The New Dean's Survival Guide: Advice from an Academic Leader

Deans and academic leaders face daily challenges as they communicate with faculty, students and administrators. It can be challenging to delegate, make decisions to benefit the educational institution, and navigate morale, evaluations, and accreditation. Author Thomas McDaniel offers tips and practical advice laced with humor and humility from his 50-year career as a dean to provide new and seasoned deans and academic leaders resources they need.

Deans and academic leaders need good-old-fashioned practical advice to successfully lead and with The New Dean's Survival Guide: Advice from an Academic Leader as their handy sidekick. This comprehensive guide gives academic leaders the resources they need to understand the ins and outs of what McDaniel calls "deaning," tools for communicating and managing faculty and students, as well as advice on how to work with administrators in an efficient manner. This guide identifies the traits of an academic dean and recognizes common issues faced by academic leaders. Learn appropriate responses to challenges and identify options for career growth in higher education.

The New Dean's Survival Guide: Advice from an Academic Leader is perfect for the novice or seasoned dean, academic leader or higher education administrator. The collection of practical advice explores multiple leadership and personal skills that help academic leaders thrive in various scenarios and settings. Learn more about the role of a dean, how successful deans delegate, how to boost faculty morale and strategies for successfully navigating the art of diplomacy. McDaniel shares his experiences with making decisions, consulting with faculty, maintaining relationships with presidents and provosts and crafting evaluations. Additional chapters focus on freedom of speech issues, academic freedom, the practicality of liberal arts education and even the retirement process. You get valuable tips and advice that helps you to rethink scholarly publications for tenure, survive regional accreditation and utilize the dean's dirty dozen to your advantage.

The New Dean's Survival Guide: Advice from an Academic Leader gives every new dean or seasoned academic leader an action plan for thinking outside of the box as a higher education leader, with expert help on how to:

• Identify the traits of an academic dean
• Pinpoint traits that are desirable to effective leadership
• Understand multiple leadership and personal skills that are effective in academic settings
• Recognize common issues faced by academic leaders
• Craft appropriate responses to faculty, student and administrator concerns
• Select options for career growth

The New Dean's Survival Guide: Advice from an Academic Leader is a resource you can turn to time and time again as you grow and develop through your career.