In two recent articles, we outlined several ways that chairs can lighten their general workloads and facilitate the work of their deans, thereby strengthening their partnership. Chairs contribute to the partnership by making student success and satisfaction a priority; by enhancing the productivity and value of the faculty, an institution’s greatest investment; by creating an environment in which faculty, staff, and students can do their best work; and by developing a sense of advocacy that goes beyond the department. Chairs also make the dean’s life easier when they meet critical deadlines and alert the dean to problems headed the latter’s way. It is now time to turn this concept around and discuss how deans can optimize this critically important collaborative relationship in higher education.
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Why We Need to Fight for Our Students: The Example of Stephanie Land
It is a commonplace to say that our campuses need to be “student centered.” That we need to “meet students where they are” and recognize that our students are less