Position Guidelines
Department Chairs provide leadership to their departments and are part of the administrative team working with the deans, Provost, and President to shape the future of the university. Together, each chair and dean articulate the specific duties and outcomes that each individual is evaluated upon, including the degree to which faculty responsibilities such as teaching and scholarly activity are expected.
The following are tasks that chairs are typically expected to accomplish either themselves or by delegating.
Leadership, Governance and Administration
- Participate on the Dean’s administrative team to accomplish the goals of the college
- Ensure an inclusive and diverse work environment in which all faculty, staff and students are able to safely and effectively work and learn
- Convene and lead meetings of the department faculty and staff and coordinate the work of departmental committees
- Lead planning processes to identify short-and long-term strategic goals
- Implement university, college and department policies, procedures and initiatives
- Manage university and college reporting requirements
- Approve administrative transactions requiring department-level approval
- Develop departmental memorandums of understanding, contracts, and other agreements
Curriculum and Program Development
- Maintain and implement program assessment plans
- Coordinate periodic program review and/or specialized accreditation processes
- Provide leadership for the development and implementation of new programs
- Manage enrollment based on retention, graduation, class size, course availability and other pertinent data
- Determine schedule of courses to be offered and assign instructors
- Oversee curriculum review, development, and change processes
Faculty and Staff Management
- Coordinate recruitment of faculty and staff
- Mentor faculty and staff and support professional development
- Coordinate promotion and tenure processes and provide guidance related to promotion and tenure requirements for pre-tenure faculty
- Supervise, manage performance, conduct annual evaluation, and recommend salary increases for department faculty and staff
- Apply faculty workload policies and negotiate individual workloads
- Incorporate temporary faculty and staff (e.g. adjunct faculty, visiting faculty and professionals) into the life of the department
- Resolve faculty and staff conflicts/grievances/complaints
Financial and Facility Management
- Assume responsibility for and management of departmental fiscal resources from all sources
- Advocate for and seek support for necessary resources in a timely manner as part of the university budget process and as needs arise
- Develop annual budget plans and allocate/reallocate funds to support departmental goals
- Coordinate the purchase, usage and maintenance of assigned facilities and equipment
Student Relations
- Approve/disapprove student requests that require chair’s signature (e.g. academic adjustments, independent studies)
- Provide academic advising services
- Foster the development of undergraduate and graduate research and student organizations
- Facilitate resolution of student conflicts/grievances/complaints
Communication, Advocacy, and External Relations
- Serve as the official channel of communication for all matters affecting the department among the department and the President, Provost, Dean, and other University officials or departments.
- Market department’s programs to prospective students and the community
- Participate where appropriate in fundraising efforts with deans and development officers
- Foster relationships with alumni and external constituents through such means as advisory committees, newsletters, surveys and community partnerships
- Approve content of all departmental information included in the catalog and other University publications and provide information as requested