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3.1.3 Department Chairs and School Deans

(Charter)

The chair of an academic department or dean of a school administers that department or school and is responsible to the Chief Academic Officer (CAO).

(Bylaws)

  1. Choice of Chair/Dean

    The nomination of a chair/dean is made by the President and the CAO in consultation with the entire faculty of the department or school and is submitted to the Board of Trustees by the President.

  2. Term of Service

    The term of service for a chair/dean is four years. At the end of that period, the procedure outlined above (Choice of Chair/Dean) is followed. The four-year term of a chair/dean may be shortened upon the recommendation of a majority of the faculty and of the CAO, made through the President to the Board of Trustees.

  3. Duties of the Chair/Dean

    1. The chair/dean is the executive officer of the department or school and is responsible to the CAO. It is the chair's/dean's responsibility to maintain effective group and individual communication with the faculty and staff in all departmental or school matters and to maintain a two-way communication between the administration and his or her faculty and staff. The chair has a special responsibility to ensure that departmental or school concerns are conveyed to University Senate and to communicate Senate actions to the department or school faculty and staff.

    2. In consultation with colleagues, the chair/dean formulates and promotes departmental or school aims, plans course offerings to achieve those aims, recommends to the Curriculum Committee or the Graduate Council, as appropriate, through the CAO, requirements for majors and minors, recommends class scheduling and teaching loads, and evaluates the effectiveness of teaching and testing methods used in realizing the goals of the department or school. The chair/dean is responsible for conducting performance evaluations for all faculty and staff with at least half-time appointments in the department or school (see 3.1.5.4 Responsibilities).

    3. The chair/dean assists the CAO in finding suitable candidates for vacancies in the department or school; in submitting recommendations for advancement in rank, appointment to tenure status, membership in professional associations, and attendance at conventions; and in other ways seeing to the professional needs of the faculty and staff.

    4. The chair/dean coordinates the financial matters of the department or school. After consultation with the faculty and staff, he or she annually submits to the CAO a budget for departmental or school operation, maintenance, improvements, and equipment. The chair/dean approves all requisitions and all requests from the department or school for library books and periodicals. The chair is responsible to the CAO for expenditure of budgeted monies, for approving payment for received goods, and for the proper use and protection of all departmental or school supplies and property.

    5. The chair/dean is responsible for meeting the educational needs of students majoring or minoring in the department or school. In cooperation with the faculty, the chair advises students in their academic programs and their course outlines and recommends their eligibility for graduation on the basis of the satisfactory completion of their academic work.

    6. The chair/dean or designee serves as sponsor to clubs that promote the special interests of the department or school.

    7. The chair/dean advises students in matters of citizenship, professionalism, and employment.