Chairs and Directors

Department Chairs | Program Directors | Admin Activity Calendar | Manual | Program Review

Role and Responsibilities

The chair is the chief academic and administrative officer of the department and reports to the Dean of the College. The chair leads the department in:

• promoting excellence in teaching, research and service
• developing a vision that supports the particular goals of the unit and the broader goals of the College and the University
• managing faculty matters, including faculty development, recruitment and evaluation
• working with the College Office on promotion and tenure, salary increases, leaves of absence (regular, junior & special), space planning, facilities and equipment management, etc.
• providing a key communication link between the College administration and departmental faculty
• coordinating an effective curriculum, including the scheduling of courses
• monitoring student affairs, including undergraduate advising and graduate training
• managing the budget, overseeing expenditures, maintaining accurate records and ensuring sound fiscal policies and procedures
• directing operations as well as short term and long term planning
• managing departmental staff, including development and performance evaluation
• generating reports, including the annual report and data requests
• building strong relationships with other campus units and leaders
• representing the interests of the department to audiences both inside and outside the university.

Chairs are appointed by the Dean of the College, in consultation with faculty members of the respective departments, and serve a three year term, which may be renewed once given agreement of both the dean and the chair. Chairs teach not less than half a regular faculty teaching load for the year and receive a 1/9 salary supplement.

Revised August 17, 2006