Differences Among Faculty Members’ Perceptions of Norms for Academic Deans

Academic administrators have highly ambiguous roles (Wolverton, Wolverton, & Gmelch, 1999). They work in complex environments that involve myriad constituencies
attempting to draw them in different directions , from faculty and students to alumni and boards of trustees (AGBUC, 1996; Bright & Richards, 2002; Cohen & March, 1974; Wolverton, Montez, & Gmelch, 2000). Amid this complicated environment, academic administrators endeavor to support and bolster the central activities of the academy: learning, teaching,research, and service. Academic deans face a particular challenge by virtue of existing at the juxtaposition of the horizontal culture of the faculty and the vertical hierarchy of administration (Ryan, 1980).One of their most complex interrelationships involves their dealings with faculty. Deans are expected to share certain governance roles with faculty, although the specifics of which
decisions and how much to include faculty may differ (AGBUC, 1996; Fisher, 1991). Faculty meanwhile must serve not only the college and institution, but also the interests of their department and discipline. This may leave faculty and deans at a crossroads for institutional decision-making. At such times, the manner in which college decisions are made may be just as important as the nature of the decision made; faculty look to see how their input is viewed and
how the dean arrives at decisions (Pope & Miller, 1998). Therefore, the expectations faculty hold for the dean are important.