4.4 Department Chairs
Department Chairs are appointed on three-year renewable terms by the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost upon recommendation by the respective dean and hold office at the pleasure of the President and the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost. Each year the department chair’s college dean will conduct an evaluation of the department chairs serving in their third year as department chair.
Department chairs on 9-month contracts receive a three-credit course release during the academic year. Department chairs on 12-month contracts receive a nine-hour course release.
Department chairs’ responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Directing program coordination, curriculum development, review and assessment of the programs within their respective departments; See University Policy 6.0 for University Planning and Assessment;
- Submitting annual reports covering the assessment and program improvement of their respective departments;
- Promoting quality instruction;
- Scheduling of departmental teaching assignments;
- Monitoring and maintaining syllabi for departmental courses;
- Making recommendations to the dean and associate dean regarding departmental faculty appointment, evaluation and reappointment, promotion, dismissal and non-renewal;
- Recommending part-time faculty and orienting part-time faculty regarding university policies and procedures, including faculty responsibilities;
- Preparing annual departmental budget requests;
- Managing departmental funds and caring for departmental property;
- Serving as a medium of communication for all official business of their respective departments;
- Responding to student academic concerns; and
- Other duties as assigned.