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Handbook of Operating Procedures
  • Policy Process

    • Handbook of Operating Procedures
    Chapter 1 - Administration
    Publication Date: July 16, 2015
    Responsible Executive: President


    1.02 Appointment of Academic Administrators: Deans and Department Chairs

    I. POLICY STATEMENT

    The identification, recruitment, and retention of highly qualified, talented and diverse Deans and Department Chairs for all academic fields is a primary goal of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). The Dean and Department Chair selection process is designed as a collaborative process with the result being general concurrence regarding the best-qualified candidate for the position. Faculty, Department Chairs, Deans, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost) actively collaborate toward that end.

    This policy supports The University of Texas System (UT System) Regents’ Rules and Regulations 20102 Appointment of Officers, which states that faculty members at institutions in the UT System shall have a major role in the governance of their respective institutions.  

    II. RATIONALE

    This policy sets out those processes and procedures for selection and appointment of Deans and Department Chairs.

    III. SCOPE

    This policy applies to all academic colleges and departments. The appointment process outlined in this policy is to be followed during the selection for all Deans and Department Chair positions conducted by UTSA.     

    IV. WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY

    http://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter1/1-2.html

    V. RELATED STATUTES, POLICIES, REQUIREMENTS OR STANDARDS

    UTSA or UT System Policies or the Board of Regents' Rules & Regulations

    1. UT System Policy 182 - Selection, Appointment, Roles and Responsibilities, Evaluation, and Training of Department Chairs at Academic Institutions
    2. UT System Board of Regents' Rule 20102 - Appointment of Officers

    VI. CONTACTS

    If you have any questions about HOP policy 1.02, Appointment of Academic Administrators: Deans and Department Chairs, contact the following office:

    Office of the Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Support (VPAFS)
    210-458-2898

    You may also contact the Office of the Dean of the Respective College or the Respective Academic Department.

    VII. DEFINITIONS

    Academic Administrator: An Academic Administrator refers to the chief academic officer (Provost, Deans, and Department Chairs) of academic units.

    Provost: The Provost reports directly to the President. The Provost is responsible for overseeing the colleges, Graduate School, Academic Accountability, Institutional Research, Information Technology, International Programs, Libraries, and many student and community related initiatives. The Provost is charged with ensuring the quality of academic programs offered; supporting the hiring of faculty who excel in their field, managing the recruitment of academic leadership at the college and department levels, and facilitating the growth of UTSA. A high priority of this office is to guide the university towards the achievement of its strategic goals.

    Dean: Deans of academic colleges report directly to the Provost. They have the responsibility under the Provost for the operation of their college and are expected to provide effective leadership and organizational management, actively seek input from their Department Chairs and faculty, maintain an environment of collegiality and shared governance, effectively interact with students, faculty, and staff, engage in external fundraising and outreach activities appropriate to the college as needed, engage in strategic planning, provide leadership in faculty and staff recruitment and development and engage in academic program development.

    Department Chair: The chairs of the academic departments of the colleges report directly to the Dean of the college.  The Department Chair is responsible for consulting with and representing the interest of the department faculty and university on policies, plans, and procedures that affect the department. They have the responsibility under the Dean for the operation of their departments and are expected to provide sound organizational management, actively seek input from the department faculty, maintain an environment of collegiality and shared governance, initiate and support departmental activities that promote student success, engage in external fundraising and outreach appropriate to the department as needed, contribute to strategic planning, provide leadership in faculty and staff recruitment and professional development, and engage in academic program development.

    VIII. RESPONSIBILITIES

    1. Provost
      1. Reviews and approves Dean's selection for Department Chair
      2. Reviews and approves Dean's recommendation to remove Department Chair
      3. Engages college faculty on the needs and expectations for Dean
      4. Appoints a search advisory committee
      5. Appoints Dean with concurrence from the President
    2. Dean
      1. Engages department faculty on the needs and expectations for Department Chair
      2. Appoints Department Chair with concurrence from the Provost

    IX. PROCEDURES

    1. Guidelines for the Selection and Appointment of Deans of Colleges
      1. Search advisory committee
        1. The Provost will appoint a search advisory committee composed of at least two tenured members of the college faculty selected in consultation with college faculty, two general continuing faculty members (at least one of whom will be from another college), one Department Chair, and other persons as the Provost deems appropriate.
        2. The Provost will appoint the committee chairperson.
        3. Except for compelling reasons stated by the committee in its final report, the nominees will be submitted to the Provost by the advisory committee. If the Provost declines or, because of rejection of the post by all nominees, is unable to appoint any of the nominees, he or she may:
          1. request that the committee make additional nominations,
          2. submit nominations to the committee, or
          3. invoke different procedures for selection of the appointee as appropriate.
      2. The Provost will submit the committee’s final report, which will include an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of finalists in terms of position-related criteria and qualifications, along with his or her recommendation, to the President, who will make the final selection and appointment pending approval of the Executive Vice Chancellor.
      3. Vacancies in the position of college Dean will be filled at the earliest possible date. When a suitable appointment cannot be made in a timely manner, or when it is deemed in the best interest of the college, the Provost may appoint an interim Dean.
        1. The Provost will solicit input from the college faculty in making an interim Dean appointment.
        2. Interim Deans provide transitional leadership and normally serve no more than two years.
        3. Interim Deans are eligible for nomination and appoointment to a regular term as Dean when the nomination process is resumed.
        4. On an exception basis, interim appointments may be extended by the Provost with concurrence of the President.
    2. Guidelines for the Appointment and Selection of Department Chairs
      1. Each academic department will have a Chair that is a member of and serves as the academic leader of the department faculty and the designated administrator of the department. The Department Chair reports to a Dean and serves at the pleasure of the Dean, with the concurrence of the Provost.
      2. To be eligible to serve as a Department Chair, an individual must hold a tenured position in his/her respective department and have demonstrated leadership, managerial, and administrative abilities. When conducting an external search, candidates must be eligible to hold a tenured position in the department.
      3. The Department Chair will be selected by the Dean with the concurrence of the Provost after an appropriate and inclusive search committee process. Department faculty need to be involved in the selection process. The selection process must incorporate a search process to identify the best available leader for the department. This search process may be external or internal. UTSA is committed to making administrative appointments at all levels that will reflect the diversity of the faculty.
        1. Deans, at their discretion, may determine whether to
          1. conduct a national search for a Department Chair or
          2. solicit nominations for a Chair from a department's faculty.
        2. When a Dean determines that a national search should occur, the department faculty will conduct the search in accordance with standard UTSA hiring procedures, as well as the policies and procedures of the department and college. 
        3. If a Dean solicits nominations for the chair position from the faculty, faculty will submit a minimum of two nominees to the Dean.
          1. faculty may self-nominate.
          2. to be considered for the Department Chair position, nominees must submit a letter expressing a willingness to serve if selected.
          3. Deans will publish the list of nominees and their statements to the department’s faculty and solicit individual written comments regarding each nominee from all department faculty eligible to participate in a search under college and department policies and procedures.
        4. Deans will make a recommendation from among the nominations to the Provost or recommend continuing the nomination process.
        5. The Provost has the delegated authority from the president to approve or disapprove the recommendation. The Provost's decision is final.
        6. In the event of a disapproval, the Dean may submit another recommendation for the Provost's consideration and decision, including recommending an alternative candidate or candidates, or re-initiating the search process for a Chair.
      4. The Department Chair will be appointed by the Dean with the concurrence of the Provost.
      5. The term of appointment for a Department Chair is flexible, with standard terms being between three to five years. Terms may be renewed as long as the Department Chair continues to meet or exceed expectations as defined by institutional policy. Department Chairs are appointed on the basis of a fiscal year (12 months).
      6. Compensation for Department Chairs will be set by institutional policy and is set for the fiscal year (12 months). Institutional guidelines should clarify adjustments to a Department Chair’s salary upon return to faculty status.
      7. Vacancies in the position of Department Chair will be filled at the earliest possible date. When suitable Chair nominees cannot be identified in a timely manner, or when it is deemed in the best interest of the college, the Dean may appoint an interim Department Chair.
        1. The Dean will solicit input from the department faculty in making an interim Chair appointment.
        2. Interim Chairs provide transitional leadership and normally serve no more than two years.
        3. Interim Chairs are eligible for nomination and appointment to a regular term as Department Chair when the nomination process is resumed.
        4. On an exception basis, interim appointments may be extended by the Dean with concurrence of the Provost.
    3. Re-assignment or Removal. An Academic Administrator may be removed or reassigned from the administrative position at any time at the discretion of the appropriate supervisor (i.e., Dean, Provost), and with the concurrence of the Provost or President or equivalent. Removal from the administrative position does not affect one’s faculty status.

    X. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION

    None

    XI. FORMS AND TOOLS/ONLINE PROCESSES

    None

    XII. APPENDIX

    None