Building Academic Leadership Capacity: A Guide to Best Practices - Hardcover

Gmelch, Walter H; Buller, Jeffrey L

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1118299485 ISBN 13: 9781118299487

Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 2015

Synopsis

A clear, systematic road map to effective campus leadership development

Building Academic Leadership Capacity gives institutions the knowledge they need to invest in the next generation of academic leaders. With a clear, generalizable, systematic approach, this book provides insight into the elements of successful academic leadership and the training that makes it effective. Readers will explore original research that facilitates systematic, continuous program development, augmented by the authors' own insight drawn from experience establishing such programs. Numerous examples of current campus programs illustrate the concepts in action, and reflection questions lead readers to assess how they can apply these concepts to their own programs.

The academic leader is the least studied and most misunderstood management position in America. Demands for accountability and the complexities of higher education leadership are increasing, and institutions need ways to shape leaders at the department chair, dean, and executive levels of all functions and responsibilities. This book provides a road map to an effective development program, whether the goal is to revamp an existing program or build one from the ground up. Readers will learn to:

• Develop campus leadership programs in a more systematic manner
• Examine approaches that have been proven effective at other institutions
• Consider how these approaches could be applied to your institution
• Give leaders the skills they need to overcome any challenge

The field of higher education offers limited opportunity to develop leaders, so institutions must invest in and grow campus leaders themselves. All development programs are not created equal, so it's important to have the most effective methods in place from day one. For the institution seeking a better way to invest in the next generation of campus leaders, Building Academic Leadership Capacity is a valuable resource.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Praise for BUILDING ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP CAPACITY

"The strength of this book is the thoroughness of the recommendations and how well the authors document them. A great read and resource for everyone who is or wants to be an academic leader—presidents, provosts, deans, and department chairs."
—Jerry R. Thomas, dean and professor, College of Education, University of North Texas

"This highly engaging book is an invaluable and eminently practical guide for academic and administrative leaders seeking to initiate, enhance, and further develop their academic leadership programs. Its distinctive focus on building a community of scholars through empowering leadership, coupled with its clarity and rich array of examples, make the book an indispensable resource for campus leaders and human resource professionals alike."
—Edna B. Chun, associate vice chancellor for human resources, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

"This comprehensive book on academic leadership, written by two outstanding academic leaders, is a must-read for both new and experienced academic leaders who are serious about improving the performance of their units. The book leads one through both the why and how of a careful and successful journey to enhance leadership skills."
—James L. Melsa, dean emeritus of the College of Engineering at Iowa State University

"In these times of rapid change, budget challenges, and concerned and cynical faculty in higher education, there has never been a greater need for effective, efficient, and relevant programs to build leadership capacity. Gmelch and Buller provide the framework and a blueprint on how to create such a program that is right for each institution of higher education."
—Benjamin J. Allen, president emeritus, University of Northern Iowa

From the Inside Flap:

The increasing demands for accountability and the complexities of higher education leadership require that institutions find ways to shape leaders at the department chair, dean, and executive levels of all functions and responsibilities.

Building Academic Leadership Capacity provides a road map for an effective development program, whether the goal is to revamp an existing program or build one from the ground up. Walter Gmelch and Jeffrey Buller—academics and leadership experts—have worked extensively with administrators who have built successful programs, and they themselves have established effective leadership programs at various institutions. This comprehensive guide draws on the authors' research into proven training procedures and includes the best practices from model programs found all over the world.

Filled with illustrative examples of current campus programs, Building Academic Leadership Capacity explores how the concepts presented work in real-world settings. Each chapter includes clarifying questions designed to help readers make a systematic analysis of whether they have all the key components of an effective leadership program in place and structured in such a way as to meet the needs of their stakeholders.

Gmelch and Buller outline a systematic approach that institutions can adopt to fit the needs of their campuses and to create an effective program that will develop the next generation of academic leaders.

About this edition

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1118299485
• ISBN 13: 9781118299487
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256