It is important for overall department health that the chair and dean have a productive working relationship. At most institutions, the dean determines resource use through budget allocations, allowing faculty and staff vacancies to be filled and special considerations to be made for new lines and academic programs. There are many other areas in which the dean influences critical components of department life.
How Leaders Shape, Signal, and Build Cultures: A Discussion Guide for Academic Leaders and Their Teams
Among the many desired traits most prized in academic leadership, the ability to shape (or reshape) institutional culture is sometimes overlooked in favor of fiscal acumen, the ability to drive
Lisa Jasinski
May 4, 2026
