During a recent sabbatical studying inclusive postsecondary education in Ireland, I visited four universities—University College Cork, Trinity College Dublin, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, and Mary Immaculate
Most academic leaders inherit student academic surveys as a process rather than a strategy. Surveys arrive at predictable times, generate familiar reports, and are often filed away after a quick
Academic leaders are often trained to focus on vision, communication, decision-making, and change management. Those skills matter. Still, every leadership decision eventually depends on the people asked to carry it
Higher education is at a transformative moment. The Covid-19 pandemic and the advent of AI have been a one-two punch that has forced institutions to reorient quickly to keep serving
I have been thinking a lot about retirement. I have accrued the necessary years working as a faculty member and administrator in higher education. I have reached the age required
Faculty service is an often ignored area where inequities have become more apparent in recent decades, particularly with women and faculty of color taking on more service that is undervalued
In today’s higher education landscape, institution-community relationships are no longer peripheral expressions of goodwill. They are central to academic relevance, student success, and institutional credibility. Accrediting bodies and evaluators assess
For nearly five decades I have watched the professoriate grow, shift, and reinvent itself. In that time, dire predictions have often failed to materialize. But what we are facing today—rapidly
Academics sometimes joke about “going to the dark side” as they transition into university administration. Leadership service does involve drawbacks. The more time one devotes to administrative tasks, the less
Academic leadership is often framed as an exercise in “managing down”: guiding faculty, resolving disputes, or supporting students. Yet the real test of effective leadership may lie in the opposite
