Department Affairs

Departmental affairs are conducted through a departmental committee composed of the teaching personnel of the department and may include a representation of students with such voting privileges as the teaching personnel decide. This departmental committee decides on:

1. Courses to be offered within the department and requirements for departmental major, minor(s), and area of specialization(s) (if any) (all subject to approval by the Curriculum Committee).
2. Content of courses within the department that are used to fulfill general education requirements in the College.
3. Revisions of the departmental curriculum and new courses that will be submitted for the approval of the Curriculum Committee.
4. A coordinated program of teaching and testing in multi-section courses.
5. Library budget to be requested and its distribution.
6. Personnel requirements of the department.
7. Academic facilities needs of the department.

Department Chairs

      Department Chairs are in charge of managing the day-to-day operation of the department and report directly to the Provost. The Provost appoints the Department Chair after consultation with all members of the department. Appointments are normally for a four-year term, which can be reviewed effective July 1. Departmental affairs are administered by the Department Chair, who works in concert with the teaching personnel of the department. The duties of Department Chairs include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. To make decisions and recommendations on courses to be offered within the department and teaching schedules; insure that content of the courses fulfill general education course requirements in the College; ensure that course syllabi contain all the required sections, especially the course schedule and that it meets credit hour compliance; revise the departmental curriculum and create new courses that are submitted for the approval by the Curriculum Committee; coordinate teaching and testing for multi-section courses; determine personnel requirements of the department; and determine teaching materials, technology, classroom and laboratory equipment needs for the department.
2. To provide leadership in the department. This includes keeping abreast of current scholarship and movements in the field and encouraging the department members to continually examine the appropriateness of its educational goals and the relevancy of the program of studies required for the major. It also includes, but is not limited to, promoting excellence in teaching, research and service; being a key communication link between departmental faculty and the administration; monitoring student affairs; taking the initiative on short-term and long-term planning; and building strong relationships with departmental members and other departments and leaders across campus.
3. To hold regular department meetings and send copies of the minutes to apprise the Provost about the decisions reached in these meetings.
4. Submit the semester schedule of classes as requested by the Registrar. In doing this, the chair should consult with other departments, especially where requirements and/or cross registration necessitate careful articulation of scheduling times.
5. To see that service courses meet the needs of the general student body, not just departmental majors.
6. To consult with the Provost concerning any changes in staffing, request for additional full-time, part-time, or adjunct faculty; and problems related to department personnel. Official requests for new faculty positions must be submitted to the Curriculum Committee for their recommendation by April 1^st of the academic year prior to when the search and hire for the requested new faculty would occur.
7. To participate in searches for new faculty in the department as outlined under the "Faculty Searches" section of this Handbook.
8. To see that majors are making normal progress towards graduation and are meeting the general education requirements in a timely fashion.
9. To review the curriculum with the members of the department and is responsible for overseeing the updating of their section of the catalog in a timely manner.
10.  To keep abreast of relevant developments in the field.
11.  To review and administer the expenditure of the approved budget.
12. To encourage qualified faculty to seek promotion and to recommend them to the chair of the Rank and Tenure Committee by December 30.
13. Assessment of the department. This may be delegated to a program review manager but the department chair is ultimately responsible for this.
14. To guide department faculty in development and review of their Faculty Annual Report (FAR).
15. To annually submit to the Provost a written evaluation of each member of the department. New faculty are to be evaluated in each of their first three semesters of employment with the College. The chair will discuss the evaluation with the individual faculty member, both will sign it, and a copy will be given to the faculty member before it is submitted to the Provost. Copies of this evaluation will be provided to the Rank and Tenure Committee and it will be used in making recommendations regarding reappointment, tenure, and promotion. This evaluation will include, but is not limited to the following:
    
    a. Teaching effectiveness and competency (Student evaluations, classroom observation, as well as written and verbal comments from students and colleagues may assist the chair in making this assessment.).
    
    b. Contribution to the department.
    
    c. Contribution to the life of the College in so far as the chair is able to observe.
    
    d. Efforts made towards professional development (includes attendance at professional meetings, presentations, published scholarship, and grants sought and/or received).
    
    e. Contribution to the development of Benedictine College’s Discovery College initiative.

16.  To perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Provost.

School of Education Unit Head Role and Responsibilities

The chair of the School of Education also serves as Unit Head pursuant to the requirements of accrediting agencies including the Kansas State Board of Education (KSBE). The Unit Head oversees program, personnel, and budget decisions that affect any approved program for the preparation of PreK–12 teachers and administrators. The Unit Head chairs any search for new personnel in the School of Education. As a member of the Dean’s Council and the Graduate Studies Committee, the Unit Head reviews and approves any proposed changes to program requirements that impact approved licensure programs.

Department Assessments

Each department must have an approved program assessment plan on file with the Assessment Committee for each program. For a plan of assessment activities to be effective and useful, it needs to be developed based on the needs of the program. A good assessment plan helps programs collect important data on student attainment, leading to curriculum improvement.

Departments establish program outcomes for majors that are addressed through student learning goals and processes. Program assessment plans need to include both direct and indirect measures, a timeline for collecting data, success criteria, and other information as called for by the assessment organizer template of the Assessment Committee.

Meeting Times

The Tuesday 3:50-5:05 p.m. time period is reserved for meetings. No other academic activities, such as exams or study sessions, are to be scheduled at these times. Please see the Academic Calendar for specific meeting dates. The Academic Calendar can be found on Faculty Forum on Canvas and on the College Website under Academics > General Information.

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