The New Department Chair : 100 Daily Reflections for Mindfully Designing Your Term

100 digestible daily reflections on academic department chairing that blend theory, research, and practical advice to encourage a proactive and mindful approach to the position. This volume focuses on a variety of aspects of being chair, but does so in ways that encourage reflexivity, strategic decision-making, and personal growth.

The New Department Chair: 100 Daily Reflections for Mindfully Designing Your Term, written by a chair with over a decade of experience at three universities, consists of 100 reflections about being a department chair. Using theory, personal stories, and practical advice, readers are provided with 100 opportunities to think through how they approach the complicated responsibilities of being chair.

Topics include the precarious nature of academic management, the emotional labor of the position, advocacy, diversity and inclusion, budgeting, imposter syndrome, department meetings, bullies, social media, working with deans, enrollment management, and others.

This collection serves as both a guide and a mentor in print for chairs as they wrestle with the complexity of their roles. It’s not a manual but instead an invitation to engage the position with purposefulness and direction.