Sourcing the Leadership Needs of the Academic Enterprise: The Critical Role of the Department Chair (Manuscripts‪)‬

ABSTRACT This article reports the results of a survey of department chairpersons and describes its results in terms of the critical leadership needs facing academic departments. The survey results reveal that department chairs are heavily focused on traditional, internal responsibilities related to faculty, students and curriculum. These and other findings are discussed in light of critical success factors, suggesting that department chairs need to shift a portion of their attention to the demands of a broader set of stakeholders. The survey results also highlight the need to develop leadership skills among current faculty, who represent the most likely candidates to assume responsibility when current administrators are promoted, retire or return to faculty service. Strategies for engaging faculty in the administrative side of academic management are also discussed.