Becoming a Department Head at a College or University, is seen as a form of "failing up" (ability to advance in your career, for example: being promoted, finding a better job, despite demonstrating mediocre talent) instead of a great honor, and is passing among the faculty on a rotating basis, after serving a term of several years. The reasons being: bureaucratic procedures that must be observed, paperwork, drafting a budget, as well as dealing with conflicting personalities within the department.
When a college professor is given tenure, they are given a form of job security, where it is very difficult to fire someone, unless they have done something very egregious. They are given the academic freedom, which is necessary for all who teach and conduct research in higher education, even if members of the faculty, executive board, or the student body are at odds with it.
According to Robert's Rules to Order, in order to conduct "new business', the Chair of the Group can make a request, and any member can make a motion, or the group as a whole may adopt an agenda.
In academic circles, it is said that College Professors have egos as large as Hollywood celebrities. Academics do not engage in conflicts over common issues of territory, money or power. It is usually based on reputation, or their standing in the academic community. That in turn is based on their own original research, publication in academic journals, creation of new college level textbooks, or novels, and etc. "Publish or Perish", is a overarching theme in higher education, because publication also raises awareness and standing of the institution which hosts the professor.