Warns potential future departmental chairpersons that, as chairperson, they will no longer be one of the faculty; they will be the first among equals; many people will see them as the entire department; they should never underestimate the pettiness of their colleagues; and they should expect their every move and decision to be suspect. (SR)

Student violence is an unwelcome reality that administrators cannot ignore. Although a literature review found a relationship among principals' leadership behavior, school climate, and school violence, its strength and nature are unclear. The issue's complexity may discount efforts to generalize about these relationships apart from explanations…

Describes how the author survived for more than a quarter of a century as a minor university administrator by applying a "schizoid narrativizing strategy" to the art of running, and being run by, an academic department. Notes that established written departmental procedures are indispensable. Discusses briefly the state of the academic economy.…

Identifies strategies for effectively managing child care centers that are part of a larger organization. Advocates thinking at multiple levels to understand the perspective of upper management and staff. Suggests examining the culture of the organization, aligning oneself with strategic goals and objectives, and creating a positive platform for…

Tested the curriculum leadership framework that Stark and Lattuca adapted from Quinn's competing values model of management styles. Chairpersons of departments nominated as effective in curriculum planning answered a survey about their leadership activities and styles. Factor analysis partially supported the model. Activities that chairs reported…

The rise and fall of David Robinson as Vice-Chancellor of Monash University was a parable for the times. The man who defined managerialism in the Australian context had in 2002 seemed to be at the peak of his powers; a few months later he was gone in disgrace. Paul Rodan reflects on the legacy of a management style which, in the end, left Robinson…

Many states use test results to hold schools accountable, with the stakes for children, teachers, and administrators becoming higher. High school principal Kimberly Reeves had to show substantial progress in raising achievement scores to keep her school off the state's low-performing list and to help the district maintain positive community…

This discussion focuses on a research project designed to identify critical leadership behaviors and characteristics of very successful elementary school principals. The project which ultimately became a book published jointly by the National Association of Elementary School Principals and Corwin Press used research methodology inspired by…

Legislation has directed schools to convene school councils that typically address issues related to curriculum, instruction, budget, and governance as one means to improve schooling. However, the expectation for improved schools through this involvement remains a challenge. The study examined issues connected to council operation in two large…

Purpose--The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between interactional justice, as a type of organizational justice that reflects the teachers' perceived fairness of supervisor treatment, and their non-task behavior in terms of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and deviant workplace behavior (DWB).…

Research identifying relationships between principals' instructional leadership behavior and academic achievement is problematic because it fails to consider the perspectives of the "consumer" (i.e., students). Consequently, this study investigated what students perceive principals do to influence their academic achievement. Students identified…

Purpose: Leadership is a key commodity in twenty-first century organizations. This is especially true for school organizations. This paper aims to respond to six questions about head teachers and leadership of basic schools. Design/methodology/approach: Head teachers responded to survey items about proficiencies required for effective leadership…

From the top down, says the writer, Russia's universities are impoverished by bribery and insider deals large and small. A new president's dorm at Nizhniy Novgorod is one example of what anti-corruption watchdogs say is widespread mismanagement, and in some cases outright corruption, throughout the country's higher-education system. Presidents use…

Purpose-driven leadership is a constructive leadership model that challenges an organization to: define its purpose, maintain integrity, encourage character, prevent burnout and sustain vitality. The model incorporates "best practice language" and the tools needed to foster a meaningful discourse. As school leaders strive to define, defend, and…

New administrators in urban schools face enormous challenges. The novice leaders in this study are graduates of a preparation program at UC Berkeley, and are participants in a leadership induction program. This research examines one aspect of their new position--disciplinarian--through the lens of leadership stories. Although the middle manager…