The role of academic deans with respect to faculty work varies depending on the institution. Some evaluate faculty directly, while others are involved through reporting relationships with department chairs. Deans are in a position to allocate resources and shape institutional policies and structures that create conditions for productive…

The wonders of the information technology (IT) revolution have landed hard and fast on college campuses bringing with them a myriad of challenges for academic leaders. A group of Chief Academic Officers met to discuss the challenges of technology on their campuses. They identified three categories that have implications for organization and…

Within any college and university, it is in the academic department where most of the work is accomplished in educating students and carrying out the institution's academic mission. Department chairs are at the front lines of policy implementation. At a recent meeting members of [New England Resource Center for Higher Education's] NERCHE's…

This brief was derived from the discussions of [New England Resource Center for Higher Education's] NERCHE's think tank for coordinators of GEAR UP school-college partnerships. The insights of these coordinators point to the principle that it is the quality of the relationships among the partners that determines the effectiveness of…

Benchmarking is a widespread practice in all industries today. Higher education is no exception. One need only look at annual rankings in "U.S. News and World Report" to appreciate power of benchmarking in a market-driven society that is seeking the best value in education. To the public, and even to leaders in higher education, measures…

Assessment and accountability are embedded in the context in which most colleges and universities operate. In the current climate, one is deeply entwined with the other. Originally, assessment in higher education meant assessing students. The broader appeal of the concept quickly claimed the attention of a multitude of constituents within the…

[New England Resource Center for Higher Education's] NERCHE's think tank members recently participated in a discussion of the competitive forces driving change in higher education. The discussion, facilitated by The Futures Project: Policy for Higher Education in a Changing World (www.futuresproject.org), revealed tremendous concern among faculty…