At none of the three has the compensation seemed like any kind of incentive. Sure, my current 1-1 sounds good, but my colleagues teach 2-2. So the institution seems to think that being dept head is like teaching one course per semester. Not realistic.

I've been department head at three different institutions. I've had

SLAC: Tiny stipend, 3-3 load, no summer pay. (Dept of six)
R2: Modest stipend, 2-2 load, half-time summer pay (Dept of 24)
R1: No stipend, 1-1 load, full-time summer pay (Dept of 21 with PhD program).

1/2

I was hired in to my institution as department head. I negotiated a (12-month) salary.

If I am "beheaded" and sent back to faculty, is my salary reduced by 25% to make it a 9-month salary? No, it is whatever the dean says it is.

I think that's the accountants' devilry, not necessarily a problem with academia. But I could be wrong.