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This report examines research into characteristics of individuals likely to be considered for placement in administrative positions at colleges and universities. The report describes a grid model of social style which illustrates the various areas where faculty and administrators differ, not only in how they communicate, but also in how they perceive the world around them. The grid classifies the social style of school administrators and faculty into four basic areas ranging from amiable and expressive to analytical and driving. On the basis of research involving this grid, the social style of administrators, deans, and department heads tend to be more assertive, i.e., analytical and driving. Faculty, however, tend to be amiable or expressive: amiable persons being more easygoing, trusting members of an organization; expressive persons tending to be both socially assertive and responsive. Research also indicates that the further one moves into administrative positions, the more likely he or she is to be highly organized, thorough, systematic, and task-oriented, with academic vice presidents having strong feelings of less control. One exception is that an interaction effect was found with gender. Females appear to experience significantly less fatalism than their male colleagues in that they feel greater personal control over their daily activities. Continuing efforts to determine differences between administrators and faculty will result in better understanding and allow administrators to better serve their institutions' various constituencies. (Contains 33 references.) (GLR)

This article presents a new model for viewing and implementing balance in the lives of higher education administrators derived from a review of the educational, psychological, and management literature. Rejecting the traditional, two dimensional model for balancing work with the rest of life, the new model envisions four concentric circles of interactive life dimensions: values, renewal, life roles and context. The inner circle of the model contains the personal values which govern an individual's life. The second circle consists of inner dimensions: areas of personal renewal including the emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, physical and occupational aspects. The third circle of the model moves to external dimensions, to involvement and participation in the world. In this category are the roles administrators play as they implement their values and allot time and energy for areas of renewal including the roles of parent, spouse, friend, citizen, leisurite, learner, son or daughter, homemaker, and worker. The final circle is the context in which the administrator exercises his or her role including gender identity, racial or ethnic identity, socioeconomic conditions, educational background, family background and structure and work place factors. Integrating these dimensions can balance an administrator's life. Includes 34 references. (JB)

The use of microcomputers by college administrators to increase productivity is discussed. Microcomputers can help increase productivity in the following administrative office tasks: decision support, communication, personal assistance, and task management. One of the most promising developments to emerge from the decision sciences over the past 10 years is Decision Support Systems. The three types of decision support aids for microcomputers that have proved to be of most value to both novice and expert microcomputer users are electronic worksheets, graph and chart formatting aids, and data base management systems. Two of the automated office subsystems that can improve communications are electronic mail systems and word-processing systems. Microcomputers can be used to implement both of these types of systems. Word-processing systems can help administrators reduce the time spent on editing and revising reports and correspondence. Software packages available to administrators include those for a daily personal calendar/reminder system, keeping notes by topical areas in the initial stage of writing a speech or report, and managing office tasks such as employees' schedules. A bibliography is appended. (SW)

Considerations that can help colleges and universities develop institutionally specific strategies for planning faculty reductions are addressed. It is suggested that an institution can provide a fair and workable reduction plan if it: thoroughly explores alternatives to faculty layoffs; develops explicit standards and procedures for reduction planning; prepares to deal with legal issues involved; attempts to anticipate case-specific political factors that may affect the process; understands the importance of making data based decisions and makes sure that required information is collected; develops a comprehensive planning and evaluation process to deal with long-range concerns quickly and fairly; and appreciates how different types of institutions are affected differently by factors involved in the reduction process. Four basic policy determinations are required: a definition of financial exigency, standards regarding participation in the reduction decision, procedures for program cutback, and standards for evaluating personnel and programs in the review process. To accomplish these tasks the administrator who foresees faculty reductions should gather a competent and representative planning group. (SW)

The rationale for and obstacles to faculty development are considered, and recommendations for administrators to follow in initiating and implementing programs are offered. Faculty development is needed for at least three important reasons: knowing a subject does not mean an individual can effectively teach it; faculty need to learn how to teach and counsel adult students; and low enrollment and retrenchments result in heavily tenured faculty with few if any new faculty members added. Traditional faculty development has involved instructional development, personal development, and organizational development. Popular current approaches to faculty development include faculty growth contracts, instructional improvement centers focusing on human rather than material resources, and the auditor-consultant program. The following recommendations to administrators who are responsible for faculty development are considered: involving the faculty in planning the program, attaining administrators' support, making the program comprehensive, and establishing a reward system. A comprehensive faculty development program will offer faculty opportunities to improve as teachers, to develop a supportive environment, and to develop personal values as a professional. A bibliography is appended. (SW)

The literature on administrative style is reviewed. Attention is directed to four basic concepts of administrative style: (1) the structured, classical, traditional model; (2) the participatory or employee-involved operation; (3) a more behavioral scientific style; and (4) the situational or environmental style. These ideas are more fully described, and it is proposed that even with various definitions of management styles in the literature, the key to a productive organizational system is the type of administrative style that directs the organization, not the organization that governs the people. If the organization is too autocratic, it may be because of the attitudes of the chief administrator. Based on the literature, a profile of an effective administrator is suggested. An effective administrator communicates well; establishes clear directions; can motivate subordinates through shared participation, rewards, and morale boosting; develops and maintains an openness with employees; strives for excellence; and recognizes subordinates' behavioral patterns. (SW)

The role of the academic dean, role conflicts, and the occupational experiences and performance of deans are considered. Role conflict for academic deans is related to clashing constituencies, role ambiguity, lack of correspondence between organization requirements and the personalities of incumbent deans, changing organizational needs over time, and historical trends in the definition of the deanship. Less than half the deans are evaluated annually, usually by presidents, chancellors, vice-presidents, or provosts. While satisfactions of deans have been reported with respect to the raising of academic standards at an institution, contributing to curriculum development, and hiring qualified faculty, dissatisfactions pertain to situations in which the dean is the initiator of conflict, the dean is the defendant in an attack on the administration, or the dean is the conciliator. It is suggested that the role of the dean needs to be clarified with respect to planning, evaluation, resource allocation, and other administrative functions. Knowing what attracts individuals to the deanship and how the balance of satisfactions and dissatisfactions leads to the resignation of deans after a time would also be valuable. Mechanisms that would enable deans to maintain their scholarly interests so that they may return to teaching later in their careers may be important, along with research on the wisdom of retaining deans in their administrative positions. Since teaching is the primary activity overseen by deans, it is necessary to know more about how they might manage resources of all kinds (including symbolic resources) to stimulate and maintain teaching excellence in their academic units. (SW)

Four areas of college management responsibility are reviewed: the mission of the organization; administrator/faculty relationship; individual stress; and measuring organizational health. According to Argyris (1980) an organization updates its goals (1) as a consequence of detecting and solving routine problems, and (2) through periodical reexamination of the governing policies and values of the organization. A survey of higher education professional organizations (Boulding and Van Patten, 1980) indicates that six of the top seven faculty concerns dealt with a lack of humaneness and justice within the organization. Ways to improve administrator/staff relationships include encouraging bona fide, responsible dissent and allowing faculty representation in governance. The effectiveness of collective negotiations depends on the good will and overall consensus of all groups involved in campus governance. The following types of individual stress are addressed: burnout, role conflict, peer cohesiveness, and general morale. Signs of psychological burnout are a signal that the organization is causing problems. Faculty members are not always able to cope effectively with organizational politics. Research identifies role conflict and role ambiguity as principal sources of organizational stress (Parasuraman and Allutto, 1981). Latham and Kinne (1974) found that individuals in a healthy organization find satisfaction in working together to accomplish shared goals. Four important leadership skills to facilitate peer cohesiveness are identified, including mediating conflict and building networks. Approaches that have been used to maintain and improve morale include human potential seminars and the holistic health movement. Organizational types identified by Likert (1961) and research on the measurement of organizational health are noted. (SW)

Changes that higher education is experiencing and forecasting and approaches to improve higher education management are considered. In addition to declining enrollment, rising costs, and diminishing financial resources, colleges are faced with the task of managing these changes under the pressures of new constraints and new constituencies. Collective bargaining is affecting faculty participation on governance, and the influence of faculty is also being affected by its changing composition and distribution: the tenured professoriate is projected to continue to age. Additionally, students now serve on academic advisory bodies at most institutions, and most colleges have defined due process for students with regard to their rights. It is suggested that with trends toward centralization of authority and demands for increased accountability, governing boards have increased the scope of their activities and will become an increasingly important constraint on higher education's decision-making processes. Among the external constituencies are state government, accrediting agencies, local communities, benefactors, and business interests. Each has a vehicle for exerting influence on an institution. It is suggested that the inability to measure its effectiveness is important to higher education's adaptation to the changes it is experiencing, and that criteria for evaluation must be established. Decisions must be based on specificity of goals, comprehensiveness in developing plans to achieve those goals, and innovation in measuring outcomes. Executives need an aggressive and open-minded approach in searching for and testing new methods and need to recognize constraints that affect a decision. (SW)

The work experiences of college presidents, deans, and midlevel administrators are examined, with attention to job characteristics, degree of participation in college decision making, loyalty and commitment to the school, and job satisfaction. Extrinsic variables of the work environment include workload, rewards, supervision, and opportunities, while intrinsic variables cover the work itself, how it is performed, the degree of autonomy over the work, and feedback received. Presidents are facing an increasing number of complex demands from within and without their institutions. While the responsibilities of deans have increased recently, it is unclear whether shifts in the college power structure will increase or restrict deans' power. Midlevel administrators, who may have to implement policies made by others, are defined as the directors and deans of support services, as well as other administrators to whom assistants report. All three groups of administrators experience excessive demands on time, considerable role conflict and stress, and limited opportunities for mobility. To enhance administrators' work experience, it is important to articulate purposes, use collaborative approaches, improve opportunities for professional growth, and increase knowledge of administrators' work. (SW)

Types of initiatives that colleges have implemented to foster continuing faculty career growth and the major attributes essential to success of the efforts are considered. The role of administrators in supporting faculty growth and vitality is also addressed. Several colleges and universities encourage career planning activities in which faculty members analyze their own interests, talents, and life goals. Some colleges have developed career planning workshops for their academic personnel; others have adopted elaborate growth-contract systems. Some colleges take a less structured approach. Faculty evaluations, tenure, and promotion deliberations, and annual academic planning discussions all provide opportunities for focusing attention on institutional needs and a professor's growth objectives. In addition, temporary opportunities for new learning and changes in work environment, such as off-campus internships and faculty exchanges, can be revitalizing experiences. Faculty retraining and respecialization are an increasingly common response to individual and institutional needs for adaptation and growth. The more comprehensive programs assume that optimum development begins with a process of career assessment and planning followed by experimentation with new roles, additional training when necessary, and finally transition to a new professional opportunity. Some colleges also have begun to revise personnel policies in an effort to promote faculty growth and flexibility. Administrators regulate the resources needed to facilitate faculty career growth and they are in a position to promote faculty efforts to branch out professionally. Nine guidelines for promoting faculty growth and vitality are presented, such as including faculty in planning programs. (SW)

Factors reported to be important in the design, implementation, and evaluation of professional development programs for department chairs are described. Attention is also directed to results from a goal-focused evaluation of the 6-year-old program to train new department heads in the nine state universities of Florida, a program that is being adopted across the United States and Canada. The widespread recognition of a need to train chairs and some important characteristics of such programs are considered. In addition, the means by which institutional administrators can assess the need for training are examined. Results are also provided of several training programs, which should complete the information institutional officials need to decide the kind of program they should underwrite for the professional development of department chairs. It is noted that an important way to determine the need for training before the situation becomes critical is to carefully examine the job and role characteristics of all chairs in an institution. Several kinds of surveys that have been used to study department heads are discussed. Information from reports about training programs is presented concerning the participants, what is learned, experiences after the training program, and whether the programs are successful. (SW)

Citizens' attitudes and opinions toward higher education are discussed, based on the results of several public opinion surveys. Before the mid-1970s little research on public opinions and attitudes toward postsecondary education was conducted in the United States. Since 1975 several states have conducted such surveys, and in 1982 the first national survey of Americans' attitudes toward higher education was conducted. General conclusions based on these state and national surveys include: citizens seem to support higher education and are willing to pay higher taxes to improve educational quality; minorities tend to express even more confidence and support for higher education than do whites; Americans still view aid to education as a priority item in their state and federal budget; most citizens believe that access to college should be available to all qualified students; and citizens view higher education as an important asset to their state and nation. Results of public opinion polls are valuable for higher education planning, including alternative plans for financing further education for students. Opinion polls can also be effective public relations devices and can provide useful information when college administrators develop a marketing strategy for their institution. A summary of nine public opinion polls is included. (SW)

The body of rhetorical writing and research studies about the interrelationship of faculty bargaining and campus governance are compared and synthesized. The research is emphasized so that the findings can inform and advance the ongoing debate and operational decision about this issue. Qualified, but not complete, support is found for the belief that lack of faculty influence in institutional decision-making causes faculty unionization. Other significant variables, such as the institutional context, enter into this equation. The view that faculty bargaining causes significant increase in the faculty's influence in institutional decision-making is not clearly supported, particularly for academic matters at mature universities. The notion that faculty bargaining will bring about the end of faculty senates is premature. The literature supports the assertion that other collegial governance structures, such as personnel and academic committees, will be either significantly eroded or enhanced. Finally, to the extent that faculty have collectively gained influence in decision-making, it seems that their gains have been generally paralleled by centralization of administrative authority, largely at the expense of deans and department chairs. A 59-item reference list is included. (SW)

Characteristics in the college academic setting and the external environment that affect the decision-making structure and that the dean should consider before reorganization are examined. Concepts and theories about governance, decision-making, organizational structure, and characteristics of effective decision makers are also briefly reviewed. A number of variables in the academic environment are related to the decision process, including faculty heterogeneity, departmentalization, the climate of the organization, and specific characteristics of the university. Approaches that have been used to incorporate information about a changing external environment into the decision process include environmental scanning, multiple scenario analysis, and issues management. A new model for decision-making that focuses on learning must be considered for the 1980s and 1990s. This model would help interpret issues of resources in terms of their impact on learning; ensure that performance, learning outcomes, and teaching improvements would receive greater attention than process measures; emphasize the special values, patterns, and attitudes of education; and recognize the relationship of the institution to its environment. (SW)

The relatively new phenomenon of using search committees is described as the result of state and federal legislation, a more participatory approach to college administration, and an enlarged pool of qualified candidates. Committee functions include recruiting and screening candidates, checking references, handling interviews, and making recommendations. The need for good "fit" between institutional requirements and individual expectations emphasizes the importance of an effective search committee. Time and money are two factors that can limit search committees. Pre-search guidelines include the need for such things as a genuine understanding of the institution, a search committee membership that is representative of the college or university at large, precise charge to the committee, and definition of clearly stated qualifications that candidates must possess. (LB)