We experienced our own "perfect storm" last spring in our combined department of art, art history, and music. A confluence of events -- including a sabbatical, several leaves of absence, and a resignation -- left the department head's position vacant with no tenured faculty member willing and available to fill it.
As an assistant professor with prior administrative experience, albeit at another organization, I became the likely, if reluctant, candidate for the job.
Several professional and personal factors prompted my reluctance. After two hectic years settling in at a new college and developing new courses, I had been looking forward to a calmer academic year. What would becoming chairwoman mean for an academic life still in its formative stages? On a personal level, I was dealing with a serious, unpredictable illness in my immediate family. The uncertainty of that situation left me wondering whether I should take on a new responsibility.
Beyond my own concerns were those of the department, a small program that had gone through many changes in the past several years, including new majors and minors, new faculty hires, and new studio facilities. If I passed up the appointment, it might be taken on by someone from another department or perhaps by the dean of the college. Those were less appealing, but certainly functional alternatives.
Even after I resolved those concerns in favor of taking the job, something more was holding me back. The primary issue, I realized, was that I had limited experience at my college. More importantly, I was untenured. There -- that was the crux of the matter. The question that had to be answered, Did being untenured make becoming chairwoman untenable?
My mixed emotions on that question came flooding back to me recently when I read Jennifer Jacobson's article on the topic, "In Charge Without Tenure." As an untenured chairwoman, would I be fearful of offending tenured professors? And would that affect the quality of my decision making? Ultimately, my answer to both questions was a qualified no, and I accepted the appointment.
What tipped the balance for me was a discussion I had with our then-interim provost who is now dean of the college. I was worried about how quickly I would learn the ropes since my college, like most, has no training program for new department heads. Where would I find the support and guidance to make good decisions as chairwoman?
I needed the dean's continued support, but I also needed a faculty mentor -- someone who had been a successful chair, who communicated well, and who fundamentally believed in sharing her or his expertise and experience with others. Someone I could trust and talk with openly and privately.
When the dean promised me both, I accepted the standard three-year appointment, which officially began this past fall.
My first meeting with my faculty mentor last May helped get me started on how to get through the critical first year. She came prepared with a schedule of the major deadlines for department heads throughout the academic year. She also gave me her various phone numbers and e-mail addresses, and an invitation to contact her whenever I felt the need.
I am now seasoned by nearly two semesters of experience. Everyone who has led a department before tells me that the second year is so much easier than the first and the third easier than the second. I will admit that my goals for the first year were straightforward: For a department that had recently undergone a great deal of change, I wanted to establish a sense of stability and continuity.
How is it going? The second month was much easier than the first and the third month was much easier than the second. In that first month, I had to prepare a departmental budget and, as an art historian in a combined department, I received quite an education -- for example, I now know the cost of a bassoon. Frank conversations with my dean and the critical guidance of my mentor have been essential.
Like other chairmen and chairwomen around the country, I am coping with the constraints posed by the economic downturn. And, of course, I am also working on all the standard issues related to scheduling, staffing, maintaining the physical plant, and fine-tuning the curriculum. The list varies daily, but it never ends.
I am working more efficiently these days, managing my time more carefully, and always organizing my activities in terms of priorities. And I have been able to continue my scholarly work: I am preparing to submit another article for publication and working on a grant application.
As for my being untenured, so far, it has yet to be a major factor. That's probably because some of the major flashpoints that could leave me vulnerable as an untenured chairwoman -- for example, voting on tenure cases -- have not come up. The department will not vote on any tenure cases for a couple of years. I have not felt any particular pressure from tenured faculty members because most of them are away -- hence the need for me to take the job.
But I do not live in an academic nirvana, and in the past year, there have been disagreements among the department's faculty members over some issues. So far, we have been able to focus on our goals and work collaboratively, albeit with some tensions. I have been the final decision maker on some issues, particularly related to hiring. I have won kudos for some of those decisions and been criticized for others, but I take responsibility for all of them.
Compounding the internal changes within the department are some external ones: The college is in the midst of strategic planning, and the prospect of more change on the horizon has helped build solidarity within the department.
My advice for anyone considering becoming an untenured department head is to take the time to do a careful assessment of your needs as well as the needs and future challenges facing your department. If there are some issues on the horizon that would be difficult for you, as an untenured leader, to handle, then you might want to pass on the appointment.
Be sure to enter into the position with institutional support. Make sure you can rely on at least one top administrator for guidance. Request a mentor, especially if your college does not offer any training for the position. Finally, rely on the wealth of expertise and experience that each of your department's faculty members brings to the table.
Once you begin, welcome and seek advice, carefully evaluate the information available, make the best decision you can at the time, and be prepared for a steep learning curve. The experience is a bit of a roller-coaster ride. But remember, the second day is easier than the first, and the third day is easier than the second.
