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VOLUME X, NUMBER 79

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS

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WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W. K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND THE SID W. RICHARDSON'FOUNDA TION

The Role of the Department Chair

Recently, Bakersfield College examined the role of
the Department Chair as seen by the Faculty, Admini-
stration and Department Chairs. The result of this
study revealed that the department chairs found
themselves in a difficult position by attempting to serve
two masters, the faculty and the administration.

A survey revealed the faculty expected two things
from their department chairs: a good schedule and
communication of their needs to the administration.
The administration expected the department chair to
provide educational leadership, evaluate peers, moti-
vate the unmotivated and increase productivity.

What follows is a speech given by Walt Johnson,
Department Chair of Health and Physical Education, to
his faculty in which he clearly identifies his “role.” Mr.
Johnson has been an educator at the community college
level for more than 25 years.

THE STATE OF THIS DEPARTMENT

This messaye could be called “The State of the P.E.
Department.” [want to talk with you about some
concerns [have for us as a department. As department
chair, }petan opportunity to deal with each department
member ina personal way. You learn what makes
everyone tick. | have learned a lot about your likes and
dishkes, as far as your teaching is concerned.

The department chair is an interesting position, You
are elected by your peers in what may be more of a
popularity contest than an election based upon any
ability you have to do the job. One of the toughest
things for me was realizing I’m the boss. | have tried,
for the last three years, to deal honestly and fairly with
cach of you, although you may not share that feeling.
The department may not have moved forward as much
as you would have liked, but we have tried to facilitate
your teaching.

I} consider myselfa friend of cach of you, but our
friendship cannot cause me to lose sight of the concerns
lhave, and what lam going to share with you. In fact,
what | have to say has absolutely nothing to do with
our friendships.

You have just been notified that this spring you will
have the opportunity to elect a department chair for the

EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)
Community College Leadership Program, The University of Texas at Austin

next three years. | would encourage cach of you to
consider running for the position. [tis a challenging
experience. [ will tell you now that | will be a candidate
for one more three-year term, although this is nota
campaign speech. In fact, after some of the things I plan
to tell you today, | may seal my fate with you.

Let's look at what is going on around us. Occidental
Petroleum recently dropped 200 employees off their
payroll-all management personnel. United Air has
dropped 1,000 managers nationally. Tenneco has
forced a number of their employces into early retire-
ment. Bank of America just announced they will reduce
their work-force by 10,000 this year. The oil industry,
locally, has left over 1,000 out of work. Times are
tough, but we are rather unique. Not one person at B.C.
has lost his/her job. Not one salary has been cut.
Raises are fewer and smaller, but we have jobs. We
have great security here. We are darn fortunate-we all
have jobs.

Changes are occurring here, too. As department
chair, lam charged with making adjustments to those
changes. Some classes are flourishing + Flealth Fd— of
14 sections, 12 are overflowing; Shape-Up— the growth
of that program has been our salvation, Weight and
circuit training classes are doing well. Swim Fitness
enrollment is stabilized. However, we do have some
classes in trouble. Some skill classes have very low
enrollment. Skill class sections have been reduced
dramatically.

It has become increasingly more clear, from my seat.
that some changes are going to have to be made. If
students aren’t there to teach, we have to go where they
are, to teach them. We have to do it enthusiastically.
We all know why we are here, why we have a job at all.
IT’S THE STUDENTS.

It is quite likely that any change is going to “pinch”
usin our “Comtort Zones.” In three vears, vou have
made it pretty clear what you like to teach. Trying to
meet some of your desires has puta “crimp” in the
Nexibility of our program. There is nota great deal of
flexibility in this staff. T don’t mean vou have been
uncooperative. But you have taught in vour subject
areas so long that itis understandable you may not