Prepare to Chair

Leading the thesis or dissertation process can be a challenging and rewarding experience. However, serving as a doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis Chair is often a role assumed with very little faculty development and a lot of guesswork. Many new (and yes, even experienced) Chairs rely on the secondhand advice of seasoned faculty or on their own lived experiences as graduate students (both good and bad). This can lead to confusion, frustration, and contentious relationships. Without a chairperson who is invested and who has a clear set of best practices, both the Chair and the student are left guessing as to the best course to proceed This book provides a clear set of best practices for the dissertation or thesis chairperson by providing hands-on tools, real-life illustrations, and practical advice for any faculty member guiding and coaching the student through the thesis or dissertation process.

Novice doctoral faculty members are often expected to chair dissertations with their experience as a doctoral student as their only knowledge of the process and its demands. It is an untenable position in which to place a new faculty colleague; one I know from my personal experience some twenty years ago. Drs. Oltman, Surface, and Keiser have performed a great service to the community of doctoral faculty, both novice and experienced, by writing this book and documenting the many, many factors that contribute to a positive or painful dissertation experience for both the chair and the student. It is rich in guidance from the early consideration a faculty member must give to the task of chairing a committee to the science and art of guiding both the student and dissertation committee toward a successful outcome. I will be reading it to refresh my outlook and function as a dissertation chair and will use it to assist in mentoring new doctoral faculty in the important work of the dissertation chair., Oltman, Surface, and Keiser have produced an invaluable guide to successfully serving as a dissertation or thesis chair. Young academics from a wide range of disciplines could profit from this book, as instruction for chairing dissertations is often an overlooked part of a typical induction into the profession. Even scholars who have been around the block could improve their work with graduate students by spending a few hours with this trio of scholars., While there is considerable information and guidance addressing the many research, teaching, and service duties and responsibilities of the contemporary faculty member, there is a noticeable absence of information involving a critical mentoring relationship in the doctoral education process, namely the role of today's faculty member as the designated chair of a student's doctoral dissertation. Recent research reveals that a doctoral student's selection of a faculty member to chair their dissertation is one of the most critical decisions a student can make in their doctoral education experience. In this book, the author(s) skillfully adopt a case study approach to illustrate both the complexity and importance of the doctoral dissertation chairing process and the faculty member's responsibilities as chair. Moreover, the author(s) provide invaluable considerations for faculty members when deciding whether or not to chair a student's dissertation. This book clearly addresses a current gap in the higher education literature involving the faculty's role in doctoral education and should be required reading for all faculty affiliated with doctoral degree granting programs.

Gretchen Oltman is an assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She is an attorney, educator, and author.Kay Keiser is an associate professor of educational leadership and serves as chair of the educational leadership department at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Jeanne L. Surface is an associate professor of educational leadership at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She is a former K-12 superintendent.