June 2003
Volume 16, Number 6
Norm Bregman is provost and vice president for academic affairs at Longwood University. Bregman received a master's in experimental psychology from Stephen F. Austin State University and a PhD in learning and memory from the University of Southern California. He served as department chair at Southeastern Louisiana University for more than 11 years, dean of arts and sciences at Henderson State University, associate provost of academic affairs at Butler University, and vice president for Academic Affairs at the University of Evansville.
How many of you have heard it said that, "The best job in the world is being a tenured professor?" The most fortunate of this privileged class conduct research that excites them. They teach courses of their choosing at times that fit the schedule they desire, and more than likely the students they are teaching are the best in the department since the courses they teach are typically offered only for majors. They work in research institutions and are likely to teach only graduate or senior-level courses with the best and the brightest of students. The majority are paid very well for doing what they love.
Why would anyone who has achieved the status of professor, regardless of the type of institution with which they are affiliated, choose to become an administrator? A good question!
Obviously I can't speak for other chief academic officers, but for me, there are a host of reasons and rewards. The most important reason is that my administrative position has provided me with the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of the institution I serve as well as continue to challenge my personal growth and development. This is the same excitement I feel when I go into the classroom, as I do continue to teach, although not on a regular basis. The major difference is my focus is on institutional rather than departmental challenges, and the constituency I serve is the campus community not just the individual student. The personal satisfaction of seeing the institution I work in evolve and improve is analogous to the feeling of having a student learn in the classroom. Granted, I no longer get the immediate feedback of seeing students' eyes light up when they understand the statistical concept being discussed each semester, but the reward is similar for me in the long run.
One of the advantages of being a psychologist who is in administration is using my training to help form interdisciplinary teams to solve challenges. My knowledge is put to the test almost every day when dealing with conflict issues, and making what I hope is the appropriate attribution for why a faculty or staff member acted in a certain way. I am also acutely aware of being careful to frame an issue correctly and using my expertise to be able to influence appropriate behavior, at least from my point of view. I am also sensitive to how I reinforce behavior of the university community.
For me, the long winding road started when I was a young faculty member and was chosen to be department chair. The oldest faculty member in the department at the time was 34 years old. It was a terrific ride as we accomplished many great things. I also learned that I needed to be challenged and I work best when I am being stimulated to the maximum. Being an administrator provided me with the opportunity to make a difference beyond the classroom and allowed me to feel altruistic by helping others reach their potential. What a great experience it was.
You shouldn't be lulled into thinking administration is all about helping others, being challenged and making good things happen. This is a bumpy road even when you use all the principles you have learned. For me, it provides personal satisfaction. I continue to conduct research, but now the topics are related to higher education administration rather than learning and memory topics or eyewitness testimony. I do miss exploring and interaction with my psychology colleagues at times.
Administration allows me to use my psychology knowledge every day. Am I always effective in employing these skills? I doubt it, but our profession certainly gives us an advantage in tackling everyday challenges if we choose to use that knowledge. The journey has been bumpy at times, and moving from one institution to another as I advanced in my career has not been easy. At times, you get to feel like a nomad.
