1. Who Becomes a Chair? (James B. Carroll, Mimi Wolverton).
Individuals in the position of department chair serve the interests of both the institutional administrative core and the faculty and discipline from which they come.

2. Socializing New Chairs (Jerry R. Thomas, John H. Schuh).
A good chair must develop a joint vision with others—in this instance, the departmental faculty and staff.

3. The Professional Development of Department Chairs (Irene W. D. Hecht).
Resources are available for learning the role of department chair and for learning the ropes.

4. The Interim Chair: Special Challenges and Opportunities (Anthony G. Rud Jr.).
This chapter addresses the unique role of interim chair.

5. Measuring the Performance of the Chair (Judy Nichols Mitchell).
Chairs are evaluated on a periodic basis, and this chapter identifies salient aspects of this process.

6. The Department Chair’s Balancing Acts (Walter H. Gmelch).
Whether it is in terms of frames, roles, responsibilities, models, or tasks, chairs need to understand the dimensions of their position.

7. The End of the Reign: Department Chair No More (Earl Smith).
The willing exit from the department chair position can be a successful transition into a new phase of professional life.

Index.