Superintendents say that managers of decline are unafraid to take risks, make cuts, or face up to conflicts; and that managers of growth identify needs, set objectives, remain flexible but maintain a strong sense of direction, and prevent unwise innovations. (Author/MLF)

An outline of the membership of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education profiles the average member, his/her job title and responsibilities, career preparation, professional development opportunities, status within the institution, institution type, salaries, and sex and qualification discrimination in compensation. Compensation…

A summary of SOCIOfutures, TECHNOfutures, and BIOfutures provides survival criteria for the school principal, e.g., intelligence, group skills, scholarship, mature judgement, good health, and personal security. Also listed are eight professional survival skills: human relations, communications, community relations, administrative technical,…

A survey of 332 dissertations and journal articles examined what types of administrators are studied, how they are studied, what characteristics are focused on, and how often the studies are cited. The findings indicate researchers focus too much on administrator traits and attitudes and not enough on administrator impact. (RW)

Over 260 public school administrators in Pennsylvania completed questionnaires on their undergraduate majors, coaching experience, school supervisory positions, extracurricular activities, and social science backgrounds. Findings confirmed a strong relationship between social science backgrounds and school administrative careers which could be…

The author, California's Secretary of State, reviews her own advancement as a Chinese-American woman, noting education as the key factor. She considers the remaining task of changing traditional social habits and urges women to become involved in government. Part of a theme issue on women and leadership. (SJL)

Educational background, length of time in one position, and sex were significant variables. The additive effect of these variables on the status of administrators was strong. Sex was the strongest variable, indicating women's needs to examine and imitate characteristics of male deans and presidents. (Author)

A study of the influence of academic discipline, sex and nationality on the definition of the role of the head of a university department indicates the importance of discipline, the coordinator or representative role, and the lack of influence of nationality on expectations. (JMF)

A survey designed to identify financial aid administration strengths and weaknesses specific to New York is summarized. Survey questions focused on the work environment and the training needs of the state's financial aid community. Results cover profile of respondents, training needs, salaries, job-related characteristics, conferences attended,…

Academic deans, especially in liberal arts colleges, have been called amateurs because they have not been schooled for the position and have not had previous experience in the dean's office. A study of the official logbooks of three deans and the author's own experience are used to document the elements of the role of a dean. (Author/PHR)

New duties of the department chairperson should be reordered into four major areas: Staff conflict, communications, accountability, and administrative, resulting in financial benefits. (TA)

Reports that the literature on community colleges focuses extensively on students, faculty members and the top leadership; noticeably absent are studies about administrators such as those who provide services for students. Examines the elements of administrative work life at two rural community colleges, finding patterns in the nature of work,…

Cordell Wynn, retiring president of Stillman College (Alabama) has substantially increased the budget, enrollment, endowment, and faculty and improved the campus infrastructure of the private, historically black college during his 16-year tenure. The administrator is known on campus for an open, responsive administrative style and availability to…

Sixty-one interns, who completed the Master of School Administration program at a North Carolina university, and their 49 principal-mentors, when asked what interpersonal and professional characteristics and assignment concerns they perceive as important when selecting and assigning mentors, listed strong leadership abilities and high…

Reports on a study of the proportional representation of women administrators by ethnicity from 1991 to 1997 in a sample of 1,030 two-year colleges. States that Hispanic-serving, urban, California two-year colleges and the percentage of women faculty of color entered as significant positive predictors of change in the representation of women…