The Role of the Business Dean in Comprehensive Community Colleges in Alberta
Date
2021-06-14
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Abstract
The purpose of this case study was to explore the role of the dean of business in Comprehensive Community Colleges (CCCs) in Alberta. While there is an abundance of literature on the dean’s role in large, research-based institutions and a modest body of literature on the role in the college context, there appears to be a dearth of literature on the Alberta CCC business dean role. Within the available literature, the responsibilities and expectations for the decanal position remain unclear. The main research question was, “Is there clarity in the purpose of the role, tasks, and how the Dean of Business is assessed across the system in the province?” Perspectives on the role were examined through two different lenses, Vice Presidents, Academic (VPAs) and business deans working in an Alberta CCC at the time of the study. Participants responded to questions via two electronic questionnaires. Six deans and six VPAs participated in this study. This study found the following:
• the dean’s ability to build trusting relationships is key to success;
• the clarity of the term entrepreneurship, as it pertains to the decanal role, would reduce ambiguity of role;
• deans do not always have portfolios entirely within their area of expertise;
• further clarification of the dean’s role for stakeholders would support the dean’s success;
• further clarity is required around decanal assessment; and
• a common set of assessment criteria would be beneficial for deans and aspiring deans.
A conclusion that can be drawn is that while currently there is a significant ambiguity surrounding the role of the Dean of Business in the Alberta CCC, there are processes and procedures that could be initiated in each of the diverse community colleges across Alberta to clarify the dean’s portfolio and establish performance criteria surrounding the role of the Dean of Business in the Alberta CCC.
Keywords: comprehensive community college, regional stewardship, higher education
Description
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Dean, Community College, Alberta, Higher Education
Citation
Mitchell, G. F. D. (2021). The Role of the Business Dean in Comprehensive Community Colleges in Alberta (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.