Kevin Dettmar is W.M. Keck professor of English and director of the Humanities Studio at Pomona College. His latest book, published in September 2022, is How to Chair a Department. He also writes The Chronicle’s Ask the Chair advice column. More information about his work with chairs is available at his website, kdettmar.com. Send your questions on any aspect of becoming or serving as chair to his email or Facebook.
Stories by This Author
Advice
Four tips on how to balance your department-leadership role with your own scholarly and creative work.
Advice
How department heads can better treat applicants, especially in today’s difficult market.
Advice
An unhappy department head wonders about the repercussions of quitting before the three-year appointment is up.
Advice
What to do when half of the department loves a day of brainstorming together, and the other half hates it.
Advice
A department head seeks advice on collaborating with a senior leader who doesn’t play well with others.
Advice
A new assistant professor with an eye on administration asks how to get ready for leadership posts down the road.
Advice
How to balance your sense of obligation to your department with what you really want out of your career.
Advice
A new department head wonders if your scholarly reputation suffers merely by accepting that leadership role.
Advice
Being a department head involves difficult and often-isolating work, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Advice
You can lead faculty members to service, but you can’t make them do it — or do it well.