Philippine E-Journals

Bridging faculty and administrators: Collaboration challenges and strategies

Hui-min Kho

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

This study aims to identify potential strategies to help address challenges of collaboration between faculty and administrators in higher education. It explores cultural communication insights and recommendations from interviews with 18 faculty members and 18 administrators at a US public research university. The similar and different perspectives they reflected on the challenges of institutional ideals, administrative outcomes, a sense of connection, and interaction practices suggest four strategies to facilitate collaboration efforts between faculty and administrators: preserve core values, ensure administrative effectiveness, build a community, and enhance communication. In addition to realistic issues and practical strategies, the research further investigates and describes the complexities embedded in everyday interactions between faculty and administrators.