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[frog111]

I am trying to set up a few informational interviews with deans and academic administrators, and was wondering what are some questions that I wouldnt think to ask as I have not been an administrator (nor faculty for that matter).  I have been a research scientist in industry, a group leader, manager/supervisor, and now have a corporate level job. 

Any questions or thoughts are appreciated.

[rugger101]

This is a generic version of what we use, abbreviated in the interest of space and carpal tunnel syndrome avoidance.

1.  Please provide a brief summary of your background and experience, particularly in the context of this position.

2.  Describe your current assessment of our university?  Assets? Challenges?  What interests you most about the position.

3.  How does your current position and experience uniquely qualify you for this position?

4.  What role do you see playing in institutional advancement and community development.

5.  Outline your experience in fiscal management and budgeting.

6.  Describe the process you use in critical decision making and how you involve others.

7.  Describe the culture you want to create in your office and how you will create that culture.  What specific values define the culture of a top university?

8.  Describe your most successful achievement and what were the key elements in this success.

9.  Describe one of your most challenging issues and how you resolved it.

10.  How will you further your academic development while serving in this admin role?

11.  What is your vision for the future of our (college/university)?

12. Describe the best leader for whom you have worked and what characteristics did you most admire.  Describe your least admired leader and characteristics.  Describe your own leadership style.  How would others describe you?

[frog111]

Thanks.  The questions are great, and gives me an idea of how an interview for a position might go.  I am looking for questions I 'should' ask acquaintances and connections about their current  job, how they may have transitioned into academic administration and areas that they feel have helped them succeed in academic administration.   I have a list of questions, but my experience as a manager and interviewing people has shown that having been on the 'inside' always provides insight and could highlight questions that might not arise simply from a lack of knowledge.  In my case, I have been a researcher for the government, publishing papers, writing proposals, hiring people, leading a group, managing a branch,  and now have some corporate level duties in addition.  I have some insight into academia from interacting with university researchers and admin, but am looking for some of those 'you should ask me about X Y Z' type insights.

OBTW rugger, I was a fly half and fullback.

[brixton]

I would ask about the administrator's transition -- usually it is from faculty to dean or director or chair.  How did her perspective of the university change with that move?  Did colleagues change? how?

What additional roles that weren't in the job description has she taken on?  Are they welcome? burdensome?  What are some of the difficulties that she has faced as the role morphed?  (This can perhaps be suprising to folks outside of academia.  Many institutions are very organic -- particularly when facing tight budgets, and job descriptions for administrators have a habit of transforming... frequently getting longer and covering more territory than was initially suggested at the hire!)

How does she perceive the politics of the institution?  Have her comment (if she can) on how she sees them as different from the politics in industry or business?

What does she see her mission as?  Is it hard to communicate this to others she works with? How does she do it?

Ask her about the institutional structure and what she sees as its strengths/weaknesses.  (Some institutions have fairly strong top-down structures.  Others have a very strong commitment to faculty governance.  Having her talk about what it is like to be an administrator in one or the other can help you know which you're looking for when you interview.)

Definitely talk to her a bit about tenure and how it supports/complicates her role as an administrator.  This is something that folks outside of academia sometimes have trouble understanding. 

Hope these help (and are what you're looking for...)  They probably are pretty obvious.