I truly believe that university administrators with experience and desire to maintain research activities should do so.
Time is precious, but it can be managed.
The quantity of activity may not be sustained, but the quality can be maintained. I recently completed almost 12 years of service as a graduate dean and associate provost for research and was able to maintain grants and research laboratories. Frequent scheduled laboratory meetings, including luncheon periods, Saturday and Sunday excursions into the laboratory, periods of one or two weeks at the Marine Biological Laboratory library, national and international meetings to present papers, and symposia were the vehicles for my continued research productivity. Frankly, there were clear and substantial benefits, namely, the respect and trust of the faculty. One's colleagues are more cooperative, trusting, and appreciative of an administrator who remains academically active.