Chairs & Directors

The Chair is the chief administrative officer of the department. As such, the Chair is responsible for directing its instructional program and administrative operation. The Chair represents the department in discussions on academic and administrative matters with the administration of the College, other departments at Barnard, and with the counterpart department at Columbia. In consultation with the Provost, s/he directs the negotiations with candidates being considered for appointment in the department, insures that non-tenured and off-ladder faculty are reviewed for reappointment and promotion in a timely manner, and reviews all requests for leaves before they are forwarded to the Provost. The Chair also prepares the department’s annual instructional budget proposal, makes recommendations to the Provost on the salaries of its faculty, directs its curricular program, oversees relations between its students and faculty, and approves all research proposals submitted by its members, including external grant and fellowship applications.

The Department Chair is responsible to/for:

• convene department meetings for all full-time faculty members
• appointments and searches
• consult the Academic Code for details about the procedures for appointment, reappointment, non-renewal, leaves, resignation and retirement
• notify the Provost of the departments decision to pursue a tenure nomination for an eligible Assistant Professor
• project anticipated leaves in the department for the following two years
• plan the annual course offerings, in consultation with other members of the department. Considerations include, scheduling adequate number and range of courses required for the major, determining prerequisities required for the major, and identifying courses suitable for non-majors and for the general education requirements 
• coordinate faculty in the various steps necessary to develop and implement the program’s assessment plan
• create teaching assignments, in consultation with other members of the department
• update the course listings online, usually with the assistance of the department assistant or administrator
• ensure the departmental web pages are updated in a timely matter
• assume, facilitate, or delegate in the advising of their department's majors
• budget preparation
• Chair's Year-End Report for Personnel and Salary Reviews

The department chairs meet on a monthly basis with the Provost and Vice Provosts. Chairs are instrumental in creating the conditions that enable purposeful experimentation to improve teaching. Chairs should encourage members of their department to take on new tasks in pursuit of more open and inclusive undergraduate experiences.

Meeting Dates:
Wednesdays, 12:00-2:00 PM  

Fall 2020

• 9/9
• 9/30
• 11/4
• 12/2

Spring 2021

• 1/27
• 2/24
• 3/31
• 4/28

Department Chair's are responsible for new faculty searches. The first step in the process is to petition the FBPC for a search request. (Relevant forms can be found on the Forms & Guidelines page under "Search Petitions.") Upon the recommendation of the FBPC and Provost, the President decides whether a search may be initiated. If approval is given, the Provost notifies the Chair that planning for the search may begin.
 

After receiving authorization to conduct a search to fill a tenure track or a faculty term position of three or more years, the Department Chair or Program Director must consult with the Dean for Faculty Diversity and Development at various stages of the process as detailed in the Faculty Handbook. To facilitate the consultation, Chairs/Directors are asked to prepare a statement discussing the topics listed under each of the three phases of the search process and to email it to the Dean prior to scheduling the consultation meeting:

1. Planning for the Search

• Proposed Search Committee Members
• Plan to Recruit a Diverse Pool of Applicants
• Criteria for Candidate Selection
• Proposed Copy for Vacancy Announcement
• Publications for the Announcement
• Projected Budget for the Search
• Projected Timetable for the Search

2. Reviewing Applicants

• Rank Order of the 3-4 Candidates Selected for Campus Interviews and Statements Describing How Each Meets the Selection Criteria
• If None of the Top Candidates Fulfill the College’s Goals for Faculty Diversity, Identify and Discuss the Applicant with Strongest Qualifications

3. Selecting a Finalist

• Rank Order the Department’s Evaluation of the Interviewed Candidates and Discuss the Reasons for Your Ranking
• If The Department Is Declaring a Failed Search Explain Why.

Instead of developing a narrative with the above criteria, Chairs/Directors may complete the template available on the Forms & Guidelines.

Sample Search Timeline

• No later than March 1st  -- Submit request to FBPC for authorization to conduct search
• April-June -- After FBPC authorizes, submit search plan to Provost
• June-Sept -- After Provost approves search plan, begin active recruitment of a diverse pool, publish job ad in journals, list serves, etc., specifying deadline for applications (typically between Oct 1 and Nov 1).
• Oct-Nov -- Send acknowledgments to applicants. Convene search committee to review applications and develop 6-8 name short list; consult with Provost and Dean for Faculty Diversity and Development to arrive at finalist list; solicit further information on finalists.
• Dec-Feb -- Invite finalists, schedule campus visits, rank finalists after visits, and confer with Provost on making an offer.

The principal functions of an Academic Program Review (APR) are to (re)define the mission and objectives of the department/program, to assess program quality and effectiveness in relation to these goals and objectives, to generate plans for improvement, and to provide guidance for administrative decisions.

An APR includes an internal self-study and an external review by a visiting committee, resulting in the formulation of an academic plan for each department and program. Both the internal self-study and the external review focus on the intellectual vitality of the department or program as it manifests itself in teaching, scholarly or artistic activity, and contribution to the academic life of the College as a whole. 

Every program and department undergoes an APR under a staggered cycle, with two departments and one program being reviewed each year. That way, each department and program undergoes a full APR within a 10-12 year cycle. Additionally, each department and program will devote one extended faculty meeting every three years to an interim discussion which involves reviewing the APR and assessing and updating the data connected to it. Descriptive minutes of the extended department meeting and the updated data will be sent to the Provost as part of the chair’s annual report in those years when the three-year interim discussion takes place.

For more information about Academic Program Reviews, please see the Faculty Handbook.

The Department/Program Assistants and Administrators provide administrative and secretarial support to the Department and Program Chairs and Directors and are responsible for the day-to-day administrative operations of their department(s). 

Their responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Support the Chairs by preparing materials that are needed by Barnard administrators and the department, including catalogue information, appointment forms, tenure dossiers, documents for departmental searches and course evaluations.
• Assist the Chair with reconciliation of the department budget, bills and expense reports.
• Maintain files and supplies, update websites, respond to student inquiries and office support.
• Perform general office responsibilities such as photocopying, errands, mail distribution and answering the departmental phone.
• Other roles and responsibilities include preparing materials directly related to instruction; maintain classroom and office services; act as liaison with cognate departments at Columbia; and assist faculty with the planning, organizing and coordination of departmental meetings, symposia, workshops, roundtables and other events when required.

Questions about the Faculty Department Assistants and Administrators should be directed to Bobby O'Rourke in the Office of the Provost (ext. 4-9551, rorourke@barnard.edu).