APR 1 – revision history
APR1 was presented to the Provost Council on Wednesday, 01 April 2015, for review and comment. The following feedback was received:
1) Dean Starnes suggested that APR1 be presented and reviewed at the Department Heads Workshop on 16 April. Associate Provost Schwab created 15 minutes in the agenda for Associate Dean Kloeppel, as a representative of the Graduate Council, to answer questions and receive feedback from Department Heads.
2) Dean Carpenter wanted to present and discuss the current version of APR1 with his Department Heads for comment and input.
3) Dean Parker suggested that Department Heads comment on the suggestion of the Graduate School providing data and feedback to the Department Heads on Program Director activities and involvement for inclusion and formative feedback in Program Director AFE or Annual Review documents.
4) Assistant Vice Chancellor Metz suggested that Graduate Program Directors be held responsible for their Graduate Programs’ learning outcomes and the assessment of students’ performance in achieving these outcomes.
APR1 was presented at the Department Heads Workshop on 16 April 2015 for review and comment. The following feedback was received:
1) Department Heads were specifically asked to comment on the suggestion that the Graduate School provide a summary of program recruiting, application, and engagement activity to the Program Directors and their Department Heads each academic year. This suggestion was made so that summaries could be included as part of Faculty AFE activity to their Department Head. Feedback was received from three Department Heads and all were positive on this suggestion: Cindy Atterholt (Chemistry), Dale Brotherton (Human Services), and Gael Graham (History).
July 2015 - Revised Graduate Program Director Guidelines included as ‘Part I’ in APR 1; ‘Part II’ includes existing APR 1 language for undergraduate program directors. Part II revisions include updated reference to Curriculog under Curriculum Oversight and elimination of language about graduate student recruitment under Student Recruitment and Retention.
Aug 2015 – Revisions from DHW/Associate Deans Council
28 October 2015 – Revisions endorsed by Faculty Senate
APR 1
Academic Program Director Guidelines 1
Revised 28 October 2015
Part I: Roles and Responsibilities of a Graduate Program Director*
*For purposes of this document, ‘Graduate Program Director’ also includes those individuals designated as “Graduate Program Coordinator.”
Faculty members who are Graduate Program Directors have responsibility for the coordination and oversight of a graduate degree program for a 12-month period. Although the Department Head and Dean may identify a variety of responsibilities for Program Directors, typical responsibilities include:
Program Leadership. The Graduate Program Director is responsible for providing overall leadership for the graduate program and students, which may include: conducting periodic meetings of faculty to discuss programmatic issues; ensuring the flow of critical information between the department, school/college, Graduate School, and all program faculty; managing enrollment including recruiting, facilitating application review and admission, student advising, and graduation processing.
Curriculum Oversight. The Graduate Program Director should guide the graduate curriculum in consultation with the program’s graduate faculty and Department Head. This may include modifications to the curriculum, which may include: submission of course/program modifications via Curriculog, course sequencing, and development and maintenance of the program’s curriculum guide.
Recruitment. The Graduate Program Director is responsible for program recruitment and public relations strategies and activities, in conjunction with graduate faculty and, where appropriate, the Graduate School.
Program Planning & Evaluation. The Graduate Program Director is responsible for all program planning and evaluation activities, which may include: coordinating program goals and strategies from the department strategic plan, developing and revising graduate program learning outcomes, and assessing graduate student performance in achieving these program learning outcomes including submission of the 5-year Program Assessment Plan and the annual Assessment Report; oversight of periodic program review including development and submission of the Program Portfolio and Program Development Plan; and when applicable, oversight of programmatic accreditation.
1 Revisions approved by Council of Deans on August 22, 2006; revised April 2007; July 2015; October 2015.
Admissions. The Graduate Program Director is responsible for admissions decisions, which includes managing Apply Yourself (AY) prospects, applications, and serving as a liaison with the Graduate School in admissions processing and procedures; maintaining current and correct Graduate Catalog information regarding admissions requirements via Curriculog.
Outreach. The Graduate Program Director is responsible for representing the graduate program’s interests in both internal and external endeavors, which may include: coordinating program advisory boards; serving as a liaison between the program and other campus constituencies; and participating in community events in which the program is represented.
Qualifications and Work Load of Program Directors:
Ideally, a Graduate Program Director should be a tenured faculty member with the rank of Associate Professor or Professor in the content area with a record of teaching graduate courses. It is recommended that untenured faculty who serve as Graduate Program Director, clarify with their departments the extent to which Graduate Program Director duties count toward tenure and promotion as well as their faculty work load. Departments are encouraged to delineate the weight of Graduate Program Director duties in their DCRD or in written agreements with Graduate Program Director. Prior to the appointment of an untenured Graduate Program Director, the Department Head must receive written approval from the college Dean in consultation with the Dean of the Graduate School.
Compensation for Graduate Program Directors:
Graduate Program Directors should receive compensation appropriate to the work load of their directorial duties. When the program size and duties are sufficient to support it, work load redistribution should be considered. Because of the nature of graduate studies, admissions, advising, and graduation, program responsibilities carry through the summer term. Therefore, Graduate Program Directors with a 9-month contract should be compensated appropriately for their work and responsibilities through the summer term. Graduate Program Director compensation will be determined by the Department Head with the approval of the college Dean.
Graduate Program Director Compensation Options:
The following represent some possible compensatory means that might be included in a written agreement between the Graduate Program Director and Department Head or Academic Dean.
· Work load redistribution (teaching load and/or service reduction – not a reduction in scholarly activity).
· Salary increase for the duration of service
· Stipend (summer or academic year)
· Designated administrative support
· Travel and professional development funding
· Other rewards that appropriately compensate Graduate Program duties
Supervision and Authority to Department Head:
Generally, the Graduate Program Director’s department head supervises and evaluates the position of the Graduate Program Director. Program directors should be mindful of the authority granted to the Department Heads by the Faculty Handbook and other University policies; actions of the Program Director such as curriculum assessment, graduate assistantship requests, curriculum changes/proposal, etc. should be submitted through the Department Head.
The Department Head should consult with the departmental faculty and Graduate School Dean annually to conduct an evaluation of the Graduate Program Director’s performance of responsibilities. The Graduate School will provide an annual data summary to the Program Director and Department Head to utilize when evaluating the Program Director. This will include the number of prospects to the program, the number of applications to the program, the current enrollment of the program, and the number of consultations with Graduate School staff and leaders. These evaluations can be incorporated into the Program Director’s AFE and shared with the College Dean. In addition, the release time and compensation for each Program Director should be reviewed annually by the Department Head or Dean as appropriate.
Term of Service:
Graduate Program Directors serve at the will of the Department Head or Dean as appropriate. Graduate Program Directors ideally should serve for a minimum of three years.
Part II: Roles and Responsibilities of an Undergraduate Academic Program Director 2
Academic program directors are faculty members who have been assigned responsibility for the coordination and oversight of a degree program. Although the department head and dean may identify a variety of responsibilities for program directors 3, typical responsibilities include:
Program Leadership. The program director is responsible for providing overall leadership for the program and its faculty, which may include: conducting periodic meetings of faculty to discuss programmatic and departmental issues; ensuring the flow of critical information between the department or school/college and all program faculty; and soliciting and submitting program budget requests to the department head.
Curriculum Oversight. The program director is responsible for all modifications to the curriculum, which may include: submission of course/program modification via Curriculog; course sequencing and scheduling; and development and maintenance of the program’s curriculum guide.
Faculty Recruitment, Load, and, when Appropriate, Evaluation. The program director, in concert with the department head, is responsible for management of the program faculty, which may include: certifying and maintaining documentation related to faculty credentials; assigning courses, in concert with the department head, to achieve workload balance and to ensure adequate coverage for course offerings; conducting faculty searches; and when appropriate, providing feedback for tenure/promotion/rank decisions to department heads.
Program Planning & Evaluation. The program director is responsible for all program planning and evaluation activities, which may include: coordinating program goals and strategies from the departmental strategic plan; assessment of program learning outcomes including submission of the 5-year Program Assessment Plan and the annual Assessment Report; oversight of periodic program review including development and submission of the Program Portfolio and Program Development Plan; and when applicable, oversight of programmatic accreditation.
2 For purposes of this document, ‘program director’ also includes those individuals designated as ‘program coordinator.’
3 Please see additional roles and responsibilities for coordinators of professional education programs in specialty areas outlined in Appendices A and B.
Student Recruitment and Retention. The program director is responsible for developing and maintaining materials and processes that promote recruitment and retention, which may include: creating and updating promotional brochures/literature, program website, catalog copy and degree checklist; oversight of all program-affiliated student organizations and activities such as majors’ clubs, honor societies, recognition events, etc.
Outreach. The program director is responsible for representing the academic program’s interests in both internal and external endeavors, which may include: coordinating program advisory boards; serving as a liaison between the program and other campus constituencies; and participating in community events in which the program is represented.
Preferred Qualifications of Program Directors
All academic Program Directors should have a terminal degree and must be qualified to teach in the content area. Ideally, academic Program Directors should be senior-level faculty with rank of Associate Professor or Professor in the content area. Junior faculty with rank of Assistant Professor and full-time, non-tenure track faculty can be appointed Program Director, but these appointments should be exceptions. Prior to the appointment of a junior-level or non-tenure track faculty to position of academic Program Director, the appropriate Department Head must submit a written justification statement to the college Dean for approval.
Release Time 4 for Program Directors
When possible, department heads will attempt to accommodate the program director’s assignment through the service requirements of the faculty members’ load. However, when the program size and duties require additional time, the option of release time can be considered. The amount of work required for one, 3 credit course release should be equivalent to approximately ten hours per week. Program directors may be released by the department head with the approval of the dean from one class per semester, one class every other semester, or any combination of course release to accurately reflect the amount of work required for the position.
4 There are program coordinators who do not have oversight of a degree program. Any release time and compensation for these individuals should be negotiated by the department head with the dean and approved by the provost.
Program Director Compensation Guidelines 3
The following represent some possible compensatory means that might be included in a written agreement between the Undergraduate Program Director and Department Head or Academic Dean.
· Work load redistribution (teaching load and/or service reduction – not a reduction in scholarly activity).
· Salary increase for the duration of service
· Stipend (summer or academic year)
· Designated administrative support
· Travel and professional development funding
· Other rewards that appropriately compensate Undergraduate Program duties
Note:
1) Department Heads do not typically receive program director stipends unless they are also directing a distance learning program.
2) Program directors who are 12 month employees are not eligible for program director stipends.
3) Stipends for distance learning program directors of certificate areas vary according to duties assigned and size of program.
Relationship to Department Head
The department head supervises and evaluates the position of program director. Actions of the program director are submitted to/through the department head for action.
Program Director Evaluation
The department head shall consult with the departmental faculty annually to conduct an evaluation of the responsibilities of the program director. These evaluations will be incorporated into the program director’s AFE and shared with the dean. In the case of interdisciplinary programs, the supervising department head shall receive input on the program director’s performance from all department heads involved in the academic program. In addition, the release time and compensation for each program director should be reviewed annually by the department head or dean as appropriate.
Term
Program directors serve at the will of the department head or dean as appropriate. Program directors are expected to serve for a minimum of three years. Continuation from year to year is dependent upon successful performance evaluated by the departmental faculty through the AFE process and department head.
Appendix A
Coordinator of Professional Education Programs in Specialty Areas
Roles and responsibilities
1. Curriculum
Coordinate development of the curriculum in the specialty area so that it meets accreditation requirements: state, regional and national accreditation (SDPI, SACS, NCATE).