Characters of a dean of the autonomous University.

Opinion about the appropriate characters of a dean of the autonomous university, regarding the academic level, administrative ability and method of selection was elicited in a survey among selected academic staff of Mahidol University during June 15-30, 1998. A questionnaire was designed and distributed to all administrators (n=302) of the University and to a random sample of 471 from 2,360 academic staff who did not have administrative position. A total response rate of 46.1 percent was achieved. Sixty-two percent of the responders were administrators and 80 percent of them were older than 40 years of age. Our study revealed that no sexual preference for a dean in 93.6 percent. The dean should be at least 40 years old (61%) but the one who retired, were not suitable (54%). Seventy-seven percent agreed that the dean’s profession should be the same kind as of officials of that faculty and a talent outsider is still unacceptable (58%). Previous experience in university administrative ability before being chosen. Sixty-five percent preferred to have equal ability in administration and academic achievement though 31 percent preferred the former to the latter. Academic level of associate preferable or higher with master degree or higher of relevant profession to the Faculty is preferred in 63 and 85 percents respectively. Publication in a peer reviewed international journal is required in 59 percent with emphasis on citation in international journal in 47 percents. Election by faculty staff is preferable to selection by a search committee and the selected candidate must be accepted by more than 50 percent of the faculty staff. All members of the search committee should have good reputation and accountability. The opinion about the academic level of the dean by administrators who had academic level of lecturer and assistant professor was different from other groups. The former voted the academic rank of the dean to be any ranks from lecturer while the latter preferred associate professor and professor to other lower ranks.