deptchairpedia practical advice for department chairs & program directors at DePauw University Last Revised- 02/06/2015 how to use this guide What it is... The deptchairpedia provides an “encyclopedia” of practical advice from department chairs for department chairs and program directors. Use this guide as a resource just as you might walk down the hallway to ask a senior colleague and/or previous department chair for their advice/recommendation/input (and then do as you think best!). No one is likely to agree with all of the advice contained in the deptchairpedia nor will every situation that you encounter be covered. However, this document hopefully will provide a context/ perspective that helps you make decisions as chair that are in the best interests of DePauw University, your department, and your students, staff, and faculty (preventing you from having to “reinvent the wheel” every time you encounter a new situation). And, what it isn’t... The deptchairpedia is not a policy handbook (we have one of those!). Likewise, it is not a legally binding document prescribing what you should do in a particular situation. That is, this document simply compiles advice from current and former chairs on a variety of situations, but the advice may not necessarily be applicable and/or the best path to take for your particular situation. This guide is also not a checklist or a to-do list. You may need to spend more or less time on an issue that these recommendations suggest, and some advice may not even apply to you as chair or to your department in general. As chair, you should follow established DePauw University policy and make your own decisions in consultation with the staff in Academic Affairs (e.g., VPAA, Dean of Faculty) and/or DePauw University legal council (as necessary). Contributors to the deptchairpedia are not responsible or liable for any decisions that you make as chair based on material/ opinions/advice expressed in the deptchairpedia. table of contents Click on the page number to go to that section. Click on “back to table of contents” to return. LEADERSHIP! 7 Recognizing the value of being chair.! 8 Developing an effective leadership style.! 10 Defining and implementing a departmental vision/plan.! 14 Promoting a collegial atmosphere.! 17 Managing special issues.! 20 Being a department liaison.! 22 Organizing and transferring information to the next chair.! 24 FACULTY! 26 Convening the Full-Time Position Request Committee (FTPRC) and writing a Resource Allocation Subcommittee (RAS) proposal for a faculty position.! 27 Crafting an advertisement for a faculty position.! 29 Convening a search committee for a faculty position.! 31 Managing applications for a faculty position.! 33 Handling internal candidates for a faculty position.! 35 Interviewing potential applicants for a faculty position.! 37 Making the offer for a faculty position.! 40 Hiring term and part-time faculty members.! 42 Making opportunity hire proposals.! 45 Preparing for the arrival of a new faculty member.! 48 Mentoring untenured faculty members.! 50 Visiting the classroom of untenured faculty members.! 53 Conducting annual evaluations of untenured faculty members.! 56 Convening the Department Personnel Committee (DPC).! 59 Writing pre-tenure, tenure, promotion & tenure and promotion reports.! 62 deptchairpedia page 4 Mentoring tenured faculty members.! 64 Encouraging faculty participation in professional development activities.! 67 Sustaining faculty participation in service activities.! 70 Delegating responsibilities to department faculty members.! 72 Resolving issues between department faculty members.! 74 Working with difficult colleagues.! 76 Celebrating achievements of departmental faculty members.! 78 Planning for scheduled and unscheduled leaves of absence for faculty members.! 80 Planning for retirement of department faculty members.! 83 Retaining department faculty members.! 85 STUDENTS! 87 Meeting with prospective students.! 88 Recruiting and meeting with prospective majors.! 91 Assigning advisors for major advisees in the department.! 93 Building connections with and between department and interdisciplinary majors.! 95 Recognizing student achievements.! 97 Substituting non-DePauw course credit for DePauw coursework.! 99 Supervising work-study students.! 102 Resolving allegations of student disruptive behavior in the classroom.! 104 Handling student academic integrity problems.! 106 Addressing student complaints about department faculty members and/or courses.! 108 STAFF! 112 Supervising a department secretary or staff member.! 113 Supervising a shared department secretary or staff member.! 115 Determining appropriate tasks for department secretary or staff.! 117 Approving timecards for department secretary or staff members.! 119 Performing annual evaluations for department secretary or staff member.! 121 deptchairpedia page 5 Hiring a department secretary or staff member.! 123 ALUMNI! 125 Building connections with departmental alumni (e.g., newsletters, web pages, Facebook, etc.).! 126 Working with alumni donors.! 128 Recognizing alumni achievements.! 131 CURRICULUM! 132 Proposing new courses to the Committee on Management of Academic Operations (MAO).! 133 Scheduling courses and staffing.! 136 Interpreting/reacting to the course demand analysis and adjusting the schedule of classes.! 140 Assessing individual departmental courses.! 143 Assessing an academic department/program.! 147 Changing requirements for departmental majors and minors.! 150 DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION! 153 Conducting department meetings.! 154 Working with departmental budgets.! 157 Managing budgets inside DePauw e-Services.! 160 Managing special department funds (e.g., endowed funds, etc.).! 162 Working with DePauw University commercial cards.! 165 Purchasing items using purchase orders.! 167 Reimbursing DePauw-related expenditures.! 169 Renting vehicles for department business.! 171 Developing and maintaining department web pages.! 173 Hosting department visitors and speakers.! 176 deptchairpedia page 6 LEADERSHIP back to table of contents deptchairpedia page 7 Recognizing the value of being chair. back to table of contents When faculty members consider being a department chair, they may focus primarily on activities involved in conducting/managing the daily operational business of the department. While these activities are an integral aspect of the position, department chairs also have the opportunity to help lead the department to improve in areas that better facilitate student learning, that promote a better work environment for department faculty and staff, and that better support the University’s mission and strategic plan. These opportunities not only make the university better, but help the chair grow and develop individually as well. Value to the chair • Develop a broader perspective of both the department and the university. As chair, you gain a great deal of insight into how both the department and university at large operate and interact. This experience provides a perspective that makes you a more knowledgeable (and better) departmental and university colleague, especially with regard to department and university priorities. • Become familiar with faculty and staff in departments and offices across the university. Being chair allows you to develop personal working relationships with faculty and staff in other departments and offices. While these interactions certainly can happen without being chair, they are particularly effective when developed as a chair working with these various groups in the context of supporting the university mission/strategic plan/initiatives. Not surprisingly, you also develop better interpersonal skills after working with such a diverse group of individuals. • Experience personal accomplishment. There is something inherently satisfying and rewarding when you are able to make positive improvements to the department and/or university as a chair (no matter the scope or scale of the accomplishment). • Find a new calling. Some chairs discover that they have the skill set that works well in administration and decide that this is the next step in their academic journey. Value to the institution • Improve the student experience. As chair, you have numerous opportunities to promote enhanced student learning/engagement (e.g., helping the department provide more student research opportunities, mentoring faculty to develop more student-centered courses, advising student clubs for the major, etc.). • Adjust curriculum to address department needs. The chair can help guide modifications to the departmental curriculum that promote enhanced student learning/engagement, that address changes happening within the discipline (and higher education in general), and/or that support university initiatives. • Act as mentor to departmental colleagues (faculty and staff). Being chair provides opportunities for you to work with department colleagues on a wide range of subjects (including day-to-day activities and wider university initiatives/topics in higher education). This mentoring/collaborative learning helps continue faculty/staff development for colleagues through all stages of their careers. • Serve as a department liaison. The chair often acts as the point person for the department (including interactions with the administration, other departments, alumni, parents, prospective students, general public, etc.); an essential role which provides a single source of contact for groups outside the department. deptchairpedia page 8 FAQ Is there a job description for