LEADERS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING: A PROFILE OF CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS IN 2‐YEAR COLLEGES

Abstract

A survey of chief academic officers (CAOs) of 1,243 public and private community, junior, and technical colleges in the United States was conducted in 1991. The background data on these respondents are reported in this paper. A profile of the CAOs shows them to be middle‐aged white men. Doctorates were held by 69% and the majority had taught in traditional transfer fields. Most have published or presented a paper in the last 5 years. Women and minorities published/presented slightly more than white male respondents. More than a third of the publications were in the CAOs’ teaching field; the remainder were on issues including faculty development, curriculum, leadership, and planning. The modest extent of diversity in race, age, and gender suggests that community colleges need to explore alternative ways of addressing diversity in student bodies, when that exists, and diversity in the complex American society. Finally, the study indicates that demographic data alone are insufficient for understanding chief academic officers and their role and effectiveness in community colleges. Their unique leadership role in the teaching and learning mission of 2‐year colleges demands more study.