The perceptions of department chairpersons concerning the leadership roles of academic deans in several schools/colleges of a major research university were identified, based on interviews with 55 chairpersons. The typical chairperson was male, from the College of Letters and Science, had served for about 4 and one-half years, was a full professor, was about 50 years old, and had served at the institution for about 18 years. Of the 55 chairpersons, 49 were not interested in being a dean for such reasons as commitment to teaching and research and the unpleasantness of administrative work. Some respondents offered reasons why other individuals might like to be dean even though they would not, including the opportunity to have influence in shaping the direction of the college. Chairpersons did not conceive of the dean as a powerful and bureaucratic administrative figure. Over 80 percent of the interview protocols pictured the deans as responding primarily to departmental initiatives. Deans were perceived to govern in a variety of ways. While bureaucratic position enabled the dean to follow a rational decision-making model, the traditional doctrine of freedom in teaching and research supported a collegiality model of academic governance. Also relevant was the political governance model, which recognizes inevitable conflicts that arise. (SW)