First Among Equals: The Role of the Chief Academic Officer - Softcover

James Martin is vice president for academic affairs at Mount Ida College. James E. Samels is president of The Samels Group Higher Education Consultants and founder of Samels Associates, a law firm specializing in higher education law. Together they write a regular column on higher education issues for the Boston Business Journal.

"A very good book, perhaps the best of... similar books of the past decade... First Among Equals is excellent at exposing a persistent and growing dilemma for chief academic officers. These officers are usually selected―after careful scrutiny and many interviews―because of their record of scholarship, good teaching, and devotion to the life of the mind. Once in office, however, they quickly find they must submerge their delight in intellectual matters to deal with a mountain of paperwork and e-mail messages, campus controversies, personnel fights, investments in technology, multicultural issues, and financial overruns... The book is therefore quite right in advocating that academic leaders should muster their courage and make 'choices that demonstrate educational leadership and managerial vision.'... Valuable because of its emphasis on the emerging and enlarging role of the academic vice president."

"Addresses changes in the role of the chief academic officer and today's best practices in faculty leadership, strategic planning, curriculum development, technology use in the classroom, and governance... A practical resource for deans, presidents, trustees, and chief academic officers."