Authority and Responsibilities of Department Chairs

1. The Department faculty:
   
   
   • the Dean of the College,
   • the appropriate College Rank,
   • Salary and Tenure Commission (CRST), and
   • the Provost and Vice Chancellor evaluate each Department Chair.
2. Line of Authority

   The Chair is responsible to the Dean, and the unclassified (faculty and academic staff) and classified personnel assigned to the Department are responsible to the Chair. The Chair acts as a liaison between departmental personnel and the Dean.

3. Curricula - The Chair is responsible for development and evaluation of the departmental curricula in cooperation with the faculty of the Department. The Chair maintains syllabi for all courses taught by the Department and initiates periodic evaluation of all courses. Proposals for curricular change must be approved by the faculty members of the Depart- ment before they are forwarded to the College Curriculum Committee.
4. Faculty and Academic Staff - The Chair, with the aid of Department faculty members, recommends new appointments to the Dean. The Chair is responsible for orienting new faculty and academic staff to the aims and procedures of the Department, for aiding faculty members to improve their teaching skills, and for maintaining harmony and cooperation among the faculty and classified personnel in the Department. The Chair is responsible for the assignment of faculty and academic staff to their teaching responsibilities, schedules and presides at departmental meetings, is responsible for departmental committees, provides approval for all absence requests of members of the Department, maintains a file of each faculty member's academic qualifications including transcripts, and recommends Department faculty members for tenure and promotion in rank to the CRST Commission.
5. Budget - The Chair serves as the fiscal agent for the Department and, in cooperation with the faculty, proposes an annual budget to the Dean. The Chair approves all expenditures for the Department and is responsible for the administration of the Department's allocations as approved by the University Budget Committee. The Chair maintains an inventory of the Department's equipment and is responsible for its security.
6. Students - The Chair maintains an active recruitment program for high quality students to enroll in the University and the major(s) of the Department, as well as a roster of all students majoring or minoring in Department programs. The Chair provides systematic procedures for obtaining student opinions and suggestions for improvement of Department offerings. The Chair assigns advisors and supervises their counseling of graduate and undergraduate students and provides personal guidance and counsel concerning departmental offerings and preparation for professional study and graduate programs at other institutions.
7. University Responsibilities - The Chair serves on the council of the College, the Administrative Assembly, and University committees as assigned by the Faculty Senate and Chancellor. The Chair prepares class schedules for the Department and submits materials for University publications to the Dean.
8. Off-Campus Relations - The Chair is responsible for relationships with appropriate community, state, national, and international educational agencies relative to the objectives of the Department. The Chair promotes programs of interest to the needs and aspirations of the public served by the University.
9. Teaching - The Chair is expected to set an example of effectiveness in teaching and familiarity with new developments in the academic fields of the Department. The Chair's teaching load per semester is determined by the following formula:
   
   

   one (1) to eight (8) faculty members	- nine (9) credits
   nine (9) to eighteen (18) faculty	- six (6) credits
   over eighteen (18) faculty	- three (3) credits

   
   Deviations from this policy must be approved by the Dean and the Vice Chancellor.
10. Miscellaneous Duties:
    
    
    1. Summer Session - If warranted by enrollment, the Chair will have at least a part-time appointment for the Summer Session, during which he/she will serve in the same capacity as during the academic year.
    2. Registration - The Chair is in charge of registration for classes in the Department and recommends regulations concerning enrollment to the Dean and/or Vice Chancellor.
    3. Library - The Chair shall designate a bibliographer to monitor library holdings and proposes acquisition of materials appropriate to the missions of the Department and University.
    4. Accreditation - The Chair seeks approval by those professional organizations which provide for regional or national accreditation of Department offerings.