Negotiating Power and Authority within the Dean’s Office

1. Negotiating Power and Authority within the Dean’s Office Kim Martin Long, PhD Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania CCAS 2009, Baltimore, November 13, 2009

2. General Description of Our Office • College of Arts and Sciences within state university of 8200 students • Approximately 3000 majors in the college • Responsible for all of the general education (program and courses) • One dean, one associate dean, two administrative assistants, two clerical staff (one half time), one graduate student (paid position), one work study student

3. Inside the College of Arts and Sciences

4. Outside Views (Nice, huh?)

5. Portrait of the Dean • Dr. James H. Mike • Professor of Chemistry • In his 4th year as dean • 7 years’ experience as associate dean in another state • Management characteristics: deliberative, transparent but reserved, strong advocate for programs and resources; wants lots of input from chairs and deaprtments • Primary responsibilities: Faculty, Budget, Fundraising, the “fancy parties”

6. Portrait of the Associate Dean • Dr. Kim Martin Long • Former professor of English • 4 ½ years in associate dean position • Management characteristics: communicative, social, collaborative, “prevent the problem” if you can, problem solver (sometimes likes to cut to the chase) • Primary responsibilities: Student issues, managing the schedule, internships, approvals, committees (not parties)

7. Simplified Flow Chart (external) The dean is in a “line position,” reporting to the provost and directly supervising departments (chair and faculty). The associate dean acts in behalf of the dean while is away and helps execute the duties of the office.

8. Flow Chart (Internal) While these relationships are not as “firm” as they appear (the associate dean also may delegate tasks to the staff), the dean is the direct supervisor and evaluates us all. The associate dean is responsible for the students.

9. Strategic Planning Exercise • Office as a whole met in retreat this past summer. • We walked through the initiative phases of a strategic planning exercise (since the entire university will be going through Academic Master Planning this year and next). • We were honest with each other, broke down some barriers, and took a hard look at what we do, why, and how.

10. Strengths of Our Office • Student friendly • Helpful and knowledgeable • Stable, efficient office (we have all been together 4 years) • Location (center of campus, in a busy academic building) • Identity (people know of us and that we get things done) • Flexibility (we always look to other ways of doing things)

11. Weaknesses of Our Office • Overworked • Understaffed • No firm operational guidelines • Lack of policy maintenance • Lack of schedule coordination • Succession planning • Training gaps • Communication • Things don’t get done that should

12. Threats Facing Our Office • Inability to respond institutionally to secretaries’ problems • Frustration and morale problems • Budget situation (hiring on hold) • Inconsistencies across departments • Some training or ability gaps within

13. Opportunities • Make a positive impression on students • Take advantage of our location (café downstairs) • Unify the college • Present image to be emulated • Be an nformation clearinghouse • Help morale among staff, faculty, departments

14. Questions Arising from SWOT Analysis • How can we leverage our strengths to capitalize on an opportunity? • How can we invest or divest resources in weak areas to respond to an opportunity? • How can we mobilize our strengths to avert a perceived threat? • How can we respond to a weakness that makes us vulnerable given an impending threat?

15. Initial Ideas (Critical Issues) • Use our expertise and personalities to help resolve some of the departmental issues. • Re-assign some of the more tedious work to the student worker; this will require patient training. • Get more student traffic in to prevent problems. • Come up with our own written policies and procedures (for succession planning, retirements, etc.) • Push down things that should be done in departments.

16. Currently, we are in process. . . • But we have been talking about our “critical priorities” and what possible “action plan” will result. • We have been honest about our weaknesses. • We realize that one office member (clerical) needs additional training. • We continue to advocate for proper staffing while coming up with creative and novel approaches to meeting the needs of the college.

17. Conclusions: What Works and Why • We have worked together well for four years and communicate often (regularly meeting an hour or more every day). • The dean considers as one of his main jobs to mentor me into his job, frequently giving me “new” responsibilities and bringing me in to meetings, etc. • I respect the dean and support his decisions. While I one day would like to be in the dean’s position (here or somewhere else), I am the associate dean. We clearly understand our negotiated roles.

18. Conclusions: What Does Not Work and Why • We are too large to handle everything we handle in our office. We are stretched to the limit. • Occasionally, office staff will come to me and not the dean; then I am in the role of passing on information. • We have some upper administration that are not as “with it” as we are. We feel we are being held down by lack of leadership. • After being in this job for four years (and being a pretty quick study), I am getting a little fidgety to move up. Yet I am not so keen on leaving the area just yet. (Result: sometimes I take risks that I shouldn’t, fly too close to the sun, etc.)

19. Lessons for Others? • Communicate, communicate, communicate. • Don’t let little things turn into big things. • Complement each other in the office; let those with skills in an area perform tasks that use those skills well. • Don’t try to do someone else’s job, even if you can do it better. • Do things together outside the office; get to know each other in a different way. On the other hand, keep personal personal and work work.