This work provides a set of tools and resources for identifying and testing one’s authentic values and for applying them to solve ethical dilemmas in academia. With such characters as Dean Vader, Provost Monty Burns, and President Grit inhabiting Buller’s fictional academe, it is difficult not to find this work entertaining as well as useful.

The Department Chair

In our current academic environment driven by endless goal setting, performance targets, and metrics, it is easy to lose sight of our missions and lose touch with ourselves as leaders. This refreshing look at our own core values and how we can use them to guide our decision-making and lead more effectively is a required read for leaders in higher education, from department chairs to presidents.

S. Gregory Tolley, Chair of Marine and Ecological Sciences, Florida Gulf Coast University

Authentic Academic Leadership comes at an important time for leaders in higher education. Jeffrey Buller draws on relevant theories, concepts, and examples that will help many aspiring and current leaders think deeply about their reasons for pursuing academic leadership.

Ralph A. Gigliotti, Assistant Director for Leadership Programs, Rutgers University and co-author of A Guide for Leaders in Higher Education: Core Concepts, Competencies, and Tools

I have always found Jeff’s books easy to read and full of information that is immediately applicable to my work and my scholarship. Jeff provides a good blend of theoretical and practical information, and this book is no exception. My perception is that more and more conversations about values are taking place in universities and colleges; if this is indeed the case, this book is most timely and will be a valuable resources for anyone interested in leadership in higher education!

Kelly McInnes, Chief Leadership Development Officer, University of Saskatchewan