Section 2: Governance
2.12 Departmental Structure
In addition to being members of the instructional faculty, faculty members, with few exceptions, are also members of academic departments. The administrative head of a department is the department chair. His or her administrative tasks are outlined in §1.7.1.2 of this Handbook.
2.12.1 Department Meetings Faculty attendance at department meetings is a professional obligation. Student representatives also have a specific role in these meetings, including voting on certain issues. Department meetings are convened and presided over by the department chair and are held according to a schedule established by the Dean and stated in the Summer Memo each year. Decisions affecting all members of a department are generally arrived at by vote.
2.12.2 Department Committees Where detailed work of the department is done by committees, those are usually appointed by the department chair.