AA/PPS 01.02.10 - Role of the Academic Dean

POLICY STATEMENT

1. Academic deans are the chief executives of their colleges and academic officers of the university. To be effective, academic deans must operate within a university organizational structure that clearly communicates the fundamental importance of academic priorities and concerns. They are leaders in the formulation of appropriate departmental, college, and university policy and are responsible for the implementation of that policy. The academic deans meet as the Academic Affairs Council (as defined in AA/PPS No. 01.02.30, Academic Affairs Council) and have responsibility for leadership in matters of curriculum, instruction, research, scholarly and creative activities, service for the public good, resource allocation, shared governance, and academic planning and policy.

ROLE AND DUTIES OF ACADEMIC DEANS

1. The role and duties of academic deans are defined through a consideration of the responsibilities of deans at the university, division, and college levels. The following sections describe the general duties of academic deans, which may vary by the goals and scope of each college.

   1. University Responsibilities

      1. engaging and cooperating with other academic deans, the provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs (EVPAA), and other administrators to promote the goals and values of the university;

      2. participating in the development of academic standards and supporting those standards in all interactions with department chairs and school directors, faculty, students, staff, and other stakeholders;

      3. supporting the priorities of the university and helping to implement those priorities;

      4. representing their colleges to all other units within the university and to external constituents;

      5. reviewing and recommending revisions to all new and existing policies from other divisions that affect academic operations and practices; and

      6. accepting responsibility for administering all university policies and the shared governance climate of the university.

   2. Academic Affairs Division Responsibilities

      1. serving as members of the Academic Affairs Council, which functions as a part of the academic policy-making system in the division of Academic Affairs;

      2. reviewing and recommending revisions to all new and existing policies within the division of Academic Affairs;

      3. reviewing and recommending approval or disapproval of proposed academic programs, changes to academic programs, and other curricular matters;

      4. providing advice to the provost and EVPAA concerning academic budgets and budget priorities; and

      5. supporting the priorities of the division and helping to implement those priorities.

   3. College Level Responsibilities

      1. providing leadership for the strategic, academic, and administrative affairs of the college;

      2. overseeing the development and implementation of a strategic plan for the college that aligns with the mission, goals, and priorities of the university;

      3. recruiting, developing, and retaining qualified faculty to enhance the college’s contributions in teaching, research, scholarly and creative activities, and service, including recommendation of appointment type, salary, annual performance evaluation, graduate faculty status, workload, tenure and promotion, and merit raises;

      4. recruiting, developing, and retaining qualified staff to enhance the college’s contributions and maintain effective support and administrative services in the college;

      5. fostering an innovative, collaborative, and productive environment that values and leverages all perspectives to attract and retain faculty, staff, and students;

      6. recommending, approving, and supervising curricular and academic program development and implementation, including the appropriate balance of students in undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs;

      7. facilitating the development and implementation of teaching excellence, services, and initiatives to support student success, including oversight of the college academic advising center and certification of undergraduate candidates for graduation;

      8. advancing an active research, scholarly, and creative culture for the college through administrative support, faculty workload and performance expectations, and compliance and integrity standards;

      9. serving as chief fiscal agent and steward of the college’s resources by reviewing and authorizing annual budgets, resource allocation, expenditures, and budget priorities;

      10. overseeing academic program review, assessment, and other processes for quality and continuous improvement in the college, including accreditations for academic programs within the college and the university;

      11. building and strengthening relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support the college’s strategic goals; and

      12. planning, in cooperation with the division of Finance and Support Services, all new and renovated facilities within their colleges.

REVIEWERS OF THIS PPS

1. Reviewer of this PPS includes the following:

   Position	Date
   Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs	November 1 E5Y

CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

This PPS has been approved by the following individual in their official capacity and represents Texas State Academic Affairs policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs; senior reviewer of this PPS