THE ROLE OF ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATORS IN A MULTI-CAMPUS POLYTECHNIC SYSTEM

The present study focuses on the role of academic administrators in a multicampus polytechnic system. This was motivated by the numerous problems facing many institutions that run multicampus system, especially in underdeveloped and developing nations (such as Nigeria). These problems rage from difficulties in effective communication between campuses, poor students’ acclimation, poor management of information technology infrastructure, unrealistic harmonization policies across the campuses and problems in transportation management. These issues have continuously discouraged maximum utilization of labour, for optimum output, in most educational institutions concerned. The central management would usually be observed giving attentions to only the main campus, allowing the satellite campuses to suffer undue neglect. This attitude of the central administration will not only subject the life of the satellite campuses towards an unwarranted state of helplessness, but will also diminish job satisfaction amongst the staff in the daughter campuses. It was, therefore, important to identify the standing peculiarities of multicampuses (especially in polytechnic systems), with the view of suggesting possible remedies to the challenges facing the system. However, it was identified that the managers of a multicampus institution, including Academic Administrators, also share in the gains and losses of the institution, as much as the owners of the institution. As a result, they are duty-bound to make all needed efforts to keep the Polytechnic in the track of progress, while expecting the gigantic strides from the government, vis-à-vis real owners of the system.