Leadership

COACHE defines leadership as the ability to shape the satisfaction of faculty members; to clearly articulate institutional mission and vision; to provide clear and consistent expectations for research, teaching, and service or outreach; support for research and teaching; and ability to communicate to faculty a sense that their work is valued. Also included in this definition is honest communication, involving faculty in meaningful decisions that affect them; ensuring opportunities for faculty input; and supporting faculty in adapting to any changes to mission and institutional priorities. Finally, equity and fairness in faculty evaluation. 

DU SCORE

How do we compare to our peer/cohort

Response options ranged from 1-5 where 5 is the most favorable. The functional range of responses for the 103 schools in the cohort was approximately 2.4-4.3 across leadership at the department and division level. DU scored 3.56/5 for departmental leadership and 3.13/5 for divisional leadership, both in the bottom third relative to the cohort. Both levels of leadership were rated as commensurate with the middle group for pre-tenured faculty and divisional leadership was endorsed as in the middle group for Associate level faculty.

Survey terms that relate to this category include

Q170. Please rate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statements:

  1. My institution’s priorities are stated consistently across all levels of leadership (i.e. president, provost, deans/division heads, and department chairs/heads).
  2. My institution’s priorities are acted upon consistently across all levels of leadership (i.e. president, provost, deans/division heads, and department chairs/heads).
  3. In the past five years, my institution’s priorities have changed in ways that negatively affect my work in my department.

Q175. In adapting to the changing mission, I have received sufficient support from:

  1. My dean or division head
  2. My department head or chair
  3. College Faculty Only My chief academic officer (provost, VPAA, dean of faculty)

Q180. Please rate your level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the following: My institution’s president’s/chancellor’s:

  1. Pace of decision making
  2. Stated priorities
  3. Communication of priorities to faculty My institution’s chief academic officer’s (provost, VPAA, dean of faculty):
  4. Pace of decision making M. Stated priorities N. Communication of priorities to faculty
  5. College Faculty Only Ensuring opportunities for faculty to have input into the institution’s priorities

Q185. Please rate your level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the following:

My dean’s or division head’s:

  1. Pace of decision making
  2. Stated priorities
  3. Communication of priorities to faculty
  4. Ensuring opportunities for faculty to have input into school/college priorities

My department head’s or chair’s:

  1. Pace of decision making
  2. Stated priorities
  3. Communication of priorities to faculty
  4. Ensuring opportunities for faculty to have input into departmental policy decisions
  5. Fairness in evaluating my work

Q187A.Some of the following questions refer to your “institution-wide faculty governing body” or to “faculty leaders”. Your campus might have more than one group that fits these descriptions (e.g., a faculty senate and a collective bargaining unit). From the list below, please select or fill in the one group to whom your answers will apply.

Faculty of the whole Faculty assemblyFaculty Senate Faculty union or Collective Bargaining Unit

Q186. Please rate your level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the following:

  1. The pace of decision making by my institution-wide faculty governing body
  2. The stated priorities of my institution-wide faculty governing body
  3. The communication of priorities by my institution-wide faculty governing body
  4. The steps taken by my institution-wide faculty governing body to ensure faculty are included in that body’s decision making