12.3 Department Chairs

12.3.1 Qualifications
Ordinarily, the chair shall be a tenured person in one of the professional ranks, or a non-tenured faculty member of professorial rank who has completed at least two years of consecutive service in a full-time position at this College.
The chair should have the ability to build confidence in the integrity of the department and to function effectively and objectively in rendering service to the program and to the College.

12.3.2 Term of Office
The term of office shall be four years except in Nursing and in Teacher Education, for which the term of office shall be five years. Chairs are eligible for a second term. Normally, a third consecutive term is possible only after an interim term has been served by another faculty member. When a vacancy occurs, it shall be filled by Provostial appointment after consultation with the members of the department.

12.3.3 Election Procedure
In departments whose members are four or fewer full-time faculty, each faculty shall submit to the Provost/Dean of Faculty a written recommendation for a chair. The Provost/Dean of Faculty shall consider these recommendations in the light of existing departmental conditions and make a recommendation for chair to the President.

In departments whose full-time faculty members number five or more, the Provost/Dean of Faculty shall conduct an election in February of the last year of the chair’s term. In making an appointment, the Provost/Dean of Faculty shall consider these recommendations in the light of existing departmental conditions.

12.3.4 Duties of the Chair
It is the responsibility of the Department Chair to:

  • Supervise the execution of administrative and academic policies of the College within the department and develop sound departmental policies in consultation with the faculty of the department.
  • Provide leadership, facilitate the implementation of, and be responsible for the continuous improvement of curriculum to ensure a strong, flexible major program.
  • Identify courses to fulfill the core and major requirements; and interdisciplinary core courses.
  • Prepare annually the course offerings and their descriptions for the College Catalog, and assign faculty to courses and departmental activities after consultation with the department members. For this reason, the chair must approve any additional teaching assignments outside the college. Schedules for each department should cover the five days of the week to guarantee an even distribution of courses and on-campus presence.
  • Request from course instructor and maintain updated course syllabus for each course. In addition, copies of course syllabi should be filed each semester (including intersession/summer session) with the Office of the Provost/Dean of Faculty.
  • Have openings in the department approved and initiate job searches as outlined in Section 3 (Search and Appointment Procedures). The chair is responsible for the search, interview, selection and supervision of part-time faculty.
  • Supervise the teaching and professional development of all full and part-time faculty through the prescribed system of class room observations and course evaluations. The chair conducts the annual appraisal interview
  • Recommend to the Provost/Dean of Faculty appointments, promotions, separations, leaves, and other personnel matters. The chair should submit faculty names for advancement in rank by November 15.
    • Serve as tenure committee chair for department faculty during the year of tenure review or appoint associate chair in accordance with Sections 5 and 6.
  • Request from department members appropriate information concerning faculty absences, class cancellations, field trips, etc., within the department.
  • Advise prospective majors in conjunction with the department faculty on courses majors should take within the department and in related disciplines in accordance with specific career goals.
  • Prepare the annual budget and submit it to the Chief Financial Officer for approval. The budget shall consist of the cost of all items which represent the combined requests of the department members.
  • Schedule and preside at departmental meetings. Meetings may be called by the Provost/Dean of Faculty or on request of any member of the department. Minutes of these meetings shall be recorded, and a copy shall be given to the Provost and to each department member.
  • Submit a written annual report at the close of the academic year detailing:
    • Present number of full and part-time faculty;
    • Number of full and part-time faculty projected for the foreseeable future;
    • Number of majors in each year;
    • Teaching assignment for each faculty;
    • Average class size for faculty;
    • Service relationship to other departments;
    • Departmental plans for future program development, including a five year plan to include equipment needs when applicable;
    • Departmental system for program assessment and results of assessment initiatives

Approved May 9, 2009