Job Details

Scope

Interim Chairpersons of departments that administratively report to the College of Human Medicine.

Essential Role, Authority, Reporting Relationship

The interim department chair is the chief academic and administrative officer of the department and is responsible for achieving balance among the multiple missions of the department as an educational, research, service and outreach unit. The responsibilities and authority of the interim chair derive from the dean (or deans in jointly administered departments) and the interim chair reports directly to the dean(s). The interim chair holds authority over and has responsibility for the following key areas. The interim chair may delegate some responsibilities to others in the department, but the interim chair remains accountable for the execution and attainment of these roles, responsibilities and authorities.

Responsibilities and Authorities

Leadership and Strategic Planning

The interim chair provides leadership for the academic, research and service missions of the department, modeling and expecting excellence in all areas. The interim chair demonstrates support, in words and actions, of a department-specific vision that reflects the mission, vison, goals and values of the college and the university.

1. The interim chair articulates a vision and leads strategic planning efforts of the department, involving faculty, staff, students and other constituencies as appropriate.
2. The interim chair ensures that the department’s strategic plan describes how the department and its programs will achieve excellence in all missions, thereby enhancing the department’s reputation regionally and nationally. The strategic plan, as a living document, is reviewed annually and updated as needed to ensure consideration of new opportunities or challenges.
3. The interim chair also supports the strategic goals of the college and the university and is responsible for accomplishment of department-level objectives of the college and university strategic plans, and for achieving selected performance targets or goals defined by the dean(s).
4. The interim chair articulates the vision and goals of the department to internal and external stakeholders, connecting department objectives to the broader college and university missions, and makes requests on behalf of the department in pursuit of its vision and goals.
5. The interim chair adheres to the university’s principles of academic shared governance in the department, e.g., with respect to policies and procedures related to promotion and tenure, annual reviews, curriculum development, program review.
6. The interim chair encourages faculty participation in college and university academic governance and recommends faculty for university committees and service roles.
7. As the essential link between administration and the department’s faculty, staff and students, the interim chair exercises leadership in communication between the dean and the department, serving as the liaison on matters such as college vision, planning, goals and financial updates. The interim chair interprets and presents information and positions that accurately reflect the intent of each constituency to the other for the purpose of advancing the institutional mission.
8. The interim chair also serves as an advocate for the department and its faculty, staff and students to the college, the EVPHS and the university.
9. The interim chair continues to develop as a scholar in his/her discipline while actively seeking opportunities to develop as a leader and an administrator. The interim chair engages in college and university service as appropriate.

Department Climate and Culture

As the department’s steward and role model, the interim chair sets expectations and leads by example to demonstrate a culture and climate that is welcoming, inclusive, collegial, professional and civil for faculty, staff and students.

1. The interim chair fosters and maintains a department culture that is welcoming, inclusive, collegial, professional and civil, addressing impediments or threats to that culture when warranted.
2. The interim chair works to maintain the morale of the department and to reduce and manage conflict.
3. The interim chair encourages faculty and staff engagement, collegiality and participation in the affairs of the department.
4. The interim chair creates and maintains effective communication methods to keep faculty and staff informed about actions and perspectives of the president, provost, EVPHS and dean(s), and their relevance or impact to the department, including new initiatives, new or changes to policies/procedures, curriculum, regulatory affairs and financial challenges.
5. The interim chair is receptive to questions, concerns, feedback, complaints, grievances and suggestions from faculty, staff and students, and takes appropriate actions in compliance with university, college and department polices and expectations.
6. The interim chair oversees development and implementation of programs and policies that serve to strengthen the diversity and inclusion goals of the department.

Faculty and Staff Recruitment, Development and Recognition

The interim chair is authorized and expected to serve as the department’s hiring and appointment authority and is responsible for mentoring or development strategies to help ensure the success of faculty and staff. A commitment to excellence and the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion guide recruitment, hiring and mentoring activities.

1. The interim chair is responsible for the recruitment, selection, management, evaluation and retention of a diverse team of faculty and administrative staff, specifically highlighting and addressing the respective diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals and policies of the university and college(s).
2. The interim chair, in consultation with appropriate department committees (e.g., RPT, FAC), recommends faculty for initial appointment, reappointment, promotion and tenure.
3. The interim chair is responsible for facilitating career development of junior faculty and for assuring that appropriate resources, effort allocation and mentoring are provided to ensure academic success and advancement.
4. The interim chair (or designee) meets at least annually with each faculty member to review the prior year’s performance toward goals, to review effort allocation for accuracy and appropriateness, to discuss plans and goals for the upcoming year and to provide guidance and mentoring in alignment with college and university mentoring guidelines. The annual meeting occurs before the university’s annual raise process during which the interim chair makes recommendations to the dean regarding faculty compensation.
5. The interim chair assigns administrative, teaching, research and clinical roles and responsibilities to the department faculty and is responsible for critically assessing the academic performance and productivity of the faculty in each of these areas.
6. The interim chair is responsible for monitoring salaries and recommending merit, equity and retention raises to the dean consistent with department, college, Office of Health Sciences and university policies and procedures.
7. The interim chair addresses personnel issues that may arise in the department and recommends and/or approves appropriate remedial or disciplinary action in alignment with department, college and university policies. This may include bringing appropriate or necessary issues to the attention of the dean