OM 2.4.1 Appointment and Tenure of Department Chairs and Academic Program Directors Policy Statement
Appointment
Departmental chairs and academic program directors or equivalent are appointed by the Dean/Institute Director, after substantive consultation with all department faculty members and staff, with approval of the Provost or equivalent.
Initial appointments are to three-year terms and are eligible for re-appointment by the Dean upon evaluation of their performance. Terms normally start at the beginning of the Clarkson fiscal year. Department Chairs and academic program directors or equivalent will receive annual performance evaluations, with a comprehensive review at the end of a three-year term prior to renewal. The Dean/Institute Director may initiate additional review at any time during the term of service.
Standard Appointment Process
Chairs and academic program directors or equivalent may be recruited by the Dean/Institute Director from within the unit, from affiliate units, or through an external search approved by the Provost or equivalent. Appointment processes must follow the procedures below:
(1) Candidate statements: The Dean shall solicit statements from candidates outlining their qualifications, motivations, and vision for the future direction of the department or program. Preferably, these statements should be written (email, memo, or similar) but may be given verbally in a meeting and recorded in the minutes.
(2) Opportunity for Confidential Input: All faculty and staff in the department or program shall have the opportunity to submit confidential personal comments to the Dean.
(3) Advisory Ballot: A faculty ballot may be conducted by the current department executive officer or a designee. Results shall be shared with the department faculty and staff, the Dean, and the Office of the Provost or equivalent.
a. The ballot advisory to the Dean/Institute Director and Provost or equivalent.
b. Any faculty member may request that the ballot be conducted by secret vote.
c. Faculty may include anonymous comments regarding their vote or concerns about the process, submitted to the Dean/Institute Director or Provost or equivalent.
d. Candidate statements must be shared with department faculty at least one week prior to any ballot unless the faculty votes otherwise.
Provisional Appointments for New or Interdisciplinary Programs
In instances where a new academic program is being launched and no faculty currently exist within the program, or an academic program is jointly administered across multiple departments, then the Dean/Institute Director may make a provisional appointment of a department Chair or academic Program Director or equivalent of no more than 12 months while abiding by Standard Appointment Process outlines above. A provisional appointment will remain in effect until all program applications have been approved. This is intended to ensure that the program can adhere to requirements associated with launching new programs (ex - NYSED).
A provisional appointment is intended to quickly supply support to a newly launched program. A provisional appointment shall last no longer than 12 months. At that point, or at any point prior, there must be a mandatory formal search process for the new position of Chair/Program Director or equivalent conducted in accordance with OM 3.1.17 Recruitment and Selection Process.
Mandatory Formal Search Requirements Following Provisional Appointment
When a required formal search is triggered (including following a provisional appointment), the process shall include:
(1) A formal posting of the position.
(2) A documented search process, conducted by the Dean/Institute Director or a designated search committee and substantive consultation with all faculty and staff impacted by the program. Following best practices, the search committee should be composed of constituents (e.g., faculty and staff) who will be within the program, individuals from units impacted by the program, as well as individuals outside of the program, including somebody outside of the home School (or equivalent unit if the program is not started in a school).
(3) Advertising of the position, which must exceed a PeopleSoft posting and include at minimum distribution through internal Announcements and other appropriate internal or external venues consistent with OM 3.1.17.
These requirements apply to all searches, including internal, affiliate, and external recruitment processes.
Term of Office
Department chairs and academic program directors or equivalent (as defined in OM 2.4.0.B) are appointed for three-year terms and are eligible for reappointment. Generally, no more than two additional 3-year terms should be served, though the Dean/Institute Director may appoint a Chair/Program Director or equivalent to additional terms in exceptional circumstances.
Before reappointments, evaluations of performance shall be obtained from the program or department faculty and staff, as well as from relevant administrative officers and faculty members.
The department Chair/Program Director or equivalent may resign prior to the end of the term. If the Dean/Institute Director seeks removal of the Chair/Program Director or equivalent, the case must be referred to a representative faculty review committee before action is taken. The committee's written findings shall be provided to the Dean/Institute Director and the Provost or equivalent. The Provost or equivalent holds ultimate authority over removal decisions.
Period of Duty
The department Chair/Program Director or equivalent is appointed based on the academic year schedule, consistent with full time faculty appointments. Responsibilities of the position are defined in OM 2.4.0, unless alternatives are documented in writing by the appropriate Dean.
Department chairs may undertake summer assignments with or without additional remuneration, consistent with established University policies.
History
November 1986
Revised February 1972
December 1986
July 1987
July 1996
Revised December 2019
February 2021
November 2023
AprilMarch 2026