The College Plan for the selection of Chairperson, along with the Timeline for the election process of Chairperson, is intended to keep the lines of communication open between faculty and administration as well as to safeguard the individual rights of all concerned.
Process for Selection of Chairperson
Under any of the following conditions, the Vice President of Academic Affairs or his/her designee shall declare to the appropriate Instructional Dean and to the RFP faculty of the department that the position of Department Chairperson is vacant. If a designee is appointed, the faculty of the department will be notified:
- When a Department Chairperson will have served for three full consecutive conventional academic years by July 1.
- When receipt of a recall petition is signed by 3/4 (75%) of the members of a department. (Rounding will be a round down.)
- When a chairperson is unable to complete the term.
- When a chairperson retires from residential status.
- When an interim chair completes the term.
Notification will be sent at the same time to all RFP faculty members of the departments undergoing chair elections. If the election is delayed, the RFP faculty members of the department should be so notified and the reason given. All notifications will be copied to the Faculty Senate President.
Timeline for the Election Process of Department Chairperson
The department may meet with the Vice President or his/her designee to establish earlier dates.
The Vice President will notify department members within five (5) working days of the vacancy.
- The self-nominating process will be officially opened.
- Nomination forms will be available in the Vice President's office for any residential faculty member.
Any residential faculty member of the department may self-nominate by returning, in person or by a notarized letter, the self-nomination form to the Vice President.
- Nominating forms are due within five (5) working days after notification.
- Within five (5) working days, the Vice President will announce to the department members the names of the candidates.
Each department is encouraged to conduct a forum wherein each candidate will present his/her goals and objectives as department chair. This forum will be held within ten (10) working days of the announced candidacy.
Ballots for the election will be distributed to the department members. Department members will return their ballots to the Vice President in person or by a notarized letter.
Voting will be completed within five (5) working days of the distribution of ballots.
- Within three (3) working days, the Vice President will notify all candidates of the election results prior to the results being made public. The numerical results of the ballot count will be available to any candidate at his/her request.
- Within five (5) working days, the President, or designee, will notify the department of the election results.
