To lead creatively and effectively, a president must sometimes stick his neck out. (Author)

Proposes substantial progress has been made for women in high administrative positions in community colleges during the last decade. Compares current top women administrators' personal and professional backgrounds and attitudes with their counterparts surveyed in 1972. Reflects on role of affirmative action and examines prospects for the 1980s.…

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,…