The work of a dean is challenging, and many deans are appointed to their positions without any formal training. Deans often learn how to hire faculty, conduct performance reviews, develop budgets, secure grant funding, design learning spaces, and resolve conflicts on their own. This is neither efficient nor practical. Deans who are lucky enough to have an associate dean to help them may be able to manage their workload more effectively.
Expertise, Credentials, and the Value of the University
It seems we can’t trust our own credentials or those that we provide to our students. Or perhaps it would be better to say that we have so much confidence
Constance C. Relihan
May 18, 2026
