Chairing an Academic Department/Program at Kenyon
Role of the Chair
All members of departments and programs share responsibility for sustaining a culture that is visionary in curriculum, imaginative in pedagogy, rigorous in scholarship, and collegial in spirit. As convener of the department, the chair is responsible for leading colleagues toward the fulfillment of these responsibilities. The chair also serves as chief departmental representative to all other offices of the College.
Although these core responsibilities are common to all chairs, the manner in which they are accomplished varies considerably depending on departmental structure, resources, and culture. Structural factors include faculty size and distribution across ranks, curricular complexity, and the existence of special appointments or programs. Departmental resources vary with respect to budget size and complexity, available administrative assistance, and the spacial arrangements of faculty offices and other facilities. Departments differ culturally as well; some favor distributing administrative duties across all faculty, while elsewhere these responsibilities are assumed exclusively by the chair. All of these factors must be considered in selecting a chair and organizing departmental duties.
Selection and Appointment
Rotating the chair among the faculty benefits both individuals and departments by enhancing general understanding of departmental affairs and acquainting faculty with various administrative offices. As a general rule, faculty should be expected to assume the role of chair at some point in their Kenyon careers. But a good chair must possess several qualities including leadership ability, organizational skills, and the ability to work well with a variety of individuals. It is reasonable to expect that some individuals are ill suited to the role and should not be selected as chair.
Department chairs are appointed by the President on recommendation of the Provost, in consultation with the department's faculty. Except in extraordinary circumstances, chairs are selected from among the tenured faculty and serve a three-year term. Chairs may serve successive terms. If a department chair becomes unable or unwilling to serve, or in cases where conflicts within a department become irreconcilable, the Provost may appoint a new chair or make other temporary arrangements for departmental leadership before the expiration of the term.
In the third year of a department chair's term, the Provost will consult with members of the department to identify the new or continuing chair. If a new chair is selected, the Provost will meet with the incoming and outgoing chairs in the spring to discuss the character of the position and departmental plans to insure a smooth transition.
Duties of the Chair
The chair takes the lead in and coordinates the full range of departmental activities, including the following:
Administration
- Attend chairs meetings called by the Provost.
- Administer the department's budget.
- Supervise and evaluate administrative assistant and/or other support staff.
- Conduct and report on an assessment of general education goals.
- Conduct and report on an assessment of goals for the department major.
- Meet with students as needed to address issues that an advisor may not be able to resolve.
- Represent the department to other offices within the College.
- Prepare the department's annual final report.
- Conduct external reviews of the department every eight years.
- Encourage the department to reflect on the processes it uses to do its work.
Personnel
- Promote regular conversation among departmental colleagues concerning the quality of the department's teaching, research, and other contributions to the College.
- Oversee faculty reviews as defined in the Faculty Handbook
- Communicate college expectations regarding promotion and tenure, consult at regular intervals with colleagues concerning their teaching and research agendas and performance, and support colleagues in their pursuit of appropriate opportunities for development of both teaching and scholarship.
- Participate in mentoring program for new faculty.
Curriculum
- Oversee departmental preparation of the course catalog.
- Stimulate discussions that review at regular intervals the nature and quality of departmental offerings and requirements.
- Seek opportunities for the department to support college-wide programs when developing its course offerings and staffing plans.
- Oversee the assessment of the department's contribution to general education.
- Oversee the assessment of departmental outcomes.
- Approve independent studies.
- Advocate forms of research and off campus studies that enrich students' academic experience.
A Timetable for Chair's Activities
The following timeline identifies the specific duties for which chairs are responsible. It is designed to help chairs anticipate their responsibilities throughout the year. Consider this list as a general guide. Because departments differ in structure and activities, particular duties included in this list may be irrelevant to certain departments. Alternatively, there may be additional duties associated with the chairs in particular departments not included in this list.
Although these duties are ultimately the responsibility of the chair, many are typically assumed by other faculty within the department or by the department's administrative assistant. Thus, this list can serve as the basis for delegating particular responsibilities throughout the department.
July
Review the year-end departmental budget statement from accounting.
Order and/or change office door name plates.
August
Revise the department letter to prospective students received from Admissions.
Review for errors the course schedule for the current academic year, received from the Registrar, to appear in the fall Enrollment Handbook.
Prepare relevant announcements to be made at the faculty advisors meeting.
Prepare departmental programs for orientation.
Complete student job description forms received from Financial Aid.
Recommend appropriate courses for students receiving Advanced Placement credit.
Call department meeting to set an agenda, make committee assignments, and organize for orientation.
Meet with administrative assistant to discuss priorities and procedures for the coming year.
Help orient new faculty and prepare to participate in their mentoring.
Plan faculty reviews for the coming year.
Circulate faculty schedules of office hours and classes within the department.
Distribute lists of current majors and off-campus study students.
Deal with student "disaster cases" that always appear.
Receive signature authorization form from Financial Aid.
Receive schedule of chairs' meetings called by the Provost.
September
Request transcripts of honors students and forward necessary information to the division for approval.
Call a meeting of majors.
Organize Student-Department Advisory Group meetings.
Examine general education goals and plan for assessment of student progress on goals.
Examine department mission statement goals and plan for assessment of student progress on goals.
Implement plans for senior exercise.
Make arrangements for Parents Weekend and student visit days.
Arrange for student payroll cards to be signed every two weeks.
If hiring, draft job description for approval and distribution and establish search committee.
October
Begin preparing materials for preparation of annual department budget, due at the Provost's office by Thanksgiving.
If hiring, engage in efforts to solicit minority and women candidates. Contact the EOO for a list of places where the position has been advertised.
Turn in materials for faculty being reviewed for pretenure, tenure or faculty performance to the Associate Provost.
November
Review second semester course schedule from Registrar for errors and changes before publication in spring Enrollment Handbook.
Receive departmental course curriculum materials, due at the Registrar's office in early February.
Receive requests for speakers from Faculty Lectureships, due at year's end.
Plan holiday party.
If hiring, have procedures in place to review dossiers and select those to be interviewed.
December
Begin preparing curriculum for the coming academic year.
Submit Course Approval Forms to Curricular Policy Committee.
If hiring, begin reviewing dossiers.
January
Finalize curriculum for the coming academic year.
Distribute and complete course approval forms for Curricular Policy Committee.
Deal with the predictable student "disaster cases" that appear at the beginning of the semester.
If there is a second reappointment review, arrange meeting with faculty to discuss department letter.
If hiring, prepare a list of top-ten candidates, to be submitted to the Provost and APEO. Arrange and conduct campus interviews.
February
Submit curriculum for the coming academic year.
Receive requests for office assignments for upcoming year and confirm with Dean for Academic Support.
Begin thinking about prizes and awards for Honors Day, due in March at Provost's office.
Advise off-campus study students.
If hiring, complete interview process and submit report regarding candidates to Provost and APEO. Upon successful completion of process, send letters to unsuccessful candidates.
Turn in materials for faculty being reviewed for promotion to Professor.
March
Determine recipients of department prizes and submit choices to Provost.
Prepare administrative assistant's performance review.
Review draft course of study provided by Registrar for errors and changes.
Begin planning senior exercise for coming year.
Plan spring meeting with majors to discuss curriculum, senior exercise, student representatives
Receive final budget for coming year.
April
Report results of senior exercise and honors to Registrar.
Communicate office assignments to Registrar.
Conduct spring meeting with majors.
Deal with students regarding spring preregistration, including approval of independent studies.
Begin work on department reception for graduation.
Make arrangements for parents weekend and spring visit day.
Complete administrative assistant's performance review.
Prepare and give departmental presentation to prospective students and parents.
Hold meeting on General Education Outcomes Assessment.
Hold meeting on Departmental Outcomes Assessment.
May
Make final arrangements for department reception for graduation.
Receive Department Outcome Assessment Report (DOAR) and General Education Assessment Report (GEAR), due in June with annual report.
Receive materials for annual report, due in June at Provost's office.
June
Complete annual report and submit to Provost.
Receive request from accounting to close all accounts and send in final purchase orders.
Prepare summer mailing to be sent to all majors regarding senior exercise, honors, and program changes.
General
Update and plan for staffing (reviews, leaves, sabbaticals, retirements) for about five years.
Monitor budgetary expenditures.
Sign and assign advisors for new majors.
Sign and advise students going on off-campus study. Meet OCS program directors.
Open and channel department mail.
Distribute/circulate materials sent to the department via the chair.
Approve requests for audiovisual and library materials and computing equipment.
Approve payments for bookstore, market, etc.
Update department files.
Maintain department web site.
Post notices (e.g., graduate schools, conferences, faculty development resources).
Keep current on correspondence (e.g., requests for information from Kenyon offices and other institutions).
Counsel students, staff, and faculty as the need arises.
Communicate with the administration on behalf of the department.
Bring student petitions and other appropriate business to department.
Attend chairs meetings and report to department as appropriate.
Make preliminary judgment concerning plagiarism cases.
Aid the admissions office (e.g., student visits, high school counselors, letters).
Prepare reports on departmental activities for campus publications.