4.4 Department Chairs

Department Chairs are appointed on three-year renewable terms by the Vice President for Academic Affairs upon recommendation by the respective dean and hold office at the pleasure of the President and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. 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:

1. 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;
2. Submitting annual reports covering the assessment and program improvement of their respective departments;
3. Promoting quality instruction;
4. Scheduling of departmental teaching assignments;
5. Monitoring and maintaining syllabi for departmental courses;
6. Making recommendations to the dean and associate dean regarding departmental faculty appointment, evaluation and reappointment, promotion, dismissal and non-renewal;
7. Recommending part-time faculty and orienting part-time faculty regarding university policies and procedures, including faculty responsibilities;
8. Preparing annual departmental budget requests;
9. Managing departmental funds and caring for departmental property;
10. Serving as a medium of communication for all official business of their respective departments;
11. Responding to student academic concerns; and
12. Other duties as assigned.