Effective Date: June, 22 2012
Last Reviewed: June, 22 2012
After consultation with the members of the Department, the Department Chairperson is recommended by the Dean of the Faculty and is appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Chairperson ordinarily will serve for a three-year term with the possibility of renewal. Department Chairpersons receive an annual stipend or teaching load reduction (or a combination of the two) for the work associated with their office during the academic year and the summer.
The Department Chairperson is directly responsible to the Dean of the Faculty. He or she is the principal staff administrator of his/her Department, and supervises the teaching faculty. Some responsibilities can be delegated to other faculty as part of their departmental service; if the workload is significant, however, the chair may elect to shift some portion of the chair's stipend to the faculty member.
1. Within The Department
Faculty
- Coordinate searches for full and part-time faculty
- Carry out reappointment, tenure and promotion reviews
- Resolve conflicts among peers
- Resolve student complaints
- Mentor new faculty members
- Encourage and facilitate faculty development
- Facilitate a sense of intellectual community and shared vision
Planning and Assessment
- Provide oversight of the process
- Coordinate implementation of assessment plan for department
- Coordinate program review
Departmental Curriculum
- Facilitate curricular discussion among department members • Serve as primary liaison between department and Curriculum Committee for changes in curriculum (proposals for new courses, deletions, changes in prerequisites, etc.)
- Coordinate scheduling of courses and work with Offices of Registrar and Academic Affairs to finalize course schedule each semester
- Review and revise catalog copy
Students
- Supervise advising of majors and minors (individual and group)
- Administer advanced placement credit; review and approve courses taken off campus
- Facilitate preparation for post-Stonehill careers, education through seminars, alumni connections, etc.
- Supervise the Senior‘s Transition Project for the department
- Confirm completion of graduation requirements for students Sign all Declaration of Major Forms for students
Manage resources (non-personnel; variable by department)
- Equipment, space
- Budget
- Research facilities, supplies
- Instructional supplies
2. Within the College
- Attend chairs' meetings, including Summer Chairs' Institute
- Work with other departments on interdepartmental activities, interdisciplinary programs and curricula
- Work with Director of General Education on Cornerstone courses
- Provide primary contact with Offices of Admissions, Development and Alumni Affairs
3. Outside the College
- Provide information directly or indirectly through staff for outside requests
- Respond to surveys
- Serve as liaison with state agencies, organizations, where appropriate