Educational Administration and Supervision | Open Access Articles

Minutes Of The Executive Committee Meeting Chicago November 12, 1986

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

The annual meeting of the Association for Communication Administration (ACA)'s Executive Committee, held in November 1986 in Chicago, Illinois.

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The State Of Mass Communication, Ellen Wartella

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article evaluates the state of mass communication as an academic field, examining its organizational, educational, and theoretical conditions in the mid-1980s. The discussion situates mass communication within a context of growing public, institutional, and industrial interest in media and communication technologies. Three major areas are identified. Organizationally, the field is experiencing departmental consolidation and debate over nomenclature as traditional speech and journalism programs merge into unified communication units. Educationally, enrollments are expanding rapidly, yet faculty shortages and an industrial hiring model threaten academic rigor. Theoretically, the discipline faces tensions between professional training and liberal arts orientations, as well as …

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Assessing The Health Of The Profession: A Diagnosis Of Theatre, Douglas N. Cook

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article assesses the overall condition of theatre as both a professional and academic field within the broader context of the performing arts. Using a metaphor of medical diagnosis, the analysis identifies theatre as a “fabulous invalid”—ailing but resilient. National data demonstrate the expansion of regional and nonprofit theatre, with significant growth in professional companies, productions, and employment since the 1970s, despite persistent financial instability. The discussion links this professional growth to developments in theatre education, including the proliferation of degree programs, the acceptance of the MFA as a terminal degree, and the emergence of cooperative relationships between professional and …

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Faculty Involvement In Departmental Decision Making, Don B. Morlan

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the complex relationship between departmental leadership, faculty participation, and administrative accountability in decision-making within academic units. Drawing on literature from organizational management and personal experience across both public and private institutions, the analysis argues that the degree of faculty involvement in departmental decision making is less a matter of chair preference than a product of institutional structure and administrative culture. While participatory models—such as Theory Z and Likert’s human relations frameworks—are often idealized, actual practice is constrained by hierarchy, accountability, and resource dependence. The essay proposes that effective chairs must balance consultation with authority, aligning faculty expectations, …

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Reflections Of A First-Year Department Head, Blaine Goss

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This reflective essay documents the first year of administrative experience as a new department head at New Mexico State University. Organized around three themes—learning the job, learning the system, and being the “new man in town”—the narrative traces the author’s transition from faculty member to administrator. The discussion emphasizes the paradoxical nature of departmental leadership: the chair functions simultaneously as manager, faculty colleague, and intermediary between conflicting demands. Early lessons concern balancing responsiveness to faculty, staff, and central administration, navigating institutional routines and politics, and managing expectations from multiple constituencies. The essay highlights the emotional and cognitive challenges of leadership, …

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A Leader Among Peers: The New Department Head's Role In Faculty Development, Lorayne W. Lester

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the department chair’s role in fostering faculty development as a central dimension of effective academic leadership. Arguing that professional growth is too often treated as a peripheral administrative concern, the discussion contends that faculty development must be understood as a continuous and reciprocal process that benefits both the department and the chair. Drawing on research on administrative burnout and personal experience, the analysis distinguishes between chairs who overextend themselves in operational management and those who sustain professional vitality through active teaching and scholarship. Faculty development, the article maintains, requires the cultivation of research productivity, teaching quality, and …

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The Piper, The Animals, And The Hustler, Patti P. Gillespie

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article analyzes the economic and ideological transformations confronting higher education during the Reagan era and their implications for academic independence. It identifies three interrelated developments: the increasing dependence of universities on corporate funding, the widening salary disparities among faculty, and the evolution of the department chair into a fund-raising administrator. The discussion warns that emerging partnerships between universities, government, and private industry threaten to form a “military-industrial-educational complex,” compromising scholarly autonomy and reshaping curricula toward corporate priorities. Faculty marketization, driven by differential utility to corporate sponsors, is shown to exacerbate internal inequities and distort academic values. Finally, the paper …

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Hiring Practices In An Ma Program, Kenneth D. Frandsen

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article provides a detailed account of faculty recruitment and hiring practices in the Department of Speech Communication at the University of New Mexico, focusing on strategies for achieving program stability within a master’s-level institution. The discussion identifies the department’s dual challenge: maintaining rigorous hiring standards while managing the instability created by faculty turnover. Operating as a “committee of the whole,” the faculty conducts affirmative action–compliant searches that emphasize collaboration, transparency, and collective decision making. Candidates are assessed for their fit within the department’s tripartite mission of teaching, research, and service, with balanced competence across all areas preferred. Particular attention …

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Hiring Faculty At Doctoral Institutions, Patti P. Gillespie

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the distinct challenges of faculty recruitment in doctoral-granting institutions, proposing a structured framework for balancing departmental needs, institutional goals, and candidate qualifications. Gillespie articulates six “laws of hiring” that collectively emphasize balance, probability, faculty quality, publication assessment, student feedback, and long-term recruitment strategy. The first principle defines hiring as a process of equilibrium—balancing competing departmental and institutional interests. The second underscores the probabilistic nature of selection, advocating for evidence-based rather than intuitive decisions. The third and fourth stress the importance of institutional pedigree and demonstrable scholarly productivity, while the fifth highlights consultation with former graduate students as …

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Mfa Degree Programs: Where Are They Going?, Russell E. Green

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the proliferation and sustainability of Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree programs in theatre, arguing that the rapid increase in such programs has created a system-wide imbalance between available training opportunities and viable employment for graduates. Drawing on data from the National Association of Schools of Theatre and the University/Resident Theatre Association (U/RTA), the discussion documents trends in enrollment, expenses, and recruitment practices that contribute to what the author describes as an “anemic” marketplace. The analysis identifies administrative pressure to maintain full-time equivalencies (FTE) and high enrollment as a driving factor in lowering admissions standards and expanding …

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Part-Time And Temporary Faculty In Theatre, Patti P. Gillespie

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the increasing reliance on part-time and temporary faculty in university theatre programs and identifies the pedagogical, artistic, and administrative implications of their use. It argues that part-time and temporary faculty fulfill three primary functions: they introduce new ideas and creative approaches into established departments; they maintain vital links between academic and professional theatre; and they provide specialized expertise that complements permanent faculty strengths. The discussion distinguishes theatre from other disciplines whose centers of innovation are academic, emphasizing that the creative core of theatre remains in professional practice. Accordingly, guest artists, designers, and actors serve as essential conduits …

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The Rights Of Part-Time And Temporary Theatre Faculty, Joe Filippo

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article critically examines the working conditions and institutional treatment of part-time and temporary theatre faculty in higher education. Drawing on practical examples from departmental experience, the discussion identifies pervasive inequities in pay, benefits, job security, and professional recognition. It argues that adjunct instructors—often highly qualified and essential to departmental operations—are constrained by structural hierarchies that deny them access to institutional resources, decision-making privileges, and equitable workloads. The analysis highlights how such disparities perpetuate a two-tier faculty system, eroding morale and academic cohesion. Specific issues include inadequate office space, exclusion from faculty governance, limited access to secretarial or developmental support, …

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Suggestions For Stimulating Research, J. David Johnson

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article outlines specific strategies department chairs can use to promote and sustain faculty research within academic communication programs. Recognizing research as a cornerstone of departmental credibility, faculty advancement, and institutional growth, the paper categorizes thirty-two initiatives into three levels of administrative commitment—minimal, moderate, and maximum effort. Minimal strategies include public recognition of research, promotion of internal grants, and mentoring partnerships between experienced and inexperienced faculty. Moderate proposals expand to include research colloquia, merit-based incentives, clerical and travel support, and formal structures such as a departmental research committee. Maximum-effort initiatives involve establishing research centers, securing computing and clerical resources, and …

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Educating Managers: Executive Effectiveness Through Liberal Learning, Russell T. Church

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Reviews the book "Educating Managers: Executive Effectiveness Through Liberal Learning," by Joseph S. Johnston: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

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Assessing The Health Of The Profession: A Diagnosis Of Speech Communication, Kenneth E. Andersen

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article assesses the condition of the speech communication discipline amid ongoing financial pressures, demographic shifts, and institutional change in higher education. Reviewing the retrenchment concerns of the early 1980s, the discussion finds that while some departments merged or closed, overall disciplinary health remains stable, with new programs emerging in community colleges and other expanding institutions. The analysis identifies continuing challenges—declining faculty salaries, growing reliance on part-time instructors, and intensifying competition for resources—while noting the opportunities presented by rising student interest in applied and professional communication. The paper emphasizes the need for departments to maintain flexibility, strengthen political and administrative …

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A Prognosis For The Field Of Communication, Erwin P. Bettinghaus

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This essay presents an optimistic evaluation of the communication discipline, arguing that the field’s institutional growth, intellectual diversification, and expanding public visibility signal long-term vitality. Evidence of strength includes increased student enrollment across subfields, greater institutional funding, steady employment opportunities, growing recognition by industry and government, and a maturing research culture that has moved beyond foundational definitional debates. Nonetheless, the analysis identifies several risks: declining graduate student recruitment due to market competition, internal fragmentation following departmental reorganization, and ideological polarization between professional and theoretical approaches. The forecast anticipates continued growth driven by technological innovation, heightened demand for communication teachers, and …

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Corporate Management Strategies: Applications For Communication Administrators From Managing By Harold Geneen, James E. Roever

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article adapts Harold Geneen’s corporate management principles from Managing (1984) for use in higher education and communication administration. Drawing parallels between industrial management and academic governance, it examines Geneen’s key concepts—goal-oriented planning, open communication, leadership accountability, and data-driven decision-making—and applies them to the context of colleges and universities. The discussion critiques higher education’s reliance on long-range planning at the expense of short-term results, advocating for more immediate and measurable goals. It also highlights the importance of clarifying organizational roles, promoting trust among faculty and administrators, and fostering open communication to reduce campus politicization. The article suggests that academic institutions, …

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Perspectives On Hiring New Faculty, N. Edd Miller

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the faculty hiring process in higher education as a critical determinant of institutional vitality and disciplinary growth. Framing hiring as the most consequential administrative act within a university, the discussion evaluates the process from three perspectives: institutional, departmental, and candidate. Institutionally, hiring is shaped by affirmative action mandates, budget constraints, and enrollment pressures that encourage recruitment at lower ranks and limit diversity progress. From the departmental viewpoint, the essay outlines a systematic needs assessment approach encompassing curricular balance, faculty complement, and research-teaching alignment. It offers evaluative criteria addressing candidate qualifications, potential for growth, and professional fit. The …

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The Master Of Fine Arts: Making Good Better, August W. Staub, B. Don Massey

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article traces the historical development, institutional acceptance, and current challenges of the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree, particularly in theatre. Originating as a terminal degree in the visual arts, the MFA evolved as a professional credential for artist-teachers and was later adopted in drama, music, and dance. The discussion reviews the MFA’s growing legitimacy as an alternative to the studio doctorate, its international appeal, and its role in integrating artistic practice with academic standards. Persistent issues identified include program proliferation, curricular dilution, and inconsistent admission practices driven by enrollment pressures. The authors note disciplinary peculiarities of theatre, where …

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Uncertainties In Mfa Programs, Donald A. Drapeau

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the instability of Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programs in theatre in relation to broader uncertainties within the professional theatre industry. The analysis distinguishes between two primary employment markets served by MFA programs—academic and professional—and evaluates the challenges associated with each. Limited salaries, program consolidation, and restricted hiring opportunities constrain the academic market, while the commercial and regional theatre sectors remain volatile and competitive. The discussion argues that these conditions necessitate honest reassessment of MFA missions and objectives. Recommendations include strengthening ties between programs and employment markets, revising curricula to reflect evolving industry needs, maintaining selectivity through …

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The Theatre Professional As Temporary Faculty Resource, Milly S. Milly

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article explores the use of part-time and temporary professional artists as essential instructional and creative resources in university theatre programs. Framing the issue within the constraints of aging faculty, reduced hiring opportunities, and limited institutional resources, the discussion argues for rethinking traditional employment structures to accommodate the cyclical and collaborative nature of theatre production. The author proposes an “organic” model in which temporary artist-teachers contribute to the life cycle of performance—design, rehearsal, and production—while maintaining professional practice. This integration is presented not as exploitation but as mutually beneficial exchange, offering flexibility and renewal for academic programs and employment for …

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The Use And Abuse Of Part-Time And Temporary Faculty, Fred Behringer

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article analyzes the structural, financial, and ethical dimensions of employing part-time and temporary faculty in university theatre programs. Based on institutional experience, it identifies both the practical necessity and systemic inequities inherent in contingent staffing models. The discussion outlines the benefits of such arrangements—access to specialized expertise, curricular flexibility, and expanded production capacity—alongside their drawbacks, including low compensation, lack of benefits, administrative instability, and risks of exploitation. The author argues that part-time staffing, while often indispensable, must be managed through flexible budgeting, administrative support, and professional respect for adjunct personnel. Examples from departmental practice demonstrate how increased autonomy in …

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Excellence In Education: The States Take Charge / Education For A Democratic Future. Equity And Excellence: Toward An Agenda For School Reform, Robert W. Glenn

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Two books are reviewed: "Excellence in Education: The States Take Charge," by Denis P. Doyle and Terry W. Hartle; "Education for a Democratic Future: Equity and Excellence: Toward an Agenda for School Reform."

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Academic Theatre Administration, Jon Whitmore

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article delineates the essential competencies and preparatory pathways required for effective academic administration within theatre and related arts programs. Framing administration as a profession often entered by circumstance rather than intention, the discussion emphasizes leadership as a creative and managerial endeavor grounded in human relationships rather than bureaucratic control. The author identifies nine critical skills: leadership, motivation, conflict resolution, planning, legal literacy, financial management, bureaucratic navigation, problem-solving, and communication. Each is presented as a necessary attribute for sustaining academic programs in resource-limited environments. The paper further outlines avenues for developing these skills, including committee work, professional reading, engagement with …

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So You Want To Be An Administrator? Be Prepared For Change, Richard W. Platt

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This reflective case study explores the dynamics of institutional and personal change through the author’s experience as a department and divisional chair at a small private liberal arts college. The narrative traces the evolution of administrative responsibility amid shifting institutional structures, financial constraints, and demographic transformation in higher education during the late twentieth century. The analysis highlights how external forces—such as economic pressures, federal funding fluctuations, and changing student populations—interact with internal developments in curriculum design, faculty composition, and organizational restructuring. Central to the argument is the necessity for adaptability: effective administration requires balancing planning and leadership within fluid systems …

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A Program Of Faculty Development For Small College Career Satisfaction, Thomas W. Duncanson, Alberto Gonzalez

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This paper proposes a model of faculty development designed to enhance career satisfaction and professional retention among small college teachers. Recognizing that such institutions often experience high faculty turnover and limited professional support, the authors argue that sustained faculty vitality depends on cultivating collegiality, autonomy, and scholarship. Collegiality is presented as a political and ethical mode of academic governance that requires shared purpose, participatory decision making, and ongoing reflection on the moral obligations of teaching. Autonomy is defined as disciplined self-direction rather than individualism, representing both personal growth and institutional benefit. Scholarship is examined as a balance between the reproduction …

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Professionalism And Unionism In The Small Department, Lawrence W. Rosenfield

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This essay investigates the relationship between academic professionalism and the rise of unionism, focusing on their implications for faculty life in small departments. The analysis situates the issue within the historical ideal of the university as a civic community governed by collegial virtue and shared scholarly purpose. The author argues that the decline of departmental self governance and the spread of corporate administrative models have eroded this republican vision, leaving faculty increasingly defined by economic rather than intellectual identity. In this context, unionism emerges as both a response to and a potential redefinition of professional engagement. The essay identifies two …

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A Response To Achieving Professional Professions, Claude Mathis

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This response essay engages with the preceding discussions on professionalism in small academic departments, particularly those by Duffy, Rosenfield, and Ryan. The author argues that professionalism is determined more by individual and institutional values than by departmental organization or discipline. The analysis commends Duffy’s perspective on thriving within merged departments, noting that collegial support and shared commitment matter more than structural autonomy. It also reflects on Rosenfield’s treatment of unionism, suggesting that while collective bargaining once represented liberation for faculty, it risks devolving into an excessive focus on wages and working conditions rather than educational quality. The essay praises Ryan’s …

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Recruiting And Retaining Students Through The High School Drama Teacher, Shirlee Hennigan

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article presents a case study of recruitment and retention strategies employed by the drama and speech department at Lewis Clark State College, a small institution with limited faculty and resources. The author outlines a multifaceted approach centered on collaboration with regional high school drama teachers and the cultivation of a supportive departmental community. Key initiatives include hosting an annual High School Drama Day, attending local high school productions, awarding a Presidential Scholarship through auditions and portfolios, and providing ongoing assistance to secondary educators through advising and networking. Internal retention efforts focus on financial aid, departmental social events, student evaluations, …

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Confronting The Problem Of Retention In The Theatre Program Of Limited Size, Margaret M. Swanson

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article investigates the persistent challenge of student retention in small theatre programs and presents an institutional case study from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls. The author analyzes how open admissions policies, small program size, and uneven academic preparation affect student persistence and departmental stability. Through three detailed student case studies, the discussion explores motivations for attrition, ranging from transfer to professional training to academic failure and disengagement. The analysis concludes that while program retention serves institutional needs, it is not always in the best interest of individual students. In response, the department adopted policies linking academic eligibility to participation, …

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Full-Text Articles in Educational Administration and Supervision

Minutes Of The Executive Committee Meeting Chicago November 12, 1986

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

The State Of Mass Communication, Ellen Wartella

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Assessing The Health Of The Profession: A Diagnosis Of Theatre, Douglas N. Cook

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Faculty Involvement In Departmental Decision Making, Don B. Morlan

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Reflections Of A First-Year Department Head, Blaine Goss

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

A Leader Among Peers: The New Department Head's Role In Faculty Development, Lorayne W. Lester

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

The Piper, The Animals, And The Hustler, Patti P. Gillespie

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Hiring Practices In An Ma Program, Kenneth D. Frandsen

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Hiring Faculty At Doctoral Institutions, Patti P. Gillespie

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Mfa Degree Programs: Where Are They Going?, Russell E. Green

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Part-Time And Temporary Faculty In Theatre, Patti P. Gillespie

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

The Rights Of Part-Time And Temporary Theatre Faculty, Joe Filippo

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Suggestions For Stimulating Research, J. David Johnson

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Educating Managers: Executive Effectiveness Through Liberal Learning, Russell T. Church

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Assessing The Health Of The Profession: A Diagnosis Of Speech Communication, Kenneth E. Andersen

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

A Prognosis For The Field Of Communication, Erwin P. Bettinghaus

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Corporate Management Strategies: Applications For Communication Administrators From Managing By Harold Geneen, James E. Roever

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Perspectives On Hiring New Faculty, N. Edd Miller

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

The Master Of Fine Arts: Making Good Better, August W. Staub, B. Don Massey

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Uncertainties In Mfa Programs, Donald A. Drapeau

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

The Theatre Professional As Temporary Faculty Resource, Milly S. Milly

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

The Use And Abuse Of Part-Time And Temporary Faculty, Fred Behringer

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Excellence In Education: The States Take Charge / Education For A Democratic Future. Equity And Excellence: Toward An Agenda For School Reform, Robert W. Glenn

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Academic Theatre Administration, Jon Whitmore

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

So You Want To Be An Administrator? Be Prepared For Change, Richard W. Platt

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

A Program Of Faculty Development For Small College Career Satisfaction, Thomas W. Duncanson, Alberto Gonzalez

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Professionalism And Unionism In The Small Department, Lawrence W. Rosenfield

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

A Response To Achieving Professional Professions, Claude Mathis

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Recruiting And Retaining Students Through The High School Drama Teacher, Shirlee Hennigan

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Confronting The Problem Of Retention In The Theatre Program Of Limited Size, Margaret M. Swanson

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin