Department Chairpersons

A department chair is responsible for facilitating the operation of a department, the fundamental academic unit of the University. The chair has three broad areas of responsibility: leadership, management, and advocacy.  The department chair is an administrative position, usually occupied by an experienced faculty member of the representative academic area(s).  In filling the position of department chair, the Provost may seek input from members of the academic area(s); however, the appointment is the responsibility of the Provost.

The following is a list of the responsibilities of the department chair:

1. Lead the Department in the articulation and pursuit of the goals of the Department, College, and University with emphasis on academic excellence in teaching, service, and professional activities.
2. Coordinate the academic affairs of the Department.
   1. Assure equitable teaching loads in the Department.
   2. Work with department faculty in preparing and submitting class schedules in a timely manner to the dean.
   3. Assign Program Coordinators for each academic program offered within the Department.
   4. In conjunction with the Program Coordinators, lead regular curriculum reviews and recommend curricular changes to the department and college.
   5. Monitor regularly course syllabi to ensure that main campus and online syllabi are standardized and equivalent.
   6. Plan, preside, and report on department meetings.
   7. Ensure the evaluation all faculty in the department and appropriate academic areas in all delivery formats of the University.
   8. Coordinate the activities of the department between semesters and during summer session through ongoing provision of advising, transfer days, process admits to the program and reviews.
   9. Seek appropriate state and national accreditation of majors or programs offered by the department.
   10. Assigns and supervises student advisement, with the first year in collaboration with First Year Advising.
   11. Prepare the Department Annual Report as well as the appropriate academic assessments (e.g., WEAVE, and Curriculum Maps) as described in WEAVE Instructions.
3. Advocacy for Effective Working Environment
   1. Serve as an advocate for the department and its academic programs to the Dean and higher administration.
   2. Serve as an advocate for the administration and the school to the department.
   3. Make recommendations to the dean on contract renewal, promotion, tenure, termination, and other personnel matters.
   4. Recommend adding, replacing, or eliminating faculty positions to the dean.
   5. Plan and organize ongoing recruitment activities.
   6. Advocate for spacing and facilities maintenance and upgrades for use by faculty and students.
4. Responds to additional requests or assignments from the Dean, Provost, or President.