When you're on the front line of administration, you're in the direct line of questions, situations, and challenges that arise daily. As a community college administrator, you're required to tackle the firestorms that flare up, which may include addressing no-win decisions and effectively dealing with unjustified, as well as justified, criticism. Firsthand practical advice is presented direct from experienced professionals and details the skills and attributes needed to succeed as a community college leader. Drawing from the authors' varied experiences, this helpful guide covers the most pressing topics of concern to community college administrators, including * Making defining career choices * Thriving and surviving in your role * Expertly navigating institutional politics * Taking on roles and responsibilities * Becoming a trustee * Selecting a board * Evaluating a CEO

It's not the "dark side" if you approach it with insight, wit, and compassion. Most new college and university administrators, especially if they come directly from the faculty ranks or from outside academia, receive little if any training. Rather, they try to succeed mostly by stumbling through the (semi-)dark with a combination of their own knowledge and experience as well as on-the-job learning. This can lead to costly (for the administrator and the institution) mistakes as well as professional failures and campus-wide miseries. In An Insider's Guide to University Administration, Daniel Grassian helps those currently in faculty positions or outside academia determine whether a career in college and university administration is right for them—and, if so, how to best position themselves for success. Applying theory to real, practical examples of university administration, Grassian provides both prospective and current administrators with an in-depth critical analysis of areas pertinent to college and university administration, including leadership, management, vision, diversity, ethics, and fund-raising. Drawing on his varied, extensive teaching and administrative career, Grassian leaves readers with a better understanding of what those in college and university administration do and the important practical, political, and ethical issues with which they engage.

How do university finances really work? From flagship public research universities to small, private liberal arts colleges, there are few aspects of these institutions associated with more confusion, myths or lack of understanding than how they fund themselves and function in the business of higher education. Using simple, approachable explanations supported by clear illustrations, this book takes the reader on an engaging and enlightening tour of how the money flows. How does the university really pay for itself? Why do tuition and fees rise so fast? Why do universities lose money on research? Do most donations go to athletics? Grounded in hard data, original analyses, and the practical experience of a seasoned administrator, this book provides refreshingly clear answers and comprehensive insights for anyone on or off campus who is interested in the business of the university: how it earns its money, how it spends it, and how it all works.

This book is about how to survive, thrive, and make a difference as a leader in the political arena that can sometimes be overwhelming. First published in 2000, the book quickly rose to the bestseller list at the American Association of Community College’s bookstore as college administrators, university graduate students and college staff development officers recognized its importance as a learning and mentoring resource for current and future college leaders. The authors share ideas, anecdotes, and vicarious experiences that should help readers take advantage of career opportunities and, if necessary, survive pitfalls that may temporarily set them back. The Third Edition has been updated and expanded to reflect new challenges and new opportunities found on America’s community college campuses.

This book seeks to explore thematic and pragmatic applications of financing the community college to help facilitate educational reform, to assist efforts related to internationalization and to create systemic support systems to maintain the mission.

With this new edition, The Insider's Guide to the Colleges has been, for 41 years, the most relied-upon resource for high school students looking for honest reports on colleges straight from the college students themselves. Having interviewed hundreds of their peers on more than 330 campuses and by getting the inside scoop on everything from the nightlife and professors to the newest dorms and wildest student organizations, the reporters at the Yale Daily News have created the most candid college guide ever. In addition to the in-depth profiles, this edition has been updated to include: * Essential statistics for every school, from acceptance rates to popular majors * A "College Finder" to help students zero in on the perfect school * All-new FYI sections with student opinions and outrageous advice The Insider's Guide to the Colleges cuts through the glossy Web sites and brochures to uncover the things that matter most to students, and by staying on top of trends, it gives both students and their parents the straightforward information they need to choose the school that's right for them.