College of Arts and Sciences
Department Heads Manual

       As head or director, you are administratively responsible for the department or program. This means, among other things, that you are responsible for the unit’s budget; for providing direction to the faculty and staff and evaluating their performances; and for seeing to it that the unit adheres to university, college, and departmental rules and regulations.   Most importantly, it is your responsibility to encourage faculty, staff, and students to strive for the best possible teaching and learning, research, and service. In terms of departmental or program well-being, the department head is the key administrator.  While you hold this position, you are the administrator responsible for your department.   See General Guidelines.

 Note: This document uses the word "head" to mean department head and program director unless a distinction is being made between department heads and program directors.  Also, the word "department" is used to mean department or program unless a distinction between them is relevant.

I.        Selection and Evaluation of Department Heads

Contact persons: Oliver Walter, Dean (owalter@uwyo.edu); Sharon Brown, Staff Assistant (sbrown@uwyo.edu)

 

A&S heads are generally appointed for three years,  appointments start with the beginning of the fall semester and end at the beginning of the fall semester three years later. If the department head is hired from an external search, the appointment is generally for five years. Job descriptions are negotiated between the dean and the head at the time of appointment. Details on appointments are discussed in Heads Stipends and Sick Leave section.

A.     Selection

Department heads and program directors are appointed by the UW Trustees at the recommendation of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The dean makes the  recommendation to the Vice President.  Heads must be tenured and preferably hold the rank of full professor.  In accordance with principles of shared governance, heads are appointed following extensive consultation with the faculty. See Unireg 804, revision 2 http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/legal/Uniregs/ur804.htm.   

Prior to making a head appointment, the dean ordinarily consults with faculty and staff for the purpose of gaining views about the department and the candidate(s) for head. Depending on the circumstances, the dean may appoint a head selection committee consisting of an associate dean, two-three department faculty, and an outside faculty person. 

Committee Procedures:  

1.    The head selection committee asks each eligible faculty member whether he/she wishes to be considered for the head appointment. To avoid later misunderstandings, the responses to this question should be in writing. 

2.    All those wishing to be considered should then appear before a meeting of the entire department chaired by a member of the head selection committee to discuss their visions for the department. This step in the process is essential.

3.      After hearing candidates, the department or program should vote, and the results of the vote accompanied by comments should be forwarded to the dean.

            The dean subsequently will recommend a candidate to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

 B.     Evaluation of Department Heads and Program Directors

1.          Review by the dean

In 2000, the UW Trustees approved Unireg 804, revision 2, http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/legal/Uniregs/ur804.htm, which states, in part, that heads must be reviewed by the dean each year in writing. The basis for the annual review is set forth in this Manual and evaluated with (B=Below, M=Meet,  A=Above) expectations.  The categories for the review are as follows:

 

Department Head/Program Director Evaluation Form

 

Department: 

 

Name:            

 

Year:             

 

Overall Rating:

 

 

General Theme

Comments (B=Below, M=Meet, A=Above)

General Administration

 

 

Budgets

·         Budget allocation and oversight

 

 

·         Management of summer school

 

 

 

 

Administration

·         Attention to the details of the job

 

 
 

·         Timely responsiveness to administrative requests from Dean’s office and Old Main

 

·         Meeting administrative deadlines

 

·         Annual Report

 

·         Maintain positive working relationships with all other University units, Departments, Old Main, etc.

 

Teaching Activities

·         Encouragement of best teaching and learning practices

 

 

 

·         Development and maintenance of Department Curriculum

 

·         Course Scheduling

 

·         Articulation with on-campus units, The Outreach School, and Community Colleges

 

Assessment of student learning

·         Department assessment efforts

 

 

 

Development

·         Readiness: know department’s needs and donors

 

 
 

·         Identification and Qualification: communicate information about donors and prospects to Development

 

·         Cultivation: maintain contact with alumni and friends (e.g., newsletters, letters, notes, invitations, phone calls, visits, programs, receptions)

 

·         Solicitation: ask for gifts both on-line and by mail

 

·         Stewardship: deposit gifts, thank and recognize donors; spend endowments and report their use

 

·         Leadership: provide expertise and participate in development activities

 

·         Teamwork: cooperate with Development Office as need arises

 

Public Relations

·         Leadership: provide expertise and participate in public relations activities e.g. host high-profile speakers, actively nominate former faculty and alumni for awards

 

 

 

·         Communication: share upcoming events and news with PR coordinator in a timely manner

 

·         Teamwork: cooperate with PR coordinator as need arises

 

·         Maintain contact: produce newsletters to stay in touch with alumni

 

Web page maintenance

·         Presentation

 

 

 

·         Content

 

·         Maintaining two year course schedule

 

·         Keeping web site current

 

Student Relations

·         Undergraduate Recruitment:

Department participation in University student recruitment efforts

 

 

 

·         Undergraduate Retention efforts

 

·         Promotion and recognition of high quality student advising

 

·         Administration of Department scholarships

 

·         Recognition and promotion of undergraduate and graduate student accomplishments (A&S Outstanding Graduates, Independent Study Awards, Honors Convocation Speakers, UW Spitaleri and Tobin Awards, John Ellbogen Graduate Assistant Award, etc.)

 

·         Graduate Recruitment efforts

·         Efforts to recruit minority Graduate Students

 

 

 

Academic Personnel Relations

·         Clear communication of expectations to academic personnel and evaluation of academic personnel job performance

 

 

 

·         Administration of the T&P process, extended term process, and post-tenure review process.

  

·         Administration of academic personnel hiring process

 

·         Attempts to recruit minority candidates for vacant positions

 

·         Recognition and promotion of academic personnel accomplishments (A&S Extraordinary Merit in Teaching, Research and Advising; Ellbogen, etc.)

 

Staff Relations

·         Clear and frequent communication with staff

 

 
 

·         Promotion of amicable relations between staff and faculty

 

·        Recognition and promotion of staff accomplishments

 

Overall

 

 

 

2.            Review by the department—second year 

First tem heads also are evaluated during their second year by the unit’s faculty. Certain items must be considered in this review and are detailed in the document at this link (Headeval.doc).  Please note that support staff (clerical and technical) are asked to participate in the review, along with faculty and academic professionals.  These evaluations are due in the Dean’s Office during the spring semester. Click on Head Eval Form.doc to access an individual evaluation form.

3.                        Reappointment

During the third year of an appointment the head or program director will meet with the dean to discuss reappointment.  Normally, prior to the reappointment decision, the dean will meet with the department's academic personnel and support staff to assess the head's performance.