Department Chair Survey Results

Fall 1992 Cal Poly Pomona Department Chair Survey
Survey Results

(Note: The information below was gathered and used by the Council of Chairs in 1992-93. The survey results remain valuable for assessment and use by many on campus. I present them here for historical purposes and suggest that it may be time to readminister the survey with updated areas of concern.)

During Fall 1992, the Operations Committee of the Council of Chairs developed and administered a survey instrument to find our which issues were of primary concern to department chairs. The Operations Committee identified 79 areas of concern for the survey. The survey results would be used to decide on topics for workshops, retreats, guest speakers, etc. Thirty-four of 44 chairs responded and the results were tabulated by college and other demographic variables. Preliminary analysis did not seem to indicate any biases by college. The results were then ranked using a weighting method to create an "Interest Index" and then sorted. The table below shows the results ranked by index from highest to lowest. Other interesting demographic survey results were: (1) 50% of chairs who responded had less than two years of chair experience; (2) Average chair life was under three years; and, (3) An estimated 60% of campus facilities (labs, classrooms, agriculture facilities, theaters, etc.) are under the direct supervision of department chairs.

After presentation of the findings to the Council of Chairs, several workshops were planned and conducted. Two workshops were conducted on "Dealing with Faculty" and "Dealing with Difficult People". One workshop was conducted on "Fundraising For Discretionary Accounts".
No. Area of Concern, Operation or Function of Department Chair or Office No
interest
(0) Mild
interest
(1) Moderate interest
(3) Strong interest
(9) Index

36 Dealing with difficult faculty members 1 3 10 20 6.26

23 Fundraising for discretionary account 2 4 9 19 5.94

50 Recruiting quality (prepared) students 2 4 9 18 5.85

41 Improving performance in the classroom 1 3 12 17 5.82

8 Delegating effectively 1 5 11 16 5.52

70 Security of property in offices and labs 2 6 8 16 5.44

49 Recruiting students 2 5 9 15 5.39

52 Student retention 2 3 13 15 5.36

22 Budgeting and control 2 7 8 16 5.30

46 Motivating faculty 0 5 14 14 5.24

27 Chair liability 0 4 16 14 5.24

64 Laboratory equipment 5 4 7 15 5.16

55 Graduating students in a reasonable period of time 0 8 10 14 5.13

37 Faculty professional development 1 3 16 13 5.09

51 Recruiting underrepresented students 2 7 10 15 5.06

63 Laboratory space 5 4 8 14 4.97

33 Understanding policies and procedures in Admissions and Records that affect your department 1 5 15 13 4.91

6 Meeting/committee effectiveness 2 4 13 12 4.87

35 Understanding policies and procedures from union contracts that affect your department 1 8 12 13 4.74

65 Laboratory supplies 6 4 8 13 4.68

53 Advising students within the department 1 6 15 11 4.55

77 Records/Evaluations policies and procedures 1 8 13 11 4.42

48t AVERAGE FOR FACULTY (AND STAFF) RELATED ISSUES 21 89 182 142 4.41

47 Team building 1 6 15 10 4.41

67 Opportunities for sharing resources with other departments 0 5 19 9 4.33

31 Curriculum development 1 8 12 10 4.32

42 Handling student grievances and complaints about faculty 1 7 15 10 4.30

44 Use of assigned time for faculty 1 7 15 10 4.30

21 Scheduling classes 2 9 12 11 4.24

69 Safety of individuals (rape, robbery, etc.) 2 7 14 10 4.21

62 Admissions policies and procedures 1 10 10 10 4.19

28t AVERAGE FOR ISSUES RELATED TO CHAIR POSITION 4 18 52 28 4.18

62t AVERAGE FOR STUDENT RELATED ISSUES 23 131 158 140 4.13

34 Understanding policies and procedures in Business Operations that affect your department 1 12 11 11 4.11

40 Research facilities for faculty 1 6 19 9 4.11

72t AVERAGE FOR FACILITIES RELATED ISSUES 40 65 114 99 4.08

39 Managing and supporting research 1 9 14 9 4.00

45 Faculty workload 0 11 14 9 3.94

26 Chair authority, term limits, review, and related issues 2 5 20 8 3.91

43 Searching/Replacing faculty 3 7 17 9 3.86

59 Tracking student progress 1 7 16 7 3.81

12 Keeping up with reading 2 11 11 9 3.79

35t AVERAGE FOR ISSUES RELATED TO POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 18 76 76 65 3.78

79t GRAND AVERAGE 248 713 935 668 3.72

15 Keeping people informed 2 10 12 8 3.69

38 RTP process (policies and procedures) 2 13 9 9 3.67

74 Library holdings 0 11 16 7 3.59

71 Building maintenance 2 10 12 7 3.52

5 Number of meetings/committees 4 9 14 8 3.51

30 Curriculum interaction with other colleges on campus 2 13 11 8 3.47

73 Library facilities 3 6 18 6 3.45

57 Senior projects/student projects 2 12 11 7 3.38

28 Consultation with Dean's Office/knowledge of Dean's office operations 2 9 16 6 3.36

11 Supervising staff 2 12 12 7 3.36

68 Safety (of facilities) 5 8 12 7 3.34

60 Discrimination 2 13 10 7 3.31

61 Sexual harassment 2 14 10 7 3.24

13 Handling requests from outside the department, college, or university 4 8 15 6 3.24

56 Student study habits/attitudes 1 13 12 6 3.22

54 Financial assistance for students 1 16 9 7 3.21

32 Receiving or maintaining accreditation 7 13 4 9 3.21

78t AVERAGE FOR OTHER CAMPUS SERVICES 12 66 84 34 3.18

20 Processing General Academic Petitions 5 12 9 7 3.09

25t AVERAGE FOR TIME MANAGEMENT RELATED ISSUES 130 268 269 160 3.04

1 Time management (in general) 3 10 15 5 3.03

66 Use of facilities for meetings or activities 8 8 10 6 2.88

9 Meeting deadlines 4 12 12 5 2.82

78 Foundation Services 4 11 12 4 2.68

14 Department meetings (frequency, agenda, etc) 5 8 18 3 2.62

75 Library policies and procedures 3 13 13 3 2.47

18 Sorting/filing systems 8 12 8 5 2.45

76 Relationships with Continuing Education 1 17 12 3 2.42

10 Effective written communications 6 13 10 4 2.39

7 Time involved with meeting agendas and meeting minutes 6 13 10 4 2.39

72 Custodial service 5 9 16 2 2.34

16 Handling interruptions 6 11 13 3 2.33

48 Replacing staff personnel 8 9 12 3 2.25

24 Handling computer files that grow endlessly 7 12 12 2 2.00

58 Student-run organizations 4 13 14 1 2.00

19 Managing a calendar 6 13 11 2 2.00

3 Replying to mail 7 19 6 3 1.83

17 Using the telephone effectively 5 18 7 2 1.78

29 Articulation process 5 17 11 1 1.74

4 Travel & trip reports 14 13 5 2 1.35

25 What to do with magazines, journals, and newspapers 10 12 10 0 1.31

2 Processing/routing mail 15 11 6 1 1.15

1/25/93 PRR
Chair survey results: times since April 27, 1998

No.	Area of Concern, Operation or Function of Department Chair or Office	No interest (0)	Mild interest (1)	Moderate interest (3)	Strong interest (9)	Index
36	Dealing with difficult faculty members	1	3	10	20	6.26
23	Fundraising for discretionary account	2	4	9	19	5.94
50	Recruiting quality (prepared) students	2	4	9	18	5.85
41	Improving performance in the classroom	1	3	12	17	5.82
8	Delegating effectively	1	5	11	16	5.52
70	Security of property in offices and labs	2	6	8	16	5.44
49	Recruiting students	2	5	9	15	5.39
52	Student retention	2	3	13	15	5.36
22	Budgeting and control	2	7	8	16	5.30
46	Motivating faculty	0	5	14	14	5.24
27	Chair liability	0	4	16	14	5.24
64	Laboratory equipment	5	4	7	15	5.16
55	Graduating students in a reasonable period of time	0	8	10	14	5.13
37	Faculty professional development	1	3	16	13	5.09
51	Recruiting underrepresented students	2	7	10	15	5.06
63	Laboratory space	5	4	8	14	4.97
33	Understanding policies and procedures in Admissions and Records that affect your department	1	5	15	13	4.91
6	Meeting/committee effectiveness	2	4	13	12	4.87
35	Understanding policies and procedures from union contracts that affect your department	1	8	12	13	4.74
65	Laboratory supplies	6	4	8	13	4.68
53	Advising students within the department	1	6	15	11	4.55
77	Records/Evaluations policies and procedures	1	8	13	11	4.42
48t	AVERAGE FOR FACULTY (AND STAFF) RELATED ISSUES	21	89	182	142	4.41
47	Team building	1	6	15	10	4.41
67	Opportunities for sharing resources with other departments	0	5	19	9	4.33
31	Curriculum development	1	8	12	10	4.32
42	Handling student grievances and complaints about faculty	1	7	15	10	4.30
44	Use of assigned time for faculty	1	7	15	10	4.30
21	Scheduling classes	2	9	12	11	4.24
69	Safety of individuals (rape, robbery, etc.)	2	7	14	10	4.21
62	Admissions policies and procedures	1	10	10	10	4.19
28t	AVERAGE FOR ISSUES RELATED TO CHAIR POSITION	4	18	52	28	4.18
62t	AVERAGE FOR STUDENT RELATED ISSUES	23	131	158	140	4.13
34	Understanding policies and procedures in Business Operations that affect your department	1	12	11	11	4.11
40	Research facilities for faculty	1	6	19	9	4.11
72t	AVERAGE FOR FACILITIES RELATED ISSUES	40	65	114	99	4.08
39	Managing and supporting research	1	9	14	9	4.00
45	Faculty workload	0	11	14	9	3.94
26	Chair authority, term limits, review, and related issues	2	5	20	8	3.91
43	Searching/Replacing faculty	3	7	17	9	3.86
59	Tracking student progress	1	7	16	7	3.81
12	Keeping up with reading	2	11	11	9	3.79
35t	AVERAGE FOR ISSUES RELATED TO POLICIES AND PROCEDURES	18	76	76	65	3.78
79t	GRAND AVERAGE	248	713	935	668	3.72
15	Keeping people informed	2	10	12	8	3.69
38	RTP process (policies and procedures)	2	13	9	9	3.67
74	Library holdings	0	11	16	7	3.59
71	Building maintenance	2	10	12	7	3.52
5	Number of meetings/committees	4	9	14	8	3.51
30	Curriculum interaction with other colleges on campus	2	13	11	8	3.47
73	Library facilities	3	6	18	6	3.45
57	Senior projects/student projects	2	12	11	7	3.38
28	Consultation with Dean's Office/knowledge of Dean's office operations	2	9	16	6	3.36
11	Supervising staff	2	12	12	7	3.36
68	Safety (of facilities)	5	8	12	7	3.34
60	Discrimination	2	13	10	7	3.31
61	Sexual harassment	2	14	10	7	3.24
13	Handling requests from outside the department, college, or university	4	8	15	6	3.24
56	Student study habits/attitudes	1	13	12	6	3.22
54	Financial assistance for students	1	16	9	7	3.21
32	Receiving or maintaining accreditation	7	13	4	9	3.21
78t	AVERAGE FOR OTHER CAMPUS SERVICES	12	66	84	34	3.18
20	Processing General Academic Petitions	5	12	9	7	3.09
25t	AVERAGE FOR TIME MANAGEMENT RELATED ISSUES	130	268	269	160	3.04
1	Time management (in general)	3	10	15	5	3.03
66	Use of facilities for meetings or activities	8	8	10	6	2.88
9	Meeting deadlines	4	12	12	5	2.82
78	Foundation Services	4	11	12	4	2.68
14	Department meetings (frequency, agenda, etc)	5	8	18	3	2.62
75	Library policies and procedures	3	13	13	3	2.47
18	Sorting/filing systems	8	12	8	5	2.45
76	Relationships with Continuing Education	1	17	12	3	2.42
10	Effective written communications	6	13	10	4	2.39
7	Time involved with meeting agendas and meeting minutes	6	13	10	4	2.39
72	Custodial service	5	9	16	2	2.34
16	Handling interruptions	6	11	13	3	2.33
48	Replacing staff personnel	8	9	12	3	2.25
24	Handling computer files that grow endlessly	7	12	12	2	2.00
58	Student-run organizations	4	13	14	1	2.00
19	Managing a calendar	6	13	11	2	2.00
3	Replying to mail	7	19	6	3	1.83
17	Using the telephone effectively	5	18	7	2	1.78
29	Articulation process	5	17	11	1	1.74
4	Travel & trip reports	14	13	5	2	1.35
25	What to do with magazines, journals, and newspapers	10	12	10	0	1.31
2	Processing/routing mail	15	11	6	1	1.15