C.11 Duties and Responsibilities of Deans of Colleges

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  1. Backgrounds of Candidates for the Office of Dean

    Deans should hold the Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree, should be persons of high ranking qualifications and experience in one of the disciplines of the college, and should have had previous administrative experience on the level of department chair or above.

  2. Appointment, Tenure, and Evaluation of Deans

    The dean is appointed on the recommendation of the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs with the advice and consultation of the department chairs, and through them, the faculty of the college. The appointment is subject to the approval of the president acting under the authority of the Board of Trustees. Deans serve at the pleasure of the provost.

    The dean may be awarded tenure as a faculty member, but not as a dean. To be appointed dean, a candidate must be a tenured member of the faculty or eligible to receive tenure in the college.

    An annual evaluation of the dean's performance will be conducted by the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs in accordance with procedures the provost establishes in consultation with the dean and the chairs of the college.

  3. Selection of Deans

    Whenever a vacancy for a dean occurs or is about to occur, the provost will advise the department chairs of the college who will then elect a nominating committee of at least three but no more than five department chairs and at least three but no more than four full-time faculty members from the college. An additional at-large faculty member will be elected by the voting faculty of the College. The provost will appoint one or more representatives from outside the college to serve on the committee. No person will serve who wishes to be considered for the position. The members of the committee will devise and execute a recruitment plan for the position. The committee will recommend at least three candidates to the provost. The provost will approve visits for candidates.

    If the position of dean becomes vacant at a time when a regular replacement cannot be appointed, appointment of an acting dean is the prerogative of the president in consultation with the provost and the chairs of the college. Only under extraordinary circumstances should a deanship remain unfilled for more than one year. Continuance of an acting dean or an acting dean's replacement beyond that length of time should be confirmed after consultation with the provost and department chairs.

  4. Removal of Deans

    In cases of administrative failure a dean may be relieved of duties. Such action may be initiated through a written communication to the provost which must be endorsed by at least 50 percent of the full-time voting faculty of the college. Upon receipt of such communication, the provost will conduct an investigation, will communicate the outcome to the college, and will report them to the president for the University. The provost also may initiate steps to have a dean removed, as may the president. In all cases, the final determination regarding a dean's removal will rest with the president.

  5. Duties and Responsibilities of Deans

    1. General
      1. A Dean is a ranking administrator of an academic college within the University responsible to the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs for the total operation of the college.
      2. The Dean provides leadership in formulating and executing policies of the college to the benefit of students, faculty, and the University at large.
      3. It is the Dean's responsibility to act as the college's official spokesperson both inside and outside the University, to support the University's mission, and to carry out the decisions of the higher administration and the Board of Trustees.
      4. The Dean acts in concert with other University officials in order to strengthen the college’s overall effectiveness.
      5. The Dean is responsible for the internal evaluation of the effectiveness of the college's programs, policies, administration, faculty, and staff.
      6. The Dean, in consultation with the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, will strive to ensure that appropriate instructional materials and facilities are available.
    2. Specific Duties of the Dean
      1. Administration
        1. Chair all general meetings of the college faculty.
        2. Chair the Dean's Leadership Committee.
        3. Appoint, in consultation with the faculty, all standing and ad hoc committees of the college.
        4. Receive and act upon the recommendations of college committees.
        5. Delegate, where appropriate, other responsibilities to department faculty or staff.
        6. Serve as an ex-officio member on all college committees.
        7. Appoint, evaluate, and remove department chairs in accordance with Sections II and IV of Department Chair description.
        8. Lend support, direction, and supervision to department chairs, program coordinators, and directors within the college.
        9. Assist chairs and departments in accreditation processes, special studies, reports, and grant proposals.
        10. maintain college files and records.
        11. Prepare a report of goals and objectives and an annual schedule for their accomplishments.
        12. Monitor class scheduling and room assignments.
        13. Serve as a member of:
          • Provost Council.
          • Academic Planning Council.
      2. Planning
        1. Plan and assist in the planning of future directions and goals for the college.
        2. Develop and execute an outreach and engagement plan for the college in conjunction with the Associate Provost for Outreach and Engagement.
      3. Development
        1. Develop and maintain professional relationships with the educational, cultural, and civic community.
        2. Initiate programs to provide resources to ensure support for faculty creative activities and research.
        3. Seek sources of external funding for the college.
        4. Provide leadership to the research and public service commitments of the college.
        5. Support and promote economic development of southern Indiana.
      4. Curriculum
        1. Monitor the curricula and recommend curricular changes initiated by departments within the college.
        2. Recommend new curricula to meet changing commitments of the college.
      5. Faculty
        1. Encourage faculty involvement and interaction within the college through open discussion.
        2. Acknowledge the primary responsibility of the faculty in matters pertaining to teaching and scholarship and encourage broad-based governance within the college.
        3. Promote excellence in teaching, scholarship, research, and service.
        4. Encourage and promote faculty development.
        5. Make appropriate recommendations to the provost on appointments, reappointments, promotions, leaves of absence, dismissals, suspensions, salaries, and tenure of personnel.
        6. Monitor faculty workloads and recommend to provost special assignments of faculty.
      6. Students
        1. Coordinate, with the Registrar’s Office, Enrollment Management and Student Development, advising, orientation, registration, and pre-registration for the college.
        2. Support and encourage student retention and recruitment activities for the college.
      7. Communication
        1. Supervise revision of the University Bulletin for the college.
        2. Supervise the creation and production of all other college publications.
        3. Represent the college at appropriate meetings of learned and professional societies.
        4. Represent the college at appropriate events at the local, regional, state, and national levels.
      8. Budget
        1. In consultation with chairs, develop and administer the annual budget for the college.
        2. Utilize financial and material resources effectively and efficiently.