Article 6

 

DEPARTMENT CHAIRPERSONS

 

A.        Duties

 

1.         The department chairperson directs the activities of the department, subject to the approval of the Dean/Director.  He/she is responsible to the Dean/Director for the development of department plans, guidelines and internal office operation; he/she directs the department's administrative organization and may delegate authority and assign responsibility as appropriate; and he/she represents the academic discipline both on and off campus either personally or by designation of department representatives.

 

2.         The department chairperson is also responsible for recommending to the Dean/Director such matters as personnel actions, curricular changes, course offerings, teaching assignments and the department budget.

 

3.         In all phases of department affairs, the chairperson should be sensitive to and reflect, but not be restricted to, majority department faculty sentiment.

 

4.         Current practices at each UNIVERSITY concerning summer duties and compensation of department chairpersons shall continue, provided each department chairperson receives the minimum summer compensation as set forth in 6.D.3.

 

B.        Selection

 

1.         a.         The President or his/her designee and a committee selected by the department shall designate the individual or individuals who is (are) mutually acceptable to serve in the post of department chairperson.  Upon request, the President or his/her designee will communicate the reason(s) for rejection of the candidate(s) to the department and the candidate(s).  Such reason(s) shall not be reviewable through the grievance and arbitration procedure under this Agreement unless a violation of Article 3 is alleged. The chairperson shall be elected (or rejected) by the majority secret ballot vote of the regular FACULTY MEMBERS within the department from the individual or individuals designated.  Except as provided in paragraph b, below, this procedure shall apply with respect to the appointment of an interim or acting department chairperson.

 

b.         In the event there can be no agreement as to a mutually acceptable candidate for the office of department chairperson, the President or the Provost/Vice-President for Academic Affairs shall have the right to appoint an interim chairperson for a period not to exceed six (6) months provided, however, this appointee shall not be an individual rejected by vote of the department in the most recent election.

 

2.         Department chairperson elections were held in 2005 and shall be conducted every three (3) years thereafter.  Elections shall be concluded no later than April 15.  Newly elected department chairpersons shall take office May 1 of the year in which elected; however, newly elected department chairpersons shall not receive a stipend or workload equivalency until the first day of the summer session or the next academic year, whichever is appropriate.  Outgoing department chairpersons continue to receive their stipends and workload equivalencies until the end of the academic year.  Should vacancies occur during the term of office, a special election must be held under the terms described above with the newly elected chairperson serving until the next regularly scheduled round of departmental elections.

 

3.         When a department chairperson is not properly performing his/her duties in accordance with this Article, the President may remove the chairperson from office.  A majority of the regular FACULTY MEMBERS of a department may request that the President remove the department chairperson and the President may, in his/her sole discretion, take such action.  The request from the majority of regular FACULTY MEMBERS must be in writing, must be signed by those FACULTY MEMBERS making the request, and must contain a statement of the reasons for the request.  Where such action is taken by the President, a special election must be held under the terms described above with the newly elected chairperson serving until the next regularly scheduled round of departmental elections.

 

4.         Where there is mutual agreement between the chairperson and the President or his/her designee(s) as to the need for (an) assistant department chairperson(s), that (those) assistant(s) shall be appointed by the chairperson so long as the proposed appointee(s) receive(s) the approval of the majority of the regular FACULTY MEMBERS of the department and the approval of the President or his/her designee(s).  Any such assistant shall serve at the pleasure of the chairperson, and in the event a new chairperson is selected for the department, the term(s) of the assistant chairperson(s) shall terminate.

 

C.        Stipend

 

1.         A teaching FACULTY MEMBER who performs the duties and responsibilities of a department chairperson in accordance with this Article shall receive a payment in accordance with the following schedule:

 

                                    DEPARTMENT SIZE                                     STIPEND

                                                1-5                                                       $1,000.00

                                                6-10                                                     $1,400.00

                                              11-15                                                     $1,800.00

                                              16-20                                                     $2,400.00    

                                              21-25                                                     $2,800.00

                                              26 or more                                             $3,200.00

 

2.         A FACULTY MEMBER who performs the duties of assistant department chairperson shall receive an annual payment of $1000.00.

 

3.         A FACULTY MEMBER who performs the duties and responsibilities of a department chairperson in a department of FACULTY MEMBERS whose basic responsibilities lie primarily outside the classroom shall receive a payment in accordance with the following schedule:

 

DEPARTMENT SIZE                                     STIPEND

                                                9 Month                                12 Month

            1-5                               $3,500.00                             $4,550.00

            6-10                             $4,000.00                             $5,200.00

            11-15                           $4,500.00                             $5,850.00

            16-or more                  $5,000.00                             $6,500.00

 

D.        Workload Equivalents and Summer Compensation

 

1.         Teaching department chairpersons shall be granted minimum workload equivalents in accordance with the following schedule for the academic year:

 

            DEPARTMENT SIZE             WORKLOAD  EQUIVALENTS                                                                      1-9                                                                                                                   25%                                                                             10-20                                                                                                   50%                                                                                                                 21 or more                                                                                                                   75%                                                                

            Additional workload equivalents for teaching department chairpersons may be approved by the President or the Provost/Vice-President for Academic Affairs for departments with complex programmatic and/or administrative responsibilities.  The President or the Provost/Vice-President for Academic Affairs may also approve summer compensation for chairpersons in appropriate departments.

 

2.         Teaching assistant department chairperson(s) shall be granted a minimum workload equivalent of 25%.  Where there is mutual agreement between the teaching chairperson and the President, the President may also approve summer compensation for teaching assistant chairperson(s) for departments with complex programmatic and/or administrative responsibilities.

 

3.         Teaching department chairpersons shall receive a minimum of three (3) workload hours of summer compensation.

4.         Existing summer school workload equivalents for teaching department chairpersons may not be reduced except by agreement at local meet and discuss.