It’s increasingly common for colleges and universities to offer programs designed to help chairs, deans, and other academic administrators become more effective. Sometimes falling under a center for teaching and learning, at other times existing as an independent office for leadership and professional development, these programs reflect the recognition that college administrators often come to their jobs woefully underprepared for their responsibilities.

Not Just a No-Show: Understanding Faculty Absence at Graduation
Each spring, university campuses are spruced up: Lawns are mowed and stages assembled, and rows of chairs fill the arena. Graduation is a time-honored tradition, celebrating students’ hard work and


