Contents
Catalog Links

Department Chairs (in Academic Units with an Academic Dean)

Department Chairs report to the Academic Dean regarding the operation of their academic unit, including scheduling of classes, assigning of instructors, assigning students to advisors, preparing annual budgets, completing recommendations for hiring faculty members in their departments, and participating in peer review committees.

Qualifications and Appointment

The Department Chair shall be a tenured, full-time Faculty member, wherever possible. A non-tenured faculty member who takes on the responsibility of Department Chair may request to stop the tenure clock for a period of one year. Faculty from each school or division recommend to the Dean candidate(s) for the Department Chair position. Selection of candidate(s) occurs by closed ballot with all tenured and tenure-track divisional faculty eligible to vote. The results of the vote, including the vote tally, are reported by the division’s administrative assistant to the Academic Dean prior to the last day of spring semester classes. In the case of a split or divided vote, the Academic Dean shall make the final decision. If for some reason the Academic Dean rejects or does not support the faculty vote, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will be called upon to mediate an acceptable resolution. The Academic Dean appoints the Department Chair to a three-year term. Reappointment is at the discretion of the Academic Dean, after consultation with Division faculty. The term of office begins on July 1.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Department Chair

  1. Assists the Academic Dean by providing leadership for the academic programs in their academic units.
  2. Facilitates the development of the curriculum in the academic unit.
  3. Encourages and contributes to the development of interdisciplinary curricular proposals in consultation with the appropriate Department Chairs and Deans.
  4. Supervises searches for full time faculty positions in the academic unit and makes recommendations for Faculty appointments to the Academic Dean.
  5. Consults with Faculty members in the academic unit, and works with the Academic Dean on the development of the annual operational budget for the academic unit.
  6. Coordinates the evaluation of transcripts, course offerings, scheduling, and registration with the Registrar.
  7. The Department Chair shall consult with the Academic Dean to approve exemptions from or postponements for the fulfillment of academic requirements of the academic unit.
  8. Approves independent study projects in accordance with College guidelines.
  9. Is responsible for the scheduling of all academic unit course offerings, course projections, and all Faculty teaching assignments.
  10. Participates in and staffs the appropriate activities of the Admissions Office for the recruitment of students in all programs of the academic unit.
  11. Supervises work-study students.
  12. Facilitates discussions on teaching.
  13. Recruits, interviews, hires, and supervises adjunct faculty.
  14. Regularly observes and evaluates the work of adjunct and untenured faculty, including review of student evaluations each semester.
  15. Works with faculty throughout tenure, promotion, and sabbatical processes.
  16. Writes letters of support for faculty.
  17. Mentors Faculty members in their teaching duties and development.
  18. Encourages and assists professional development and scholarly activities of all faculty.
  19. Responds and seeks to address faculty concerns as requested by the Dean.
  20. Provides orientation for new division faculty members to clarify the College’s policies and procedures.
  21. Coordinates and insures advisement of departmental majors and minors.
  22. Resolves individual issues related to departmental requirements or offerings.
  23. Processes complaints related to classes or faculty.
  24. Department Chairs shall be eligible to serve on faculty governance committees during their terms as Department Chair.

Department Chair Compensation

The Department Chair is primarily a member of the teaching Faculty. For their service as Department Chair, they will receive a teaching load reduction and/or stipend, depending on the size of the department and the extent of the tasks (student enrollments, majors and minors, full and part-time Faculty, facilities, etc.). The specifics of the teaching load and/or stipend, which is determined by the Academic Dean in consultation with the VPAA, will be made clear prior to appointment. A minimum of one course release per semester will be provided.