylvania Provost John L. Jackson, Jr. in conversation with Erika H. James, Dean of the Wharton School, about advice for faculty in leadership roles. Building on Dean James’ recent book (co-authored with Lynn Perry Wooten, President of Simmons University), The Prepared Leader: Emerge from Any Crisis More Resilient Than Before (Wharton School Press), the session will offer tools and frameworks that faculty leaders can use to address, and learn from, crises.
This workshop is available for free to Stanford faculty members through the Faculty Advancement Network (FAN).Click here for more information and to RSVP for this workshop.
Books for Chairing the Department
Overall references:
Buller, J. L. (2006). The essential department chair: A practical guide to college administration. Anker Publishing Company, Inc.
Buller, J. L. and Cipriano, R. E. (2015). A toolkit for department chairs. Rowman & Littlefield.
Chu, D. (2006). The department chair primer: Leading and managing academic departments. Anker Publishing Company, Inc.
Gunsalus, C. K. (2006). The college administrator’s survival guide. Harvard University Press.
Wheeler, D. W., Seagren, A. T., Wysong Becker, L., Kinley E. R., Mlinek D. D. and Robson, K. J. (2008), The academic chair’s handbook (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Managing People, Communication and Conflict
Cheldelin, S. I. & Lucas, A. F. (2004). The Jossey-Bass academic administrator’s guide to conflict resolution. Jossey-Bass.
Crookston, R. K. (2012). Working with problem faculty: A six-step guide for department chairs. Jossey-Bass.
Eddy, B. (2014). BIFF: Quick responses to high-conflict people, their personal attacks, hostile email and social media meltdowns (2nd ed.). Unhooked Books, LLC.
Leaming, D. R. (Ed.). (2003). Managing people: A guide for department chairs and deans. Anker Publishing Company, Inc.
Patterson, K., Grenny, J., McMillan, R. & Switzler, A. (2012). Crucial conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high (2nd ed.). McGraw Hill.
Weston, J. (2012). Mastering respectful confrontation: A guide to personal freedom and empowered, collaborative engagement. Heartwalker Press.
Leading Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Transformation
Chin, J. L. & Trimble, J. E. (2015). Diversity and leadership. SAGE Publications, Inc.
Chun, E., & Evans, A. (2015). The department chair as transformative diversity leader: Building inclusive learning environments in higher education. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Kezar, A. & Posselt, J. (Eds.). (2020). Higher education administration for social justice and equity: Critical perspectives for leadership. Routledge.
Stewart, A. J. & Valian, V. (2018). An inclusive academy: Achieving diversity and excellence. The MIT Press.
Additional topics of interest
Hansen, C. K. (2011). Time management for department chairs. Jossey-Bass.
Smith, D. O. (2019). How university budgets work. Johns Hopkins University Press.