EFFECTIVE DATE: May 22, 2018
ISSUE #: 1
PRESIDENT: Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz
PURPOSE
This Policy Statement (PS) describes the terms of election and evaluation for department chairs
and the process to be followed in making such elections and evaluations.
The evaluation of department chairs promotes the highest standards of professional
performance, provides a record of individual achievement, enhances professional growth, and
allows for the recognition of meritorious performance.
DEFINITIONS
2.1 Department Chair: A tenured faculty member at the associate or full professor rank
elected to serve as chair of an academic department as per PS 10.A.17.
2.2 As members of the faculty assembly, department chairs retain all rights and
responsibilities of a faculty member.
2.3 Department Chair Job Description: The University recognizes that effective leadership
at the department level is critical if the university is to be successful in carrying out its
institutional mission. The department chair oversees a complex and broad operation,
carrying out work within the shared governance structures of the university. The
following description reflects key components of the role; prioritization and attention
to these areas will vary according to department needs, university priorities, and
available human and fiscal resources. These administrative duties constitute a subset
of the distribution of a department chair’s responsibilities as per the policy. It is
incumbent upon the institution to consider the multiple components of the department
chair’s role when allocating tasks, resources, and expectations.
2.3.1 Core Responsibilities:
- Personnel supervision, hiring, development, and evaluation (staff and
faculty)
- Course schedule implementation and oversight
- Budget development and expenditure
- Policy/procedure compliance and visibility
- Communication and responsiveness to issues
- Support of student success and addressing student needs
- Representation of students, faculty and programs with administrative
2.3.2 Other Areas:
- Assessment
- Curriculum/program revision and development
- Enrollment
- Strategic planning
- Retention
- Recruitment
- Relationships with external constituencies as relevant to departmental
program needs (e.g., school/community partnerships, accreditation,
internships, etc.)
POLICY
3.1 Department chairs manage the daily operations of the academic department and provide
leadership for the academic programs housed within the department. Department chairs
are responsible for representing the needs of students, faculty and programs to the
administration, and are responsible for communicating and implementing university
policies and procedures at the department level. In matters of educational policy and
department governance, department chairs work under the shared governance
procedures set forth in PS 01.A.03.
The university recognizes that effective leadership at the department level is critical if
the university is to be successful in carrying out its institutional mission. Department
chairs should be elected on the basis of their administrative effectiveness, academic
achievement, leadership skills, and commitment to working with students, faculty,
other university personnel and external constituencies in carrying out the University of
Houston – Downtown‘s (UHD) mission.
3.1.1 General Qualifications Needed to Serve as Department Chair
Department chairs must hold the terminal degree in one of the disciplines
represented in the department or in a closely related field; in either case, the
chair must be qualified to teach within the department they are chairing. Upon
assumption of duties, the chair must be tenured and hold the rank of either
associate professor or professor.
3.1.2 Determination of Procedures to be used in Selecting an Individual for the
Department Chair Position
The position of department chair must be filled either by an internal search or a
search open to both internal and external candidates (hereafter “open search”).
The scope of the search will be determined by the tenured/tenure-track faculty
in the department and the dean, in consultation with the Senior Vice President
for Academic Affairs and Provost.
3.1.3 Participants in the Selection of a Department Chair
Regardless of the type of search authorized, the selection of the department
chair will be accomplished through the joint action of the faculty and the
administration.
3.1.4 Department Chair’s Term of Service and Compensation
Department chairs serve a 12 month administrative assignment. Compensation
is prorated based upon the faculty’s academic salary and includes an annual
administrative stipend. Upon return to regular faculty status, the administrative
stipend is eliminated and then the faculty salary is calculated on a typical nine
month basis including any merit increases added to the salary proportionately.
For example, a faculty member earning $75,000 on a nine-month contract
would, upon becoming department chair, have an annualized salary of $100,000
across 12 months, not counting the additional stipend. If the chair served for
four years and received 3% raises each year, the chair’s salaries, minus stipend,
would be approximately $103,000, then 106,090, then $109,273, and finally
$112,551. If, at this point, the department chair steps back to become regular
faculty, their last salary, minus the stipend, will be converted to a nine-month
salary and be $84,413.
3.1.5 Normal Term Length
The term is for four years with a maximum of two consecutive terms.
3.1.6 Termination of Department Chair’s Administrative Assignment
There are two ways to terminate the administrative assignment of a department
chair. First, in consultation with the tenured/tenure-track faculty of the
department, the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost and
dean may at any time during the chair’s term terminate the department chair’s
administrative assignment for cause.
Second, the tenured/tenure-track department faculty may convene a meeting
where the concerns about the chair are presented. All tenured and tenure-track
faculty must be invited to this meeting. After this meeting, the tenured faculty
will vote on a resolution to terminate the administrative duties of the chair.
Upon receiving a written resolution signed by at least two-thirds of the tenured
faculty, the provost and dean will immediately terminate the administrative
assignment of the department chair.
The department chair must be informed immediately once such action is taken,
and the chair immediately ceases activities of department chair and returns to a
faculty role. An assistant chair or tenured faculty member is selected by the
dean to temporarily assume the department chair’s duties. Within two weeks
of such action, the tenured/tenure track faculty will meet to implement the
procedures in 3.1.7.
A department chair removed via either of these two processes is ineligible for
running for interim chair, and will become eligible for running for department
chair in two years.
3.1.7 Interim Department Chair Procedures
If the position of department chair becomes vacant, the chair of the department
rank and tenure committee will call a meeting of the department’s
tenured/tenure-track faculty to determine candidates for the open position.
Within a business week of this meeting, the tenured/tenure-track faculty will
recommend a candidate by majority vote to the dean, who will forward this
recommendation to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and
Provost. If this process fails to identify a department chair candidate from
within the department, the dean may ask the Senior Vice President for
Academic Affairs and Provost for an exception, whereby a tenured faculty
member from another department within the same college will be appointed as
interim department chair. An interim department chair may not serve in such a
capacity for more than twelve months unless extraordinary circumstances exist
and the recommendation for the extension of the term is agreed upon by a
majority vote of the tenured/tenure-track faculty and the dean.
3.2 Search Procedures
After consultation with the dean about the position, the tenured/tenure track
departmental faculty decide by majority vote whether there will be an internal or open
search.
3.2.1 Internal Searches
If a department chair position is to be filled internally, the dean announces the
position and a timetable for the search to be completed. The chair of the
departmental rank and tenure committee conducts the election of a search
committee from the tenured/tenure-track faculty according to departmental
procedures and convenes the search committee. The composition of the search
committee must reflect as far as possible the diversity of the disciplines in the
department. Those faculty members who wish to be considered for the position
of department chair submit a CV and a letter of intent to the dean and to the
chair of the search committee. The search committee evaluates the
qualifications of each candidate, arranges interviews, discusses the candidates'
qualifications with the dean, conducts the balloting and communicates the
results to the faculty and the dean. The person to serve as chair of the department
is elected in a secret majority vote by the current department chair and the
tenured/tenure-track members of the department. The dean recommends the
selected individual to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and
Provost. By majority vote of the tenured/tenure-track faculty, more than one
name may be forwarded to the dean, who then selects an individual for the chair
position and recommends that individual to the Senior Vice President for
Academic Affairs and Provost. Should the dean not concur with the selection
of the faculty, the dean informs the search committee and meets with the search
committee to discuss further action. In either case, the Senior Vice President for
Academic Affairs and Provost takes the recommendation to the President and
advises the President on the appropriate course of action. The President
approves the terms to be offered to the candidate and makes the final official
offer.
3.2.2 Open Searches that Result in a New Faculty Hire
A new faculty member employed by the university to serve as a department
chair is subject to the same qualifications given in Sections 3.1 and 3.1.1 of this
policy and the same terms as a currently employed faculty member. Open
searches are conducted according to the procedures set forth for a faculty
member in PS 10.A.13 Faculty Employment Policy except that:
3.2.2.1 The responsibilities normally handled by the department chair are
carried out by the college dean and the responsibilities normally
handled by the dean are carried out by the Senior Vice President for
Academic Affairs and Provost.
3.2.2.2 PS 10.A.13 is to be modified as follows: The search committee is
constituted as described in Section 3.2.1 of this policy. The search
committee is responsible for evaluating candidates’ credentials; for
setting up, conducting and evaluating interviews; for discussing the
candidates in detail with the dean; and for setting up the balloting
procedures to determine by secret ballot the individual(s) to be sent
forward to the dean. Upon concurrence by the dean, the dean makes a
recommendation to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and
Provost and PS 10.A.13 is followed.
3.2.2.3 PS 10.A.13 is modified as follows: If the dean does not concur with the
selection of the faculty, the search committee and the dean meet to
discuss further action.
PROCEDURES
4.1 Operating Details
The annual evaluation of the department chair is based upon an assessment of the
department chair's activities during the preceding calendar year. The evaluation of the
administrative work of the department chair is conducted by the department chair's
dean using the process and documents described in 4.1.1. The evaluation of the
teaching and scholarly/creative activity of the department chair is conducted by the
members of the chair's department using the process and document referred to in 4.1.2.
The distribution of the elements of the department chair’s evaluation score is based on
the following components and weights, reflecting both the central role of administrative
work as well as the importance of other contributions from the department chair in key
areas of faculty life.
50%: Administrative
25%: Teaching
25%: Scholarly/Creative Activity*
*Upon request of the department chair, all or part of this 25% may be redistributed
among the following areas per agreement between the department chair and the dean
prior to the beginning of the calendar year in which the evaluation will occur: 1) administrative work, and/or 2) non-administrative service. The department chair may
suggest allocating all 25% to a single area or distribute between the two areas in
amounts no less than 10% each.
Example A
60% Administrative (50% required + 10%)
25% Teaching (required)
15% Scholarly/Creative Activities
Example B
50% Administrative
25% Teaching (required)
25% Service (outside the scope of department chair)
4.1.1 Evaluation of the Administrative Work of the Department Chair
4.1.1.1 By January 1, the department chair and dean should meet to identify
areas of focus tied to the department chair job description and
consistent with the goal of the university and the college, keeping in
mind the unique aspects and needs of the chair's department. This
meeting also provides an opportunity for the department chair to
request a reallocation of the scholarly/creative activities component as
per section 4.1.
4.1.1.2 By April 10, there is a meeting between the department chair and the
dean to discuss 1) the results of the faculty evaluation process
described in Section 4.1.2, 2) the formal rating and written review for
administrative work from the dean, and 3) the summary of all data
collected on the questionnaire on the department chair's administrative
work to which the tenured/tenure track faculty and lecturers in the
department have responded. It is during this meeting that the chair and
the dean will discuss the chair's performance goals for the ensuing
calendar year.
4.1.1.3 In the event that additional or unforeseen demands are made upon the
department chair throughout the year or that the department chair has
the opportunity for new and important scholarly/creative activities or
service, the department chair will communicate with the dean and the
dean will take these issues into account as part of the evaluation
process.
4.1.1.4 By December 1 in the first year of this policy’s implementation, The
Dean’s Council and the Chair’s Council will work together to develop
a rubric for evaluation of the chair’s administrative function The final
rubric will be agreed upon by a majority vote of both councils, with
the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost as a single
tie-breaking vote in case of a tie. This rubric will be used in all
academic colleges across the university. It is not expected that each
department chair in a college will have the same goals, mission,
vision, or unique departmental aspects and/or needs, but rather that the
dean will apply this rubric fairly across department chairs in the
college. The rubric will be evaluated by the Dean’s and Chair’s
Council on an annual basis and revised as needed by December 1.
4.1.1.5 By the third Monday of March of the following year, the department
chair will report administrative work to the dean with a narrative that
refers back to the chair's agreed upon goals and job description and
provides examples of how the department chair performed in these
key areas.
4.1.2 Evaluation of the Teaching and Scholarly/Creative Work of the Department
Chair
4.1.4.1 The teaching and scholarly/creative work of the department chair will
be evaluated by the elected faculty committee in the chair's
department using the departmental rubric approved by the faculty.
Reference PS 10.A.05, Faculty Performance Evaluations for details.
4.1.4.2 The teaching and instruction for a faculty member serving as
department chair will be 25% or a weight factor of .25.
4.1.4.3 The scholarly/creative activities of a faculty member serving as
department chair will be 25% or a weight factor of .25 unless
otherwise determined as per section 4.1.
4.1.4.4 If the scholarly/creative activities of the department chair are
reallocated to service outside of the department chair role, that, too
will evaluated by the elected faculty committee in the chair's
department using the departmental rubric approved by the faculty.
4.1.3 Timetable
By
December 1
| Dean’s and Chair’s Councils have reviewed and ratified the rubric for evaluation of the chair’s administrative function and have forwarded it to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost.
|
By January 1
| Chair and dean meet to establish the chair's performance goals for the ensuing calendar year.
|
By January 15
| Faculty Survey of Chair’s Administrative Effectiveness is distributed by dean to all full-time faculty in department (must be done by any method which protects anonymity).
|
By February 1
| Faculty Surveys of Chair’s Administrative Effectiveness are completed.
|
By March 1
| Dean sends to department chair all numerical data and summaries of all written comments from the Faculty Survey of Chair’s Administrative Effectiveness.
|
By third Monday in March
| Department chair submits report on administrative work to dean and report on other areas to Department Review Committee.
|
By April 1
| Department Review Committee submits formal written report and rating for teaching and scholarly/creative activity of the department chair to dean and to department chair, and dean submits written formal rating and written evaluation of department chair’s administrative work to the department chair.
|
By April 10
| Department chair meets with dean to discuss evaluation and to refine chair’s goals, if necessary.
|
By April 20
| Dean sends to VPAA a final report on administrative work along with report and scores from the Department Review Committee.
|
*Note: If a date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline is deferred until
the next business day.
4.1.4 Appeal of Evaluation
4.1.4.1 Appeal of Administrative portion of Evaluation
A department chair who is dissatisfied with the dean’s evaluation of
his/her administrative work may appeal to the Senior Vice President
for Academic Affairs and Provost for reconsideration within five
working days after the meeting with the dean. The department chair
should submit the request and rationale in writing and may request a
private meeting with the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
and Provost. The Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and
Provost will render a decision within ten working days from receipt
of the written appeal.
A department chair who is dissatisfied with the Senior Vice President
for Academic Affairs and Provost’s decision regarding his/her
administrative work may appeal to the President for reconsideration
within five working days after the meeting with the dean. The
department chair should submit the request and rationale in writing.
The President will render a decision within ten working days from
receipt of the written appeal.
4.1.4.2 Appeal of Faculty-Reviewed portion of Evaluation
A department chair who is dissatisfied with the departmental subcommittee’s evaluation of his/her teaching, scholarly/creative
activity, or service may appeal within five working days after
receiving the evaluation. The appeal will follow the same chain of
review and requirements as for faculty in PS 10.A.05 (e.g., first to
departmental review committee).
REVIEW PROCESS
Responsible Party: (Reviewer): Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost
Review: Every five years, or as necessary.
Signed original on file in Employment Services and Operations
POLICY HISTORY
No prior issues of this policy.
REFERENCES
PS 01.A.03 Academic Shared Governance Policy
PS 10.A.05 Faculty Performance Evaluations
PS 10.A.13 Faculty Employment Policy
PS 10.A.17 Appointment of Department Chairs
Faculty Survey of Chair’s Administrative Effectiveness
