Departmental Roles and Responsibilities

The information below is accurate but not comprehensive. This section is under review, and descriptions for the DGS and DUGS will be completed during AY19-20.

Department Chair

1. Facilitate department mission and priorities by creating a culture and practices that support faculty and staff members’ research, teaching, and outreach efforts.

2. Communicate and partner with internal and external entities to develop and share departmental vision, successes, needs, opportunities, and challenges.

3. Foster staff and faculty contributions to OLPD through promoting professional development opportunities and conducting personnel reviews.

Associate Chair

1. Facilitate departmental mission and priorities by supporting the Chair in efforts to create a culture and practices that support faculty and staff members’ research, teaching, and outreach efforts.

2. Assist with strategic planning and implementation as requested by Chair.

3. Represent the department at university functions as requested.

4. Facilitate strategic partnerships as agreed upon.

Director of Graduate Studies (DGS)

Director of Undergraduate Graduate Studies (DUGS)

Expectations Related to Program Development for All Faculty

• Meet with prospective students as requested

• Collaborate on program development/revision

• Foster excellent teaching and advising relationships

• Represent the program, department, and university at scholarly conferences

• Participate in the development of a program/department community

• Attend department and committee meetings

Roles of Graduate Program Coordinators

Some of these are clearly the responsibility of the Coordinator her/himself, while others can more appropriately be assigned to a graduate assistant or to other area faculty.

Facilitating Outstanding Research

• Facilitate ongoing support of and communication about research conducted by faculty and students in the program area.

• Support colleagues, and particularly junior colleagues, in developing a substantial research agenda.

• Facilitate forums through which to share the program’s research with others.

• Promote connections between scholars in one’s program area and others at the University, in the community, or in the field.

Facilitating Student Recruitment

• Review and ensure accuracy of handbook, website, and other information guiding students’ experiences

• With Coordinator of Graduate Studies (CGS), respond to ongoing communication requests from prospective students

• Facilitate student recruitment in coordination with departmental and college resources

• Facilitate review of prospective student applications

• Work with DGS to prepare nomination letters for fellowships

• With CGS, negotiate and assign all assistantships

Facilitating Excellent Student Experiences

• Participate in orientation at beginning of each academic year

• Create a responsive and proactive plan for development of the program that incorporates all significant student milestones, (inter)disciplinary changes, and department/program mission

• Communicate about student experiences with students, colleagues, Director/Coordinator of Graduate Studies and Chair

• Schedule classes (collaboratively, with Julie Bishop-Hogan’s assistance)

• Help to coordinate the preliminary examinations, ensuring that students have information to assist them in their processes, and ensure CGS has what s/he needs to facilitate those exams

• Select students to attend key graduate student meetings (e.g., ASHE policy seminar)

• Respond to all issues related to course substitutions and exceptions

• Recruit and support all affiliate and adjunct instructors

• Consider how relationships with alumni and external partners can enhance student experiences

Facilitating Program Innovation and Recognition

• Facilitate area meetings as needed, at least twice a semester.

• Foster external communication, including on Web pages and bulletin boards

• Nominate students and faculty for awards

• Partner with colleagues in and outside of department to incorporate new developments and foster innovation related to the area

• Craft and articulate a clear identity for the program area, articulated in a position statement, mission, or listing of core strengths/priorities