From professor to dean: Career transitions of arts and sciences deans in the research university

Academic deans begin their professional careers as faculty members and are not trained as professional administrators. Despite the central role arts and sciences deans play within our colleges and universities, we know little about the nature of this form of professional advancement or its impact on university and college governance and leadership. To close this gap in the literature, I conducted a study of ten arts and sciences deans in research universities to answer the question: Are there discernible transitions and role adjustments that deans of arts and sciences in research universities undergo as their careers evolve from faculty to administrative status?;The principal method of data collection in this study was the in-depth interview. Findings suggest that deans perceived the move as requiring radical shifts in their expectations about academic leadership and their professional identities as scholars and teachers. Deans were more or less satisfied with their roles and committed to administrative work depending on the extent to which they were ready for such changes and made adaptations in these critical areas.;The study points to a model for explaining the dynamics involved in the changes and adjustments deans underwent as they moved into and developed their roles. This model supports but also amplifies earlier less nuanced, more autobiographical studies on deans of arts and sciences as well as the broader more theoretical literature on career transitions. The study also makes recommendations to improve the recruitment, selection, and training of deans of arts and sciences in research universities.