University of Delaware
Policy Guide For Department Chairs And Academic Program Directors
Duties Of Chairs And Academic Program Directors
These duties are intended to represent the typical obligations of
every chair. Although some of the duties listed below may be assigned to
other faculty members or to faculty committees, the chair is still the
responsible agent.
Faculty and Personnel Development
* Chairs are responsible for the recruitment, development,
retention, and advancement of department faculty excellent in
the three major areas of teaching, research/creative/scholarly
activity, and service.
* Chairs are responsible for the proper administration of faculty
workloads as based on individual abilities of faculty members
and department, college, and University needs. Periodic
appraisal and planning of workloads and faculty development are
required at least annually and must involve personal interviews
with all faculty members in the department.
* Chairs are responsible for the administration of the approved
procedures of peer review in the department as well as the
policies and procedures of promotion and tenure reviews.
Furthermore, chairs are responsible for seeing that these
policies and procedures are publicized properly within the
department and, whenever necessary, updated to conform with
changes in college or University policy.
* Chairs provide advice and guidance to members of their
department in all areas of their development as faculty. As
far as possible, senior members of the department assist the
chair in this important task.
* Proper administration of these responsibilities eventuates in
recommendations to the dean for new appointments,
reappointments, salary changes, promotions, tenure, sabbatical
and other leaves of absence, nonrenewals, and terminations.
Program Development and Departmental Planning
* Chairs are responsible for the planning and initiation of
changes in the curricula (including Continuing Education and
Summer/Winter curricula) of their department.
* Chairs oversee research programs carried out under departmental
auspices or involving department resources, and are responsible
for encouraging an appropriate and balanced program of research
among the department faculty that involves both graduate and
undergraduate students, as well as postdoctoral students,
wherever possible.
* Chairs oversee service/outreach/extension programs carried out
under departmental auspices or involving departmental
resources., and are responsible for encouraging an appropriate
and balanced program of service/outreach/extension activities
among departmental faculty.
* Chairs prepare budget requests, allocate funds, and supervise
departmental expenditures.
* Chairs work with the Director of University Libraries to enrich
the collection, giving due attention to planned research and
future growth of the department.
* Chairs work with the department, the dean, and appropriate
administrative offices in planning physical facilities for the
department.
* Chairs work with the department, the dean, and appropriate
administrative offices in planning enrichment programs, such as
lecture series and colloquia, for majors and other interested
students, faculty, and members of the community.
Periodic Statement of Departmental Goals
To provide a continuing basis for development and evaluation of
a department, each chair (by means of consultation with the
appropriate committees within the department, or the department
meeting as a committee of the whole) prepares, at least every five
years, a statement concerning problems, long-range plans, and
objectives. This statement of goals includes consideration of the
adequacy of physical facilities, sufficiency of monetary support,
and appropriateness of departmental organization and
communication. The statement, sponsored by the department and
agreed on by the dean, is submitted to the provost and the
president for use as a planning document.
Organization and Communication
* The chair holds regular department meetings as seem most
appropriate within the organization of the department, and as
agreed on by the chair and the faculty.
* The chair appoints and oversees the responsibilities of any
subordinate department administrator(s), such as assistant
chair, chairs of standing committees, and administrative
assistants.
* The chair communicates with the department for the dean, the
provost, the president and other administrative offices.
* The chair communicates with the dean, the provost, the
president and other administrative offices for the department.
* The chair represents the department before committees,
councils, and other bodies.
* The chair orients new faculty members to departmental policies
and procedures.
* The chair is responsible for implementing affirmative action
policies and providing equal employment and educational
opportunity at the departmental level.
* The chair recommends the appointment of and oversees the work
of non-academic departmental staff.
* The chair supervises the use and assignment of allocated
departmental space (excluding general classrooms), facilities,
equipment, and supplies, and maintains an inventory of the
latter two.
* The chair contributes to the formulation and execution of
college and University policies and regulations.
* The chair is responsible for revision of copy for the catalogs
and other bulletins.
Administration of Student Development
* The chair coordinates and makes recommendations concerning the
advising of majors and the admission and advising of graduate
students in the department or in special programs under
department control and supervision.
* The chair provides recommendations for student aid at both the
undergraduate and graduate level.
* The chair encourages student participation and involvement in
departmental affairs.
* The chair ensures that a balanced and appropriate offering of
courses at all levels is made each term and works closely with
faculty and with other administrators toward appropriate
enrollments.
Personal Responsibilities
The chair makes exemplary efforts in teaching, professional
development, and service. Normally, each chair has teaching duties
each term and is expected to pursue research and scholarly
interests in the discipline.