The Role of the University Head of Department

Abstract

The head of department occupies a key institutional position yet the role is a complex and demanding one which is subject to pressures, conflicts and uncertainties. This paper examines aspects of the role of the head of department through the proceedings of a day conference for heads of department at one university. It highlights issues and concerns, and analyses them in terms of the cultural and organisational characteristics of universities as institutions. Among the key issues identified are: the nature of institutional management structures; relationships with the administrative centre; and the nature and definition of the head of department's role.

Departmental Leadership and Management in Chartered and Statutory Universities

“…Both heads acknowledged the difficulty of their 'middle management' roles, representing on the one hand the department to the university and on the other hand the university to the department (Mathias, 1991;Brodie and Partington, 1992;Middlehurst, 1993;Smith, 1995;Tann, 1995). The head in the chartered university said: I feel I am very loyal to the University and I think it is a great University .…”

The Impact of COVID-19 on Academic Department Chairs: Heightened Complexity, Accentuated Liminality, and Competing Perceptions of Reinvention

“…Building upon the existing literature and in response to the elevated awareness of crisis across higher education, this research study addresses the following questions, each of which intersect with and reinforce earlier theoretical work regarding the tensions inherent in the role of department chair and the dual focus on immediate and long-term strategic imperatives (Bowman, 2002 ; Gmelch & Parkay, 1999 ; Kruse, 2020 ; Mathias, 1991 ): In what ways has the COVID-19 pandemic added complexity to the work of department chairs at Big Ten universities? How do department chairs address the convergence of needs facing students, faculty and staff colleagues, and senior administrators during a period of unprecedented crisis?…”

“…Academic chairs function as leaders when they focus on key aspects of organizational culture: mission, vision, engagement, and adaptability” (p. 159). Additionally, chairs must navigate the tensions that arise from occupying a middle ground between administration and department faculty and the contradictory role expectations that may result (Gmelch & Parkay, 1999 ; Mathias, 1991 ). In their position as “front-line managers,” department chairs are both the chief advocate for the department and the primary agents of the central administration (Hecht et al, 1999 ).…”

Professional identities of middle managers

“…At this early point following the 1992 ‘New Framework’ he found that the head of department role was perceived as vital to the delivery of the academic curriculum and the leadership and management of staff. Smith (1996) highlights issues raised in relation to the dual role of the head of department as academic leader and line manager (Brodie and Partington, 1992; Mathias, 1991; Middlehurst, 1993) and concluded that heads of department find dealing with unsatisfactory staff performance a major cause of stress, often exacerbated by a lack of institutional support. Excessive workload was also identified as a fundamental problem, as was ‘role overload’ – or having too many different duties (Smith, 2002: 296).…”

“…This supports the contention that distinctions between aspects of the middle manager’s role are becoming increasingly blurred (Deem, 2000), and portrays the middle manager as a hybrid character (Clegg, 2008: 340) attempting to juggle multiple identities. Throughout the interviews, they described a mismatch between expectations of role and the realities of day-to-day experiences, especially in terms of their role as academic leads when in fact they spent much of their time involved in resource allocation or conflict resolution (Brodie and Partington, 1992; Mathias, 1991; Middlehurst, 1993; Smith, 1996, 2002, 2005). These findings are consistent with Floyd’s (2009: 279) appeal for much clearer job descriptions for geads of department in both statutory and Chartered universities.…”