Chairs of Departments

1.  Appointment

The Chair of a Department is appointed by the President, based on recommendations of the Department faculty (or a search committee including Department faculty) and the relevant academic officers.

2. Responsibilities

The Chair consults regularly with the Dean(s) of the School(s), to whom he or she is responsible. The Chair is responsible for:

  1. Ensuring that the Department conforms to all University, Campus, and School policies
  2. Establishing and administering all Departmental policies and procedures, and for acting in accordance with all established policies.
  3. Supervising the members of the Department in academic and technical matters, and promoting the highest possible grade of research and instruction in the Department. The Chair or a designee may visit any class to monitor and ensure the quality of instruction.
  4. Selecting the courses to be taught in the Department.
  5. Recommending to the Dean changes in curricula in the light of trends and developments in the Department’s area of study.
  6. Calling and presiding at meetings of the Department, which are normally held monthly throughout the academic year, and seeing to it that minutes are prepared and put on record.
  7. All expenditures by the Department, and preparing budgets for the next fiscal year.
  8. All official correspondence of the Department.
  9. Recommending, in accordance with the Department’s procedures, annual merit increases to the Dean(s) for all faculty members and academic staff of the Department.
  10. Communicating to the Dean(s) the Department’s recommendations on faculty candidates for appointment, tenure or promotion.
  11. The timely purchase and acquisition of textbooks and other educational materials for courses in the Department.
  12. The purchase of all books, apparatus, equipment, and supplies for the Department, and for their maintenance, storage and inventory.
  13. The allocation of office and research space.
  14. In departments with graduate programs, the Chair or a designee recommends to the Graduate Dean all candidates to be admitted to the Department’s masters or doctoral programs, as well as all degree candidates, fellowships and terminations.
  15. The Chair is jointly responsible with the Department faculty and the Dean for the progress and welfare of all students enrolled in the Department. The Chair sees to it that students pursuing degrees in the Department receive adequate direction in their selection of courses and in their preparation for comprehensive exams, independent studies, practica and theses. In the clinical departments of the Medical Center, the Chair sees to it that residents and fellows receive proper direction and supervision.
  16. The Chair is expected to be available as departmental needs shall require and to appoint an Acting Chair during any extended absence. Once appointed, the Acting Chair has all the powers and responsibilities of the Chair.