Chairs’ Workshop JSM 2009 Vijay Nair University of Michigan [email protected] August 1, 2009 Topics – RL & VN Working with “Administration” Departmental Activities – Promoting collaborations – Engaging faculty.
Download ReportTranscript Chairs’ Workshop JSM 2009 Vijay Nair University of Michigan [email protected] August 1, 2009 Topics – RL & VN Working with “Administration” Departmental Activities – Promoting collaborations – Engaging faculty.
Chairs’ Workshop JSM 2009 Vijay Nair University of Michigan [email protected] August 1, 2009 Topics – RL & VN Working with “Administration” Departmental Activities – Promoting collaborations – Engaging faculty in department operations – Promoting and rewarding excellence – P & T and annual reviews – Faculty recruiting Setting priorities Budget models and managing budgets UM Background UM ~ 38,000 students (28 + 10) – Full service university – Stat, Biostat, ISR, B-school, Eng., … LSA (18K + grad students) – Stat part of Nat Sc (collaborations with Soc Sc) – One Dean, 3 area assoc deans, for budget + finance, & for ugrad + grad education (Rackham) – ~ 30 chairs and directors – Dean “controls” budget, etc. – Governance –elected ExCo – hiring, promotions, policy, … – Two meetings a semester – Deans + all C + D; – monthly meetings with Dean, Assoc Dean and NS chairs + directors Dept Background Started in 1969 About 18 FTE + 5-6 lecturers/teaching faculty 3 grad programs (Ph D, Applied Master’s, Dual degree masters) ~100 grad students ~ 55 TA positions Ugrad major (~25 grad per year) + 2 minors (about 90 students) Large service teaching (ugrad and grad) Joint courses with Biostat, Econ, IOE, Math New interdisciplinary ugrad concentration in Informatics VN chair for 11 years. Working with the Deans Type of college/school and the administrative structure Academic affairs, budget, research, … Who controls the $$ Develop personal relationship and trust; understand their personality; what works and what doesn’t; remember it’s not about you but the dept. Frequent e-mail contact, off-line one-on-one contact more effective than making cases in group settings, Understand Dean’s major agenda and see how department can fit in; get involved in (lead) key initiatives; Stats smaller discipline and can often be on the outside; Talk up the dept and faculty, make sure they know of achievements, nominate faculty for key internal committees, … First couple of years are key … find a mentor (senior chair) who you trust to bounce questions off … relationships with other departments are important Setting Priorities Task varies with state of the dept when you take over Engage faculty in developing long-term plan and priorities early on – retreat or other forum for internal planning some use consultants to facilitate discussion and develop consensus not for everyone Plan beforehand with informal discussions with key players Make sure junior faculty views are heard (separate junior faculty retreats) Take on only 2-3 major activities initially (focus your energy on a few and hopefully ones that you enjoy) VN experience 5-year plan and external reviews; make dept fully integrated into the college; interdisciplinary collaboration; exploit strength of UM Managing the Budget Different budget and funding models also vary with Deans and economic conditions VN experience “Begging” is part of the job! Get a really good Department Manager Don’t keep a surplus! Faculty Review Process at UM Statistics Annual reviews and discussion with chair and mentor 3-year review and feedback End of 5th year, P&T committee set up – chair and committee works with candidate to develop a casebook – includes CV, research teaching and service documentation -- names of external letter writers (number)? Dept selects from candidates list and own list – some in your area, others a bit more general, usually full prof’s – college committees looks for big names from top universities; Some internal letters P&T committee writes up evaluation. Candidate has opportunity to respond. Department level discussions and recommendation. Variation in exact process. To college-level review -- divisional review committee looks at research case -- college ExCo makes decision based on this review and overall case – Dean vs College ExCo Provost (usually pro forma) Negative decisions – dept vs college level; appeal?