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 mjaor, and identifying courses suitable for non-mjaors 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
For additional information, please visit the Chair's Manual and a list of current Department Chairs & Program Directors.