Your Career: How to hold an actually productive meeting

So many meetings are dull, fruitless, or contentious. It doesn't have to be that way. ADVERTISEMENT [Your Career Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. So many meetings are dull, fruitless, or contentious. It doesn’t have to be that way. When it comes to using meetings to get work done, the optimal group size is [no more than seven](. Productivity is not the only reason to keep meetings as small as possible. Research reveals that participant behavior deteriorates as group size increases. Larger groups are more likely to demonstrate counterproductive behaviors such as boastfulness, parasitism, interpersonal aggression, and misuse of resources. So limit the size of your meetings if you want to reduce the likelihood that people will show up late, say hurtful things to colleagues, claim credit for work they did not do, or read email rather than actively participate. You may be wondering how to reconcile that advice with the practical realities of higher ed, where broad representation is expected in almost every setting. There is a solution: Big meetings and small meetings. Use small meetings — such as subcommittees — to get work done. Large gatherings can be less frequent and serve to build collective identity and review small-group progress. Continue reading: “[How to Run a Good Meeting]( by Allison Vaillancourt Share your suggestions for the newsletter with Denise Magner, an editor at The Chronicle, at denise.magner@chronicle.com. If you’d like to opt out, you can log in to our website and [manage your newsletter preferences here](. UPCOMING PROGRAM [The Chronicle's Bootcamp for Future Faculty Leaders] [Join us in September]( for a professional development program tailored to the needs of midcareer faculty. Experienced academic leaders and faculty members will provide insights on the diverse professional paths that might be taken by faculty members in this one-day virtual program. [Register today!]( NEWSLETTER [Sign Up for the Teaching Newsletter]( Find insights to improve teaching and learning across your campus. Delivered on Thursdays. To read this newsletter as soon as it sends, [sign up]( to receive it in your email inbox. LATEST CAREER ADVICE, OPINION, AND NEWS ADVICE [8 Dos and Don’ts of Stepping Away From Administration]( By Lisa Jasinski [STORY IMAGE]( How to manage the surprises and challenges that await you on returning to the faculty. THE WORKPLACE [Vassar Professors Sue Over Gender Pay Gap, Claiming Discrimination Against Women on the Faculty]( By Megan Zahneis [STORY IMAGE]( Female professors at the college have been underpaid for two decades, and the disparity between them and male colleagues has only widened over time, a new lawsuit claims. HIDDEN WARNING SIGNS [Why Do Some Incoming Presidents Get the Bad Financial News Only After Starting Work?]( By Erin Gretzinger [STORY IMAGE]( A lack of candor during the executive-search process threatens the viability of new executives and the colleges that hire them. THE REVIEW | ESSAY [The Political Machine Behind the War on Academic Freedom]( By Steven Brint [STORY IMAGE]( How conservative activists use state legislatures to control what colleges can teach. BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO [Is #AcademicTwitter Over?]( By Zachary Schermele [STORY IMAGE]( The once-popular, ever-controversial website is imploding, critics say. What, if anything, does higher ed stand to lose? 'BELOVED COLLEAGUE AND MENTOR' [Fatal Shooting of Chapel Hill Professor Sends Campus Into Disarray]( By Zachary Schermele [STORY IMAGE]( A professor was shot and killed, allegedly by a graduate student, the police said, bringing waves of panic and grief to the North Carolina flagship. FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [College as a Public Good - The Chronicle Store]( [College as a Public Good]( Many leaders and industry observers say it has been decades since the heat on presidents has been this intense. [Order your copy today]( to explore what today’s presidents are up against, how things are changing, and how to navigate new challenges. What we’re reading Here’s more on career issues and trends from around the web. See something we should include? [Let me know](mailto:denise.magner@chronicle.com?subject=Your Career feedback). - In the Harvard Business Review, [advice]( on how best to answer “10 common job-interview questions.” - On Slate, a faculty member in computer science let ChatGPT take his final exam, with [unexpected results](. - More reading recommendations, this time from Vulture, [a list]( of “24 books we can’t wait to read this fall.” MORE CAREER RESOURCES [Solving the Stranded-Credits Problem]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: September 12, 2023 | 2 p.m. ET: Today, 1.6-million students have credits that can’t be transferred. In this virtual forum, experts will explore how colleges can manage those stranded credits. With Support From Ascendium. [Register here.]( [Politics in the Classroom: Who Decides?]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: September 14, 2023 | 12 noon ET: More states are trying to limit what’s taught in public-college classrooms. Learn how this may affect teaching, academic governance, and campus climate during this free virtual event. [Register here.]( NEWS [How Much Are Private-College Presidents Paid?]( [STORY IMAGE]( Base pay, bonuses and benefits for 307 chief executives at private colleges with expenditures of $100-million or more. DATA [How Much Are Public-College Presidents Paid?]( [STORY IMAGE]( Base pay, bonuses, and benefits for 195 chief executives at public doctoral universities and systems in 2022. JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Search other jobs.]( CAREER RESOURCES [September Article Collection about job search success] [Read this month's collection]( for advice on conducting a successful job search, including tips to navigate multiple searches, improve application materials, and more! NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. 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