Department Chairpersons

The chairperson is expected to provide academic leadership for the department and to ensure effective administration of the affairs of the department. Major responsibilities of the chairperson include:

Development of Faculty

      ·     Recruiting, hiring, orienting, and evaluating members of the faculty

·     Encouraging and facilitating professional development through such activities as suggesting funding sources, discussing research ideas, urging attendance at meetings and workshops, providing opportunities for participation in administration or governance, and providing effective feedback following evaluations

·     Creating a forum in which faculty members can express ideas freely, thus promoting healthy discussions among members of the department

·     Making documented decisions and recommendations concerning retention, promotion, tenure and salary increments with the outcome to be for the best interest of the department and the University.

Representation of the Department

·     Providing a communication link between and among the faculty and other areas of the University and levels of administration

·     Representing the department within University administrative and governance structures and with external professional and community groups

·     Maintaining personal, professional competence in order to set a good example in teaching and research and to maintain a position of stature on and off campus .

Development of Instructional Programs

·     Coordinating planning and implementation of effective academic programming

·     Encouraging and supporting efforts for improvements of instruction

·     Coordinating academic offerings to provide programming that is pedagogically sound and uses available resources effectively

Development of Students

·     Coordinating a program of effective academic advising

·     Responding to grievances and special requests

·     Certifying that students meet departmental graduation requirements

Administration of the Department

·     Coordinating departmental planning activities

·     Preparing and managing departmental budgets

·     Supervising activities of support staff

·     Conducting departmental meetings