Transcript The Role of the Department Chair James L Rosenberger Professor of Statistics Penn State University Salt Lake City, Utah 27 July 2007

The Role of the Department Chair
James L Rosenberger
Professor of Statistics
Penn State University
Salt Lake City, Utah
27 July 2007
Outline
• Creating and Implementing a Vision
• Qualities of a good chair
• Transparent Decision Making
Department of Statistics
Vision
• Creating a vision statement for the department
helps faculty staff and graduate students
understand the mission of the department.
• Understand the priorities that drive the
department
• Build a set of Goals which reflect the “Ends”
you wish to achieve.
Department of Statistics
What is a Vision Statement
• A statement to encapsulate the motivating
forces behind the department:
• Should meet: The SMART and GLUE tests
• S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
Relevant, and Timebound)
• G.L.U.E. (Guide, Legitimize, Unify, Energize)
• What does the department want to achieve
and become?
Department of Statistics
Example from Penn State
• Vision Statement
• The Eberly College of Science is the home of
the basic biological, physical, and
mathematical sciences at Penn State. We are
proud to be a vibrant scientific community
that has emerged as a premier center of
education and research. We are proud of our
students, our alumni, our staff, and our
faculty. We are the Penn State Eberly
College of Science and we are making a
difference in the world.
Department of Statistics
Mission Statement
• The Eberly College of Science is the home of the
basic sciences at Penn State, one of the nation’s
leading research universities. The college’s
fundamental mission is to generate and
disseminate knowledge in the basic sciences to
further the physical, economic, and intellectual
well-being of the Commonwealth, the nation, and
the world.
…
Department of Statistics
Mission Statement (cont)
• This mission includes advancing the
frontiers of knowledge in the physical,
biological, and mathematical sciences;
providing access to a rich educational
experience that will motivate and enable all
of our students to seek the highest levels of
intellectual achievement and personal
growth; and sharing our knowledge,
discoveries, and inventions with the people
of the Commonwealth, the nation, and the
world.
Department of Statistics
Example from Penn State
• Goals (Eberly College of Science)
• Enhance academic excellence
• Improve the quality of the student experience
• Promote world-class science
• Enhance outreach
• Build a more considerate and civil community
• Release resources to support growth and
improvements, and find new sources of funds
Department of Statistics
Goal 1 from Penn State (cont)
• Develop strategies to achieve the goals
• E.g. Enhance academic excellence
• Strategies
–
–
–
–
–
Make ECOS the college of choice for outstanding faculty
Make ECOS the college of choice for outstanding students
Make ECOS the college of choice for outstanding staff
Build a broad sense of intellectual community
Maximize reputation through publicity about success
» Awards for faculty and students
» Invitations of eminent speakers and guests
– Continue program of external reviews
– Improve the quality of the department facilities
» Computing, offices, lounges, appearance
Department of Statistics
Goal 2 from Penn State (cont)
• Develop strategies to achieve the goals
• E.g. Improve the quality of student experiences
• Strategies (used by the department of statistics)
– Increase the number of quality tenure track faculty
– Add or revise courses and programs to remain current
» Undergraduate major and minor
» Professional Master of Applied Statistics program
– Improve student advising (graduate and undergraduate)
– Improve teaching and learning by sharing instructional innovations
and resources
» Hire an instructional designer to assist with course materials
(online and resident instruction)
» Develop online courses for certificate program, which improve
in class course material and resources
– Work to increase diversity of students (e.g. more US grad students)
– Improve the climate for minority and underrepresented students
Department of Statistics
Qualities of a good chair
• Consistency
• Know the basis for decisions
• Salary,
• course buyouts,
• teaching assignments
• Transparency
• Faculty and staff should understand the basis for
decisions
• Decisions should withstand scrutiny by all
Department of Statistics
Qualities (cont.)
• Integrity
• If you say it, mean it.
• Walk the talk
• Be trustworthy
• Because of your role, every word is noted and
remembered.
• I saved my email so I could remember what I
promised.
Department of Statistics
A Healthy Department
• Know your mission
• Research
• Teaching
• Outreach/collaboration/consulting
• Service
• Build on Strength
• Hiring
• Recruiting
• Assigning committee duties and teaching
Department of Statistics
Healthy (cont)
• Celebrate
• Recognize and celebrate achievements
• Faculty,
– Promotions, Grants, Honors, Publications
• Staff,
– Promotions, new skills and achievements
• Students
– Awards for teaching, etc
• Nominate (or charge a committee) for awards
• Local and national awards
Department of Statistics
Healthy (cont)
• Examples of building on strength
• Re-energize faculty members in transition
• Increased teaching load
• Travel fund between grants
• Faculty who all love their work
• “Make ‘your department’ the department of
choice for outstanding faculty”
–
–
–
–
Appropriate salary
Realistic teaching loads for adequate time for research
Support (computer, staff, etc.)
Recognition for contributions
Department of Statistics
The Engaged Department
• Goal: The engaged department
• All members pulling toward the same goal
• Faculty who want to do their part
• Staff who understand the mission and
priorities
Department of Statistics
Faculty Meetings
• Held Monthly (my style), should be fun.
• Has a social aspect – people see each other.
• Analogy with Boards of Directors (faculty)
• Reports, Robert’s Rules,
• Celebrate events
• Include student reps, and staff member
• Strategic Planning sessions
• Evenings, meals, group discussions.
• Include staff, student reps,
Department of Statistics
Accessibility
• How to be accessible without becoming mired
• Email efficient for much communication
• Respond within a reasonable time (24 hours?)
– If final answer not known, respond with what you
know, and promised by when you will find out.
– If on vacation, use auto-response with a substitute
named.
• Have predictable times your door is open
• Or have your secretary schedule appointments
• Walk around on occasion to signal availability
Department of Statistics
Difficult decisions and people
• How to handle difficult decisions and complex issues
• Discuss it in person
• Walk down the hall and inquire first
• Be sure to make clear your limitations (financial, etc.)
• After a discussion, immediately confirm in writing by
email, ending with:
• Please let me know if this is not your understanding, or
• Please confirm my understanding of how we agreed to resolve
this.
• It is hard for someone to get angry at your for
something they agreed to.
Department of Statistics
Development – fund raising
• How to raise funds - What can a Dept Chair do?
• Develop the case for support - set priorities.
• Know your development officer.
• Communicate with your graduates
• Spend gifts - in ways that reflect well on you.
• Be a talent scout
• …
Department of Statistics
Development (cont)
• What can a Dept Chair do?
• Meet with donors and prospective donors
• Provide and demonstrate good stewardship
• Establish an advisory board
• Be a donor yourself
• Continue to what you do best
• Foster learning and discovery…
• Alumni remember…
Department of Statistics
Conclusions
• Chairing a department provides opportunities
for leadership and shaping the culture and
success for the future.
• Create a climate for success and excellence
• Respect for all members of the department
• Fairness and trustworthiness in all decisions
• Success follows from building a winning team
Department of Statistics
References
Higgerson, M.L. (1996) Communication Skills for
Department Chairs. Bolton, MA: Anker
Publishing Co. Inc.
Tucker, Allan (1984) Chairing the Academic
Department: Leadership among Peers. 2nd edit.
New York: American Council on Education,
Macmillan Publishing Co.
Ferren, A.S. and Stanton W.W. (2004) Leadership
through Collaboration. American Council on
Education, Praeger.
Department of Statistics
References (cont)
• John Stahl-Wert and Ken Jennings (2007) Ten
Thousand Horses How Leaders Harness Raw
Potential for Extraordinary Results. BerrettKoehler Publishers, Inc.
• William P. Chait, William P. Ryan, and Barbara E
Taylor. (2005) Governance as Leadership. John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Department of Statistics