The goal of the organizational pattern of the Department of Chemistry is to include representatives of all affected groups in the decision-making process on policy matters. Matters of policy are discussed and recommended for action by various standing committees, ad hoc committees and special task force groups. These recommendations are then considered and voted upon at Departmental meetings which are held at approximately monthly intervals and are attended by all Department faculty members and elected graduate and undergraduate student representatives.
The Chemistry Department has four divisions: analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical. When possible faculty representation on standing committees and task force groups will be distributed among these four divisions. The Department Chair will appoint the chairpersons of the standing committees. Members of the standing committees will be appointed by the Department chair in consultation with the committee chair and ratified by the faculty at a Departmental meeting. The election of graduate student representatives is conducted by the Graduate Student Organization in the Fall semester of each year and the election of undergraduate students is carried out early in the Fall by Alpha Chi Sigma.
FLOWCHART
Chair and Chair Advisory Committee
(oversees and directs the following committees and groups)
|
Task Force Groups
(make policy recommendations)
|
Department
(sets policies)
|
Standing Committees
(implements approved policies)
The Chair is the chief administrative officer and principal spokesperson for the Department and is appointed by the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with concurrence of the Provost. The chair’s primary responsibility is to assist, coordinate and lead the faculty and staff in meeting the Department’s basic mission in teaching, research and service. The Chair serves as the representative of the Department to the Dean and other University administrators and has primary responsibility of working with the Dean and other administrators to obtain the resources necessary for the Department to perform its mission. At the same time, the chair has the responsibility of reporting the Dean’s decisions and actions concerning the Department and the College’s perspective as it relates to the faculty and students of the Department. Additionally, the Chair has the primary responsibility for annual merit salary evaluations of faculty and oversight of the evaluation of non-teaching staff, and for appointments to all standing committees and the associate chair positions. Finally, the chair serves as the Department’s leader in all activities in areas such as long range planning, curriculum development, faculty development, and resource identification and allocation.
The Associate Chairs assist the Chair in performance of the administrative duties assigned to the Chair and direct both the standing committees and task force groups appointed to special projects.
The Associate Chair for Graduate Programs serves as the coordinator, facilitator, and advocate for the graduate programs and related activities. In particular, he/she oversees the Graduate Affairs, Graduate Admissions and ad hoc Graduate Recruiting Committees. The Associate Chair will be responsible for coordinating activities concerning but not limited to reviews of the graduate program; review of graduate research space utilization; assessment of future needs for Department equipment; biannual review of graduate student academic progress; review of graduate student recruiting practices; and evaluation of special programs for training entering graduate students such as the University’s GTA training program. The Associate Chair organizes the first-year graduate student orientation program, coordinates the enrollment of graduate students and the efforts for recognition of graduate students through awards, fellowships, etc.
The Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs works with the Program Assistant on graduate affairs activities that are his/her responsibility, i.e., graduate class scheduling, GTA appointments, faculty and GTA evaluations, departmental proposals, etc.
The Associate Chair for Graduate Programs serves the position of acting chair in the absence of the Chair.
The Associate Chair for Undergraduate Affairs serves as coordinator, facilitator and advocate for the undergraduate programs and related activities. In particular, he/she oversees the activities of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee. The Associate Chair is responsible for coordinating activities concerning but not limited to review of undergraduate space utilization; review of the undergraduate curriculum; annual budget preparation for laboratory and classroom equipment proposals; review of the classroom and laboratory student evaluation instruments; planning and development of the honors curriculum; reviews of the BA/BS degree programs; the assessments of the general chemistry program; and review of undergraduate research activities, the capstone course for majors, and other programs and activities available to chemistry majors. The Associate Chair coordinates the Department's undergraduate advising procedures and efforts for recognition of undergraduates through awards, fellowships, etc.
The Associate Chair for Undergraduate Affairs works with the Program Assistant on undergraduate affairs activities that are his/her responsibility, i.e., undergraduate class scheduling, departmental proposals, student and faculty evaluation procedures, etc.
The Associate Chair for Undergraduate Programs serves as acting chair in the absence of both the Chair and Associate Chair for Graduate Programs.
A Business Manager reports to the Chair of the Department and is responsible for the administrative supervision of classified personnel in the support services and all support services (business office secretarial, maintenance shops, storerooms, special orders, paycheck distribution, appointments, keys, office supplies, textbooks for teaching assistants, detailed accounting associated with grant expenditures, inventory control, distilled water and liquid nitrogen production). The Business Manager and Director of Laboratories also serves as the Department’s Health and Environmental Safety Officer and chairs the Safety Advisory Committee. Safety issues are a joint responsibility of Safety Officer and each faculty member through his/her division coordinator.
The Program Assistant reports to the Chair of the Department and is responsible for the administrative supervision of the secretarial personnel, organizing and coordinating the selection activities and evaluations of the graduate teaching assistants, aiding in the planning, generation, and coordination of Departmental proposals; scheduling courses and rooms and overseeing enrollment; supervising the creation and maintenance of Departmental data bases; and coordinating the Department's communications with alumni and other interested constituents.
The Chemistry Faculty Assembly is the governing body of the Chemistry Department. It formulates the rules, regulations, and policies for conducting business in the Department using standing committees and special task force groups to initiate, review, and advise the Chair. The Chair or an Associate Chair preside and serve as parliamentarian at the monthly meetings. Meeting minutes are transcribed and distributed to the Faculty Assembly membership by the Program Assistant.
Standing committee chairs are appointed by the Chair of the Department and have input as to the composition of their committees. A chair plus at least two faculty members comprise a committee. Graduate students are appointed to the Undergraduate Affairs, Graduate Affairs, and ad hoc Recruiting Committee by the GSO. Responsibilities of the academic standing committees are outlined below.
a. Chair Advisory Committee— The Chair Advisory Committee is involved with broad policy issues and the long- and short-range planning concerns of the Department, using standing committees and special task force groups to formulate recommendations for consideration by the Department Faculty Assembly. The committee is comprised of Associate Chairs (ex officio), with a smaller group from the faculty as sitting members.
b. Undergraduate Affairs Committee — Implements approved Departmental undergraduate program policies. Takes final action on petitions and applications for admission to the Honors Program; acts as an appeal board on undergraduate student grievances; makes recommendations of undergraduate awards and scholarships.
c. Graduate Affairs Committee — Implements approved Departmental graduate program policies. Takes final action on petitions; acts as an appeal board on grievances; administers [FLORS and cumulative examinations]; conducts an academic progress evaluation of first year graduate students after each semester; evaluates teaching assistant performance; makes recommendations on all graduate students to the faculty at the end of each academic year; advises first-year graduate students; and evaluates nominations for graduate student awards.
d. Safety and Chemical Hygiene Committee — Administers the University and Departmental safety and chemical hygiene programs and regulations through a joint effort with division coordinators. Coordinates Departmental safety and chemical hygiene seminar programs each semester.
e. Graduate Admissions and ad hoc Recruiting Committees — Coordinates the Department's recruiting efforts for graduate students; organizes, reviews, and evaluates graduate student applications, organizes and participates in visits and interviews of graduate students and fellowship candidates. Recommends graduate student and fellowship applicants for final action by the Department Chair.
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