Policy on Administrative Assignments and Compensation

I. Principles

A. Purpose of the Policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for the establishment of equitable workload and compensation for administrators at the department and program levels within the College.  Not all administrative tasks assumed by faculty within a department or program require specific compensation of time or money.  However, when the administrative tasks associated with the position are significant, then clear workload expectations and appropriate compensation should be defined.  The guiding principle of the policy is that workload expectations and compensation should be clearly defined and equitable.

B. Documentation

Each department and program should maintain written documentation for all compensated administrative positions.  For interdisciplinary administrative positions, the College is responsible for developing documentation.  The documentation should include:

1. Description of the job duties
2. Description of the compensation
3. When a single individual occupies two or more administrative positions, the specific job tasks and compensation assigned to each position should be detailed in separate descriptions of job duties and compensation.
4. A justification for job duties and/or compensation that either exceed or do not meet the guidelines outlined in this policy.

II. Compensation

A. Formal compensation for administrative work may be provided through released time from teaching and/or a stipend.

1. Released time from teaching is intended to compensate faculty for the time required to complete their administrative work during the regular school year.  There should be a general equivalency between the time required to complete the tasks assigned to the position and the released time from teaching.  Tenure-track faculty appointed to administrative positions may have reduced expectations for research in addition to or in lieu of receiving released time from teaching.

2. A stipend is intended to compensate faculty on a nine-month contract for their work during the summer.  The amount of the stipend is defined by the nature of the tasks performed in the administrative position, and not by the faculty member’s base salary.  There is thus an equivalency across compensation for work performed and time required to complete tasks assigned to the position, regardless of faculty rank and salary.

III. Compensation Guiding Principles

Three key variables should be used to determine the appropriate compensation.

A. Department Category

Departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may be broadly classified within three categories, defined by the complexity of the department structure, number of curricular programs offered, and number of students served.  Compensation typically increases in relation to the number of students, curricular programs and faculty being served by the administrator.

1. Category 1: These departments usually offer a single undergraduate major serving 45-100 undergraduate majors, and a masters and/or graduate certificate program with approximately 20 students.  They often participate in an interdisciplinary doctoral program but do not administer one within the department.  They usually have a full-time faculty of 15 or fewer.

2. Category 2: These departments usually offer a single undergraduate major serving 100-500 undergraduate majors, and a masters and/or graduate certificate program with 20-50 students.  They often participate in an interdisciplinary doctoral program but do not administer one within the department.  They usually have a full-time faculty of 15-35.

3. Category 3: These departments usually serve a large number of undergraduate students, either by offering a single undergraduate major or multiple undergraduate majors within the department.  They usually offer multiple graduate programs, and often support a doctoral program within the department.  They usually have a full-time faculty of 25 to 60.

B.  Supporting Administrative Positions

While the broad job function of an administrative position should be consistent across units, the specific tasks assigned to an administrative position in any particular department will vary in part based on the kinds of other administrative and staff positions that have been established within the department.

C. Unique Job Responsibilities

Some administrative positions carry very unique job responsibilities.  Appropriate compensation for these responsibilities will need to be considered on a case-by-case basis and, if the compensation falls outside the specified range, should be articulated in I.B.4.

IV. Administrative Positions, General Job Descriptions and Compensation Ranges

A. Department Chair

1. Job Description

Administers budget, personnel, and curriculum in a department and supervises staff.  Represents the department to internal and external constituencies.  Oversees program assessments, prepares the annual report and manages other reporting processes as needed.

2. Compensation

Compensation will vary depending upon whether the chair is appointed with a twelve month contract or a partial year contract plus stipend.  All chairs have equivalent duties, regardless of department category.  The level of administrative support provided to a department chair typically varies by departmental category.  The total compensation, benchmarked to other CLAS chairs, is considered when determining salary and stipend.  

Department chairs are typically provided two to three courses released time each year.

B.  Associate Chair

1. Job Description

Complements the department chair by assuming key duties regarding budget, personnel and/or curriculum.  Responsibilities often include supervising part-time faculty, undergraduate curriculum and course scheduling.  Represents the department chair in his/her absence.

2. Compensation Range

Category 1:

• departments do not typically have an Associate Chair

Category 2:

• Stipend: $4,000 to $6,000
• Released Time: 2 courses per year

Category 3:

• Stipend: $5,000 to $7,000
• Released Time: 2 courses per year

C. Graduate Program Director

1. Job Description 

Develops graduate program curricula and directs graduate degree programs offered by the department.  Chairs the graduate committee.  Oversees the development of new courses and program revisions, evaluation of applications to the programs, appointment of graduate faculty, and assessment of the graduate program.  Oversees recruitment of students to the program and coordinates advising for all graduate students.  Oversees the appointment, orientation and supervision of graduate assistants.  Works with graduate student organizations in the department and represents the graduate program in a variety of contexts on campus.

2. Compensation

Will usually vary depending on the level (certificate, masters, doctoral) of the program.

Category 1:

• Stipend: $2,500 to $4,000
• Released Time: 1 course per year

Category 2:

• Stipend: $4,000 to $6,000
• Released Time: 1 course to 2 courses per year

Category 3:

• Stipend: $5,000 to $7,000
• Released Time: 1 course to 2 courses per year

Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduate Program Director

• Stipend: $5,000 to $10,000 per year
• Released Time: 1 course to 2 courses per year

D. Associate Graduate Program Director

1. Job Description

Assists Graduate Program Director of an Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program.  Works with internal responsibilities of course scheduling, graduate assistant supervision, administration of student policies, and program assessment.

2. Compensation

• 1. Stipend: $4,000
• 2. Released Time: 1 to 2 courses per year

E. Undergraduate Coordinator

1. Job Description

Assists with the development and implementation of the undergraduate curriculum.  Assists the chair or associate chair in administering policies related to admission, enrollment, advising and graduation.  Works with chair or associate chair in drafting course schedule and managing enrollments.  Supervises the assessment of undergraduate student learning outcomes, and works closely with faculty and professional advisors.

Typically assists with recruiting and supports effective communication regarding the undergraduate program.

2. Compensation

Category 1:

• Stipend: $2,000 to $4,000
• Released Time: 1 course to 2 courses per year

Category 2:

• Stipend: $3,000 to $5,000
• Released Time: 1 course to 4 courses per year

Category 3:

• Stipend: $4,000 to $6,000
• Released time: 1 course to 4 courses per year

F. Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Program Director

1. Job description

Administers budget, personnel and curriculum of the program.  Develops an appropriate curriculum and organizes faculty support of the program.  Drafts the course schedule, manages enrollments, administers program policies and supervises the assessment of undergraduate student learning outcomes.  Develops annual budget proposal and manages the budget.  Recruits students and manages effective communications regarding the undergraduate program.  Prepares the annual report.

2. Compensation

• Stipend: $3,000 to $5,000
• Released Time: 1 course to 2 courses per year

G. Center Director

1. Job Description

Organizes the faculty in support of the program and the program’s mission.  Administers the budget, organizes and promotes events and programs, and raises funds to support center programming.  Oversees strategic planning and assessment for the center.  

2. Compensation

• Stipend: $3,000 to $6,000
• Released Time 1 course to 2 courses

H. Learning Center Director

1. Job Description

Administers learning center budget, hiring and assessment of tutors, and manages the center’s scheduling.  Responsible for short and long-term planning to ensure the center meets institutional goals regarding student learning.  Coordinates with units and programs across campus regarding curriculum and pedagogy related to the center’s mission.  

2. Compensation

• Stipend: $7,000
• Released Time: 4 courses per year

I. Research Center Director

1. Job Description

Administers center budget, personnel and facilities that provide specialized support for research.  Coordinates with units and individual faculty on research proposals and projects.  Stipend is often variable depending upon the center’s role and ability to participate in securing external funding for research.

2. Compensation

• Stipend: Negotiated
• Released time: 0 to 2 courses per year

J. Area Coordinator or Director

1. Job Description

Coordinates curriculum development, course scheduling, faculty orientation and assessment of a specific curricular area.

2. Compensation

• Stipend: $0 to $6,000
• Released Time: 2 courses to 3 courses per year

K.  Advising Coordinator

1. Job Description

Coordinates faculty advisors in a department or program area.  Administers student processes related to admission, enrollment, advising and graduation.  Develops advising materials and protocols and advises students.  Represents program at University outreach events. 

2. Compensation

• Stipend: 0$ to $6,000
• Released time: 1 course to 4 courses per year

Appendix: Listing of Departments

Category 1

• Department of Africana Studies
• Department of Anthropology
• Department of Global Studies
• Department of Philosophy
• Department of Religious Studies

Category 2

• Department of Communication Studies
• Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology
• Department of English
• Department of History
• Department of Languages and Culture Studies
• Department of Political Science and Public Administration
• Department of Sociology
• Department of Writing, Rhetoric and Digital Studies

Category 3

• Department of Biological Sciences
• Department of Chemistry
• Department of Geography and Earth Sciences
• Department of Mathematics and Statistics
• Department of Physics and Optical Science
• Department of Psychological Science