Lessons in hiring practices for aspiring academic administrators

Abstract

The Chronicle of Higher Education is full of advertisements for academic administrators. How does an individual sort out the realities of a particular search? What can be learned from hiring practices and procedures?.

The Effects of Job Attributes, Institutional Mission Emphasis, and Institution Type on Perceptions of the Provost Position

“…Smaller institutions may have to include department chairs in their applicant pools, which could have an adverse impact on the traditional hierarchical promotion cycle in higher education. Toward this end, Dingerson (1990) proposed the development of entry-level positions for assistant and associate administrators as a method of grooming people for higher academic administrative careers. The single most important issue for individuals who aspire to administrative positions in the academy is the quality of their previous experience.…”

“…Colleges and universities have an obligation to examine more thoroughly the recruiting methods they employ when attempting to attract qualified applicants to fill provost vacancies. More emphasis on internal efforts aimed at boosting applicant pools, including the development of formal "grooming" processes for future provosts, may be warranted (Dingerson, 1990). To foster and encourage greater numbers of potential applicants, the implementation of mentoring relationships may be necessary.…”