Department chairmen at Kansas University often get caught in the uncomfortable middle between upper administration and faculty members.
That’s why it’s sometimes hard to find people to fill the positions. Just ask Angela Lumpkin, dean of the School of Education, who a year into her tenure is faced with replacing all four of her school’s department chairmen by this summer.
“It’s a tough job,” Lumpkin said. “Being a department chair may be the toughest job in higher education. They’re faculty, and they’re an administrator. It’s an in-between stage.”
The four School of Education department chairmen leaving their positions are:
l Phil McKnight, teaching and leadership, who has served three years. McKnight recently announced his resignation.
l Thomas Skrtic, special education, who is completing a three-year term.
l Thomas Krieshok, psychology and research in education, who is completing a three-year term.
l Wayne Osness, health, sport and exercise science, who is serving a one-year interim term. He previously served as department chairman from 1972 to 1997.
All except Osness, who is retiring, plan to stay at KU as faculty members.
Lumpkin said the turnover amounted to bad timing.
“Sometimes circumstances happen,” Lumpkin said.
Lumpkin said searches are under way to fill the positions by July 1. She and other KU officials said finding people to fill department chairman positions can be a challenge.
Department chairmen are responsible for budgets, faculty management and curriculum. Their teaching load is reduced, and they typically make more money than professors, though there’s no universitywide policy.
Sandra Gautt, assistant provost, said finding the right person to be department chairman often comes down to “a timing issue.”
“I think a fundamental issue is where people are in their careers,” she said. “If you’re in the middle of a major manuscript, you might say, ‘Yes, down the road I’m interested, but not now.’ Or if you just got two huge grants funded.”
Gautt said the decision to hire a chairman from within the department or conduct a national search is a school-by-school decision. Three of the School of Education’s searches are national searches. Only the special education search is a departmental search.
“Often the department will see it as an opportunity to bring in another faculty member with their expertise,” Gautt said.
McKnight said the new chairman is just one of the changes planned for the teaching and leadership department.
The incoming leader will oversee a new curriculum being introduced this fall. The curriculum, which will be approved by faculty in April, will include a new emphasis in special education courses.
But McKnight said he’s confident the department and the School of Education won’t be harmed by the turnover in leadership.
“We’ll be fine,” he said. “This is a very good school. Chairs come and go, and no one’s indispensable. I think this is more of a coincidence or confluence.”
Staff writer Terry Rombeck can be reached at 832-7145.
Department chairmen at Kansas University often get caught in the uncomfortable middle between upper administration and faculty members.
That’s why it’s sometimes hard to find people to fill the positions. Just ask Angela Lumpkin, dean of the School of Education, who a year into her tenure is faced with replacing all four of her school’s department chairmen by this summer.
“It’s a tough job,” Lumpkin said. “Being a department chair may be the toughest job in higher education. They’re faculty, and they’re an administrator. It’s an in-between stage.”
The four School of Education department chairmen leaving their positions are:
l Phil McKnight, teaching and leadership, who has served three years. McKnight recently announced his resignation.
l Thomas Skrtic, special education, who is completing a three-year term.
l Thomas Krieshok, psychology and research in education, who is completing a three-year term.
l Wayne Osness, health, sport and exercise science, who is serving a one-year interim term. He previously served as department chairman from 1972 to 1997.
All except Osness, who is retiring, plan to stay at KU as faculty members.
Lumpkin said the turnover amounted to bad timing.
“Sometimes circumstances happen,” Lumpkin said.
Lumpkin said searches are under way to fill the positions by July 1. She and other KU officials said finding people to fill department chairman positions can be a challenge.
Department chairmen are responsible for budgets, faculty management and curriculum. Their teaching load is reduced, and they typically make more money than professors, though there’s no universitywide policy.
Sandra Gautt, assistant provost, said finding the right person to be department chairman often comes down to “a timing issue.”
“I think a fundamental issue is where people are in their careers,” she said. “If you’re in the middle of a major manuscript, you might say, ‘Yes, down the road I’m interested, but not now.’ Or if you just got two huge grants funded.”
Gautt said the decision to hire a chairman from within the department or conduct a national search is a school-by-school decision. Three of the School of Education’s searches are national searches. Only the special education search is a departmental search.
“Often the department will see it as an opportunity to bring in another faculty member with their expertise,” Gautt said.
McKnight said the new chairman is just one of the changes planned for the teaching and leadership department.
The incoming leader will oversee a new curriculum being introduced this fall. The curriculum, which will be approved by faculty in April, will include a new emphasis in special education courses.
But McKnight said he’s confident the department and the School of Education won’t be harmed by the turnover in leadership.
“We’ll be fine,” he said. “This is a very good school. Chairs come and go, and no one’s indispensable. I think this is more of a coincidence or confluence.”
Staff writer Terry Rombeck can be reached at 832-7145.
Department chairmen at Kansas University often get caught in the uncomfortable middle between upper administration and faculty members.
That’s why it’s sometimes hard to find people to fill the positions. Just ask Angela Lumpkin, dean of the School of Education, who a year into her tenure is faced with replacing all four of her school’s department chairmen by this summer.
“It’s a tough job,” Lumpkin said. “Being a department chair may be the toughest job in higher education. They’re faculty, and they’re an administrator. It’s an in-between stage.”
The four School of Education department chairmen leaving their positions are:
l Phil McKnight, teaching and leadership, who has served three years. McKnight recently announced his resignation.
l Thomas Skrtic, special education, who is completing a three-year term.
l Thomas Krieshok, psychology and research in education, who is completing a three-year term.
l Wayne Osness, health, sport and exercise science, who is serving a one-year interim term. He previously served as department chairman from 1972 to 1997.
All except Osness, who is retiring, plan to stay at KU as faculty members.
Lumpkin said the turnover amounted to bad timing.
“Sometimes circumstances happen,” Lumpkin said.
Lumpkin said searches are under way to fill the positions by July 1. She and other KU officials said finding people to fill department chairman positions can be a challenge.
Department chairmen are responsible for budgets, faculty management and curriculum. Their teaching load is reduced, and they typically make more money than professors, though there’s no universitywide policy.
Sandra Gautt, assistant provost, said finding the right person to be department chairman often comes down to “a timing issue.”
“I think a fundamental issue is where people are in their careers,” she said. “If you’re in the middle of a major manuscript, you might say, ‘Yes, down the road I’m interested, but not now.’ Or if you just got two huge grants funded.”
Gautt said the decision to hire a chairman from within the department or conduct a national search is a school-by-school decision. Three of the School of Education’s searches are national searches. Only the special education search is a departmental search.
“Often the department will see it as an opportunity to bring in another faculty member with their expertise,” Gautt said.
McKnight said the new chairman is just one of the changes planned for the teaching and leadership department.
The incoming leader will oversee a new curriculum being introduced this fall. The curriculum, which will be approved by faculty in April, will include a new emphasis in special education courses.
But McKnight said he’s confident the department and the School of Education won’t be harmed by the turnover in leadership.
“We’ll be fine,” he said. “This is a very good school. Chairs come and go, and no one’s indispensable. I think this is more of a coincidence or confluence.”
Staff writer Terry Rombeck can be reached at 832-7145.
Department chairmen at Kansas University often get caught in the uncomfortable middle between upper administration and faculty members.
That’s why it’s sometimes hard to find people to fill the positions. Just ask Angela Lumpkin, dean of the School of Education, who a year into her tenure is faced with replacing all four of her school’s department chairmen by this summer.
“It’s a tough job,” Lumpkin said. “Being a department chair may be the toughest job in higher education. They’re faculty, and they’re an administrator. It’s an in-between stage.”
The four School of Education department chairmen leaving their positions are:
l Phil McKnight, teaching and leadership, who has served three years. McKnight recently announced his resignation.
l Thomas Skrtic, special education, who is completing a three-year term.
l Thomas Krieshok, psychology and research in education, who is completing a three-year term.
l Wayne Osness, health, sport and exercise science, who is serving a one-year interim term. He previously served as department chairman from 1972 to 1997.
All except Osness, who is retiring, plan to stay at KU as faculty members.
Lumpkin said the turnover amounted to bad timing.
“Sometimes circumstances happen,” Lumpkin said.
Lumpkin said searches are under way to fill the positions by July 1. She and other KU officials said finding people to fill department chairman positions can be a challenge.
Department chairmen are responsible for budgets, faculty management and curriculum. Their teaching load is reduced, and they typically make more money than professors, though there’s no universitywide policy.
Sandra Gautt, assistant provost, said finding the right person to be department chairman often comes down to “a timing issue.”
“I think a fundamental issue is where people are in their careers,” she said. “If you’re in the middle of a major manuscript, you might say, ‘Yes, down the road I’m interested, but not now.’ Or if you just got two huge grants funded.”
Gautt said the decision to hire a chairman from within the department or conduct a national search is a school-by-school decision. Three of the School of Education’s searches are national searches. Only the special education search is a departmental search.
“Often the department will see it as an opportunity to bring in another faculty member with their expertise,” Gautt said.
McKnight said the new chairman is just one of the changes planned for the teaching and leadership department.
The incoming leader will oversee a new curriculum being introduced this fall. The curriculum, which will be approved by faculty in April, will include a new emphasis in special education courses.
But McKnight said he’s confident the department and the School of Education won’t be harmed by the turnover in leadership.
“We’ll be fine,” he said. “This is a very good school. Chairs come and go, and no one’s indispensable. I think this is more of a coincidence or confluence.”
Staff writer Terry Rombeck can be reached at 832-7145.
