Primary Duties and Responsibilities of the Department Chair
The Chair is expected to seek the advice and counsel of colleagues and work in close cooperation with them before making decisions and/or recommending decisions to a higher academic officer. The CBA (TT) states that “with respect to any matter on which the FAC has been consulted, the Chairperson will notify the FAC of his/her decisions and/or recommendations.” In making written recommendations or reports to a higher academic officer on such a matter, the Chairperson will indicate the substance of pertinent FAC advice. The Chairperson routinely will inform the FAC of the status and final administrative determination on matters on which it has been consulted. To this end, and in the spirit of collegiality, the Chairperson shall convene at least three Department meetings, with a previously distributed agenda, during each semester of the regular academic year, and ensure regular meetings of standing committees and other consultative bodies within the Department. In addition, the Chairperson shall convene a Department meeting upon the request of at least one-half of the members of FAC. The agenda will be circulated prior to the meeting whenever possible. Minutes of each FAC meeting will be kept, distributed, and approved at the successive meeting. Copies of approved minutes will be distributed to Department members within one week of the meeting in which they were approved. Copies shall also be distributed to Department Coordinators on the Regional Campuses, to the Dean of Arts and Sciences, and to the Deans of the Regional Campuses.