KEVIN J. BAZNER, PH.D.
WHAT WE’RE MISSING WHEN TALKING ABOUT MIDDLE MANAGERS
It’s true being a manager is hard; however, being a middle manager might be harder if for no other reason than we do not often discuss the experiences of middle managers in student affairs. Despite being the largest classification of any staff member, the role and experiences of middle managers are largely ignored. A reason for this is middle managers, across multiple industries, often shoulder the brunt of implementing strategy and policy, yet they have little power attached to the position … aka “not enough sway to make it go my way.” This has caused researchers and professional associations to ignore the potential of middle managers. Another reason is flat out confusion about who exactly is a middle manager. The experiences of being in the “middle” often signals transition or passage onto something different, bigger, or new. Middle managers in higher education have largely been typecast as a position one holds on the way to senior leadership, a temporary placement on the way to something bigger; “I will hold this position for a few years until I find a dean of students or vice president position.” However, that is the exception to the norm. Middle managers in student affairs comprise the largest administrative grouping and typically have the longest tenure out of their colleagues, yet professional development opportunities are either non-existent or relegated to a special “institute” or addon workshop. Overall, I argue middle managers need greater attention in higher education research and within association professional development. Particular attention must also be directed to understanding experiences of minoritized middle managers who challenge dominant norms of leadership simply by occupying their roles but continue to face marginalization. First, let’s talk about why being a “middle” anything is hard.
