roles and responsibilities of the Associate in Science Degree department chair

The changing roles and responsibilities of the Associate in Science Degree department chair (ASDDC), influencers of change, and need for training were examined at two Florida community colleges using a modified Delphi research methodology in three rounds. One hundred-twenty-three roles and responsibilities of the Associate in Science Degree department chair identified in Round One interviews of 20 Workforce Associate in Science Degree department chairs were utilized to construct a questionnaire implemented in Round Two and Round Three of the Delphi study. The ASDDCs interviewed in Round One, serving as the expert panel in Two and Three, were asked, "How are the listed roles and responsibilities changing?" Sixty-seven, or 63.21 percent of the identified list of roles and responsibilities of the ASDDC reached consensus of change. Fifteen, or 14.50 percent of the roles and responsibilities were identified as "changing rapidly" or "change is tremendous." Nine categories of responsibilities emerged from the identified 123 roles and responsibilities of the ASDDC. Ranked highest to lowest in consensus of change were: Technology, programs, community college, students, professions, hiring/supervising, leadership, clerical and last, training. Statistical significance was found between the subgroups of "high tech" ASDDCs and "high touch" ASDDCs in three categories: program, community college, and hiring/supervising. Themes emerging from the study indicated the Associate in Science Degree department chairs are fulfilling Gmelch and Miskin's earlier identified department chair roles of manager, leader, and scholar with the faculty developer role just emerging; the future holds time-consuming clerical work; the chairs are proud of their technology and physical working space; community colleges are changing; Associate in Science Degree department chairs see themselves as leaders in their professions by teaching and developing curriculum, and ambiguity and lack of clarity exits in the roles and responsibilities of the Associate in Science Degree department chair which echoes Dymmel's earlier findings in North Carolina community colleges. Recommendations resulting from the study include: Restructuring the position of Associate in Science Degree department chair, examining the ambiguity of the position, and creating partnerships to provide training for the position.