Academic leaders--especially the provost, dean, and department chair--play critical roles in shaping the retention and success of faculty members. COACHE research has found that tenured faculty desire from the administration a clearly-articulated institutional mission and vision that do not change in ways that adversely affect faculty work (e.g., increased focus on research over teaching or vice versa; raised expectations for generating funding from outside grants). Faculty also wish for clear and consistent expectations for the mix of research, teaching, and service or outreach; support for research (pre- and post-award) and teaching; and a sense that their work is valued.

Deans and department chairs (or heads) can improve faculty morale through honest communication, and particularly by involving faculty in meaningful decisions that affect them. Deans and chairs are also responsible for ensuring opportunities for faculty input and supporting faculty in adapting to any changes to mission and institutional priorities. Equity and fairness in faculty evaluation are also important factors when assessing department head or chair leadership.

We assess faculty satisfaction with these aspects of institutional leadership - across all levels of administration and among faculty leaders, too:

• Pace of decision making
• Stated priorities
• Communication of priorities
• Ensuring faculty input
• Fairness in evaluating work

Related items include whether:

• Priorities are stated consistently across levels of leadership
• Priorities are acted on consistently
• Changes in priorities have negatively affected faculty work
• The CAO has been supportive in adapting to changes
• There is visible leadership for the support of diversity on campus.