COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES NEW CHAIRS AND DIRECTORS ORIENTATION DEAN VIRGINIA SAPIRO 8/28/2014 WHAT IS A DEPARTMENT CHAIR? CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

WHAT IS A DEPARTMENT CHAIR? Leader Manager Decision-maker and authority Bridge and liaison Communicator Educator Colleague Confidante CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Otherwise Stated …. Chief Academic Officer Chief Financial Officer Chief of Human Resources & Chief of Staff Chief Diversity Officer Chief of Communications Secretary of State Chief Morale Officer and Party Animal Pastor CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH? CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY Ask yourself before it’s too late!

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH? Move your department forward on its strategic plan CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH? Move your department forward on its strategic plan Support and enhance the excellence of the faculty  Facilitate great faculty recruitment.  Help junior faculty become successful scholars, teachers, and academic leaders.  Guide processes of tenure, promotion, merit review, awards  Help senior faculty continue to develop professionally, meet the highest professional stands, and be satisfied with their work lives.  Gather and apply the resources necessary to support quality teaching, research, and professional success. CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH? Move your department forward on its strategic plan Support and enhance the excellence of the faculty Enhance the quality and standing of your academic programs  Examine your degree programs, and curriculum, and student academic experience and make necessary improvements: What is the state of the art? What is possible here?  Realign the distribution of teaching & student support duties to match the needs of the curriculum and students.  Improve the quality of teaching and mentoring; expand the repertoire of pedagogies.  Seek collaboration with other programs/departments for mutual benefit CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH? Move your department forward on its strategic plan Support and enhance the excellence of the faculty Enhance the quality and standing of your academic programs Increase the quality and prominence of your research programs  Mentor the newest scholars and demand the highest standards  Support and encourage promising new research clusters and projects  Pursue publicity for research accomplishments  Seek ways to assist faculty who are not sufficiently research active or seek alternatives for them  Encourage collaboration with other programs/departments for mutual benefit CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH? Move your department forward on its strategic plan Support and enhance the excellence of the faculty Enhance the quality and standing of your academic programs Increase the quality and prominence of your research programs Transform the working climate of your department  Listen carefully for overlooked needs  Look at other models  Respect but don’t be barricaded by the past  Do the difficult internal work CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH? Move your department forward on its strategic plan Support and enhance the excellence of the faculty Enhance the quality and standing of your academic programs Increase the quality and prominence of your research programs Transform the working climate of your department Keep your personal goals in mind and use this as an opportunity for growth: learn, develop, make a difference CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS? CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS? Set goals, plan, and check your progress Examine alternative strategies Attend to the big picture and the critical details Seek intelligence from others with experience: colleagues, other chairs, administration, colleagues at other institutions, read! Know your resources. Respect but don’t be barricaded by the past Know your strengths and weaknesses and respect them. Demonstrate appropriate ethical, professional & personal qualities. Don’t be afraid to fail sometimes CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS? Understand how to work with the Dean and the Dean’s Office CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS? Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes it rains. Learn to let it go and move on. CAS BOSTON UNIVERSITY

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