Roundtable: Charting Your Course as a Department Chair or School Director in Criminology and Criminal Justice

Session Submission Type: Roundtable Session

Abstract/Description

Department chairs are the first line of academic management with the closest ties to the faculty, yet most department chairs receive little or no training for their positions. There are several challenges for academics transitioning into leadership roles. Time will need to be dedicated to fully understanding how budgetary and resource decisions are made, the value placed on research, teaching, and service, the role of community engagement, the complex organizational challenges that exist, and the direction the university and college is headed in terms of priorities and strategy. A new leader may be asked to address the many gaps that need to be filled including a department that may not have a set of bylaws or strategic plan, lack of structure in the daily operations of the unit, failure to keep up with the research needs of the faculty, need to address faculty workloads, or important staff and faculty positions may be vacant. This complexity of leading is made even more challenging in the ever-changing higher education landscape. During this session the panel leads will facilitate discussion and share their experience in higher education leadership within Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Sub Unit

• Area XIV. Roundtables

Chair

• Katie Kaukinen, Kennesaw State University

Discussants

• Beth M. Huebner, Arizona State University

• Cody Telep, Arizona State University