University Policies

File code: PRO.ACADEANS.POL
Approval Date: 5/8/06 (Rev.)
Approved By: President

Faculty Policies - Academic Deans

Terms of Appointment and Process of Review

Academic Deans must possess both the terminal degree appropriate to the position and the rank of full professor prior to their appointment. Deans are employed by the Western Illinois University Board of Trustees and serve at the pleasure of the President. The Deans are responsible to the President and the Provost/Academic Vice President and serve for an initial five-year period, with the probability of a five-year renewal and extensions beyond that point of service determined by the President.

An annual year-end review of the Deans will be conducted by the Provost/Academic Vice President to identify successes and areas of improvement with respect to the goals established by the Dean and Provost/Academic Vice President at the beginning of the year.

Formal review of the Deans shall occur at least every four years. In the case of newly-appointed Deans, a review will be conducted at the end of the second year in office. The review process will be initiated by the Provost/Academic Vice President and President. Initially, each college or library dean review committee shall develop policies and procedures (see "Development of Policies and Procedures for Review of Deans" below) which will establish precedent. There will be a set of policies and procedures for a (formal) four-year review as well as for a review after the second year in office The two-year review will utilize, as appropriate, the policies and procedures of the four-year review; however, it will not be expected to encompass the depth and data collection of the full four-year review. At the beginning of the review process, the committee will reaffirm with the Dean the goals and objectives which the Dean and the College/Academic Unit have pursued during the period of evaluation.

A review process can also be activated by a petition signed by at least twenty percent of the supervised personnel (faculty and civil service). Such a review, however, would affect only the time for review and not the procedures already established.

Duties and Responsibilities

Academic Deans are the chief executive officers of their administrative units and are responsible to the Provost/Academic Vice President and the President of the University for the administration of their administrative units. In consultation with representative faculty committees, Deans are responsible for carrying out the educational policies of the respective units. They shall represent their administrative units on standing and ad hoc administrative committees in the central administration and University.

The duties and responsibilities of Deans shall include the following as appropriate:

  • Review the internal policies of the administrative unit and insure that they are in accord with provisions found in the University and Western Illinois University Board of Trustees policies.
  • Review the mission and goals of the administrative unit to insure that they are in accord with those of the University.
  • Represent the administrative unit on standing and ad hoc administrative committees in the central administration and University.
  • Coordinate the activities of the Assistant and Associate Deans, department heads, directors and/or chairpersons relating to the development and growth of the administrative unit and its departments.
  • Initiate departmental and chairperson reviews.
  • Encourage and evaluate new developments and disciplines for potential professional improvement.
  • Develop and administer the administrative unit budget.
  • Encourage and support college, school, or library development and curricular growth.
  • Assist in programs for the recruitment and retention of students.
  • Stimulate the improvement of instructional quality and innovation.
  • Disseminate available information for grants and instructional improvement and material acquisition.
  • Receive, review, and approve or disapprove recommendations on promotions, tenure, salary adjustments, evaluations of faculty for retention and nonretention, and other related matters.
  • Oversee the recruitment of new faculty and civil service personnel in consultation with the appropriate departmental, college, school, or library committees.
  • Administer the collective bargaining agreement, as appropriate.
  • Promote professional development of the faculty and staff through grants or reassigned time in consultation with the appropriate college, school, or library committees.
  • Insure adequate orientation of new chairpersons, faculty, and staff in policies and procedures of the college/academic unit and University.
  • Assist in procuring grants in consultation with departments and appropriate college, school, or library committees.
  • Undertake fundraising, development, and promotional activities.
  • Teach and engage in scholarly activities as appropriate.
  • Develop a climate for good faculty and staff morale.

Development of Policies and Procedures for Review of Deans

In the case of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Technology, the College of Education and Human Services, and the College of Fine Arts and Communication, the Provost/Academic Vice President shall meet with the Faculty Senate members from each college to decide how many Senators will serve. The review committee will develop (if not in place) policies and procedures governing the review process for that college or utilize/examine previous policies and procedures governing the review process for that college. The committee shall include Faculty Senate members from that college, one chairperson in the college, and one civil service employee in the college. Chairs from that college will provide their representative and CSEC will provide their representative from that college. At the discretion of the Provost/Academic Vice President, others may be added to the committee, but the overall composition should be reflective of the composition of the college. In establishing or amending policies and procedures, the committee shall consult with constituent groups in the college; the policies and procedures must be acceptable to the Provost/Academic Vice President.

Similarly, in the case of the University Libraries, policies and procedures governing the review process shall be established/reviewed by a committee created by the Provost/Academic Vice President, in consultation with the faculty and staff in the University Libraries; the policies and procedures must be acceptable to the Provost/Academic Vice President. It shall consist of three library faculty elected by the library faculty and two library civil service employees (provided by CSEC); others may be added at the discretion of the Provost/Academic Vice President.