Chapter III
Administration of the University
Administration of the University
This chapter of the Faculty Handbook describes the procedures for the appointment of academic and other specified administrative personnel and lists those major administrative policies of the University which directly impinge on the faculty. Policies closely allied to curricular development, instructional procedures, personnel matters, faculty research, and other information will be found in Chapters IV through VIII.
The President
In addition to being chief governing officer concerned with the development of internal policies, the President is also the chief executive officer. As such, the President is concerned with the implementation and execution of both the internal policies of the University and those established by the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor. The principal administrative officers participate in the functions and procedures developed to enable the President to meet these responsibilities. In addition, the community served by the University is represented on the President's Advisory Board.
The President's Advisory Board
The President's Advisory Board is a group of persons who reside in the area from which the University draws its students. As specified in the Education Code, sections 89060-89066, the Board may have no fewer than seven nor more than 13 members, each appointed to a four-year term on a staggered schedule. The President appoints new members to the Board after consulting with continuing members. No more than three members may also be members of a school board or hold any salaried educational position. None may hold a salaried position with The California State University at the time of service on the Board.
The Advisory Board consults with and advises the President regarding the improvement and development of the University.
The Faculty and Students
Just as faculty members and students have a voice in the governance of the University by their involvement in the legislative functions of the Academic Senate, so, too, do they have a role in the administration of the University through their service on various standing and ad hoc committees of the Senate.
Advisory Committee to the Trustees' Committee for the Selection of the President (ACTCSP)
(Senate: 11/6/12; President: 11/26/12)
- The Chair of the Academic Senate and two faculty members will serve on the ACTCSP as called for in the California State University Board of Trustees policy adopted September 20-21, 2011. The faculty representatives will be elected by those members of the faculty granted the right to vote in university-wide elections by University policy (see policy on Voting Rights of Faculty for the list of eligible categories of voters).
- Nomination requires a statement, not exceeding 250 words, from the nominee describing why the candidate is well qualified to serve on the ACTCSP.
- Tenured and tenure-track faculty may self-nominate or may give written permission to be nominated by a faculty colleague. Only nominees with completed applications will appear on the ballot.
- Faculty members serving in positions in the Management Personnel Plan are not eligible to serve on the ACTCSP as representatives of the faculty.
- The timeline for the election will be as follows:
- Announcement of election and period for preparation of nomination packet – ten working days
- Posting of online election – seven working days
Links to the nomination statements will be provided- Announcement of election results – as soon as possible after the conclusion of the election
Ad Hoc Advisory for the Appointment of Administrators: Formal and Informal Consultation
(Senate: 1/2/64, 1/6/66, 2/10/67, 12/2/69, 11/15/77, 1/13/98, 2/16/99, 7/16/03, 10/04/16, 4/9/19; President: 1/2/64, 1/21/66, 2/22/67, 12/31/69, 11/21/77, 5/18/98, 3/31/99, 8/27/03, 03/20/17, 5/7/19; Editorial Amendment: 9/00, 8/01, 11/07)
Formal Consultation in Appointment of Administrators
When an administrative vacancy requiring formal consultation is announced by the President, an ad hoc advisory committee will be established. All persons serving on such an ad hoc committee must recognize that their responsibilities include positive efforts to strengthen the University's commitment to inclusivity and diversity. Nominees for each committee shall:
- possess specific knowledge or relevant experience;
- agree that primacy will be given to the importance of the search process;
- be available for selection committee meetings on Fridays as well as other times, as needed;
- agree to maintain the confidentiality of the entire process.
Before recruitment for any position requiring formal consultation takes place, a job description detailing duties, responsibilities and qualifications, shall be established in writing by the appointing authority and reviewed with the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate. Subsequent to the establishment of an ad hoc advisory committee, explicit and reasonable criteria for evaluating applicants shall be established in writing by the ad hoc advisory committee. All applicants for a position shall be judged by the same criteria.
Each committee will include a majority of individuals who are tenured members of the faculty, as described below. The University Diversity Officer or designee will serve as an ex-officio member of each committee. The University Diversity Officer may attend all meetings to ensure that sound recruitment practices are followed.
For the purpose of this policy, the Library is considered a college.
- For central administrative positions including, but not limited to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs, Associate Vice President for Research, Vice Provost for Enrollment Services, Vice Provost for Planning and Budget, Vice Provost for Diversity and Engaged Learning, Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Dean of Graduate Studies, Director of Honors College, Dean of College of Professional and Global Education or new positions of comparable rank:
- four tenured faculty members (no more than two from any one college) to be elected by the Academic Senate from the university at large;
- two members appointed by the President from the university at large;
- at most one additional tenured faculty member appointed by the President or designee with the approval of the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate.
- For Vice President for Student Life:
- four tenured faculty members (no more than two from any one college) to be elected by the Academic Senate from the university at large;
- two members appointed by the President from the university at large;
- one student in good standing elected by the Board of Directors of the Associated Students, Inc.; and
- at most one additional tenured faculty member appointed by the President or designee with the approval of the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate.
- For the Dean of Students:
- two tenured faculty members from different colleges to be elected by the Academic Senate from the university at large;
- two students in good standing to be elected by the Board of Directors of the Associated Students;
- one to three members appointed by the President from the university at large. Faculty members appointed by the President shall be tenured; and
- at most one additional tenured faculty member appointed by the President or designee with the approval of the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate.
- For College Deans and the Dean of the University Library:
- three tenured faculty members from the college/Library in which the vacancy exists, to be elected by the faculty of the college/Library, with no more than one from any one department/division/school;
- one tenured faculty member, not from the college concerned, to be elected by the Academic Senate;
- one permanent college dean, not from the college concerned, appointed by the President;
- one member appointed by the President from the university at large; and
- at most one additional tenured faculty member appointed by the President or designee with the approval of the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate.
- For College Associate Deans and the Associate Dean of the University Library:
- three tenured faculty members from the college/Library on which the vacancy exists, to be elected by the faculty of the college/Library, with no more than one from any one department/division/school; and
- one member appointed by the President from the university at large;
Recommendations by a committee shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the members.
Each such advisory committee will elect its own chair.
The above procedures will be followed in all cases, whether the appointment is a permanent or an acting/interim appointment. In such cases, the President shall utilize informal consultation in making the acting/interim appointment. The President or designee shall seek approval of the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate in the case that an acting/interim appointment is to be extended beyond one year.
The committee will receive recommendations for the appointment to be filled from members of the faculty and administration. It will actively and expeditiously seek names of candidates, both on campus and off, and will screen them in order to help find the best persons for the position. It will be in constant consultation during this process with the President or designee.
The committee will be expected to interview finalist candidates on the campus. The committee in consultation with the appointing authority shall determine the extent of the interaction candidates will have with the broader campus community, including students and faculty.
At the invitation of the President other interested individuals or groups will interview the candidates, depending upon time available and the degree of closeness of their working relationships with the appointee. Their reports, written where feasible, will be submitted to the committee and the President or designee.
Primacy will be given to the importance of the search process by members of the administration. Their reports, written when feasible, will be submitted to the President or designee.
Informal Consultation in Appointment of Administrators
In informal procedures, the appointment shall be made by the President after consultation with the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate. The following professional positions which carry rank and class or which are equivalent to such positions and which are not covered by formal consultation will be covered by this type of review:
- All professional personnel reporting directly to the President (including the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer, and the Vice President for University Advancement.
- All administrators reporting directly to the Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer and the Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
Before recruitment for any position requiring informal consultation takes place, a job description detailing duties, responsibilities, qualifications and requirements shall be established in writing by the appointing authority and reviewed with the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate. The appointing authority shall determine if an ad hoc advisory committee will be established. If the search is to be conducted by the appropriate administrator or an ad hoc committee, explicit and reasonable criteria for evaluating applicants shall be established in writing and endorsed by the University Director of Human Resources. All applicants for a position shall be judged by the same criteria.
Report by President on Consultation
The President shall report to the Academic Senate whether appointees did or did not have the recommendation of the ad hoc committee in the case of formal consultation, or that of the Executive Committee, in the case of informal consultation.
Review of Rank of Administrators
The initial appointment of administrators to academic rank shall be subject to review by the appropriate department/division/school. Promotion in rank shall be in accord with University policy.
Faculty Perceptions of Performance of Administrators
(Executive Committee: 7/3/90, 10/11/94; Academic Senate: 4/10/01, 2/14/06, 4/4/17; President: 7/23/90, 10/21/96; 5/21/01, 10/2/06, 5/30/17; Editorial Amendment: 9/99, 9/00, 9/03)
The procedures that follow outline a process for collecting, interpreting, and reporting faculty perceptions of the work performance of specified administrators. This information is used as one element in the evaluation of administrators. The Executive Committee has primary responsibility for this process.
Administrators concerned:
Group 1:
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Vice Provosts
Associate/Assistant Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs
Dean of Undergraduate Studies
Dean of Graduate StudiesGroup 2:
Deans of the Colleges
Dean of the Library
Dean of the College of Professional and Global Education
Director of the Honors CollegeGroup 3:
Vice President for Information Technology Services & Chief Technology Officer
Vice President for University Advancement/Executive Director of the CSULA Foundation
Vice President for Administration & Chief Financial Officer
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Vice President for Student Life
Dean of Students
Executive Director of Public AffairsIf new administrative positions at the level of Associate Vice President, Vice Provost, Director, or Dean, or that report directly to the President or any of the Vice Presidents, are created, there shall be discussion between the President and the Executive Committee about whether the administrator is to be included in these procedures and, if so, in which Group.
The Committee will evaluate each group of administrators every three years.
Procedures:
- Each year, in the Fall Semester, the Executive Committee appoints a three-person ad hoc committee with staggered three year terms to gather faculty perceptions of that academic year's group of administrators. The Secretary of the Senate shall be the liaison member of the Executive Committee to the ad hoc committee; the Executive Committee may delegate to the Nominations Committee the selection of the other members of the ad hoc committee. The ad hoc committee elects a chair.
- The ad hoc committee collects, interprets, and reports faculty perceptions of the performance of each administrator in the Group.
- The ad hoc committee reviews the job description and recent work plans for each administrator, in the light of the mission and goals of the University.
- Based on its review, the ad hoc committee develops a plan for collecting information, bearing in mind the suggestions below.
(1) The aspects of administrative performance to be reviewed, including the contribution of the administrator in meeting affirmative action goals of the University and the performance of administrators reporting to the administrator to be reviewed. (2) A method for collecting information which must include a survey of selected faculty; and may include:
(a) written comments prepared by committees on which the administrator serves as Executive Secretary, or which interact with the office of the administrator, based on administrative performance pertinent to the committee's work. Provisions shall be made for those selected faculty members to have access to a copy of the job description and work plan for the administrator being evaluated. (b) signed statements from faculty pertaining to administrative performance, solicited from the faculty at large; the administrative assistant to the Senate shall forward the contents of these statements, minus the signatures to the ad hoc committee to preserve confidentiality; all such statements will be included in the final report with signatures removed. (3) A description of the faculty groups to be surveyed. (4) A schedule for collecting Information. - The ad hoc committee presents its plan to the Executive Committee for approval.
- The ad hoc committee follows the approved plan, collects its information, and submits its report to the Executive Committee by the end of the fifth week of Spring Semester.
- The Executive Committee reviews the reports, may add its own comments (clearly identified as such), submits the reports to the designated evaluators of the administrators reviewed by the end of the eighth week of Spring Semester, and meets with the evaluators to discuss the reports.
- These procedures and reports are strictly confidential. Faculty submitting surveys and written comments shall be informed in writing that the confidentiality of the perceptions they submit may be disclosed in legal or administrative proceedings and that such confidentiality is protected only to the extent provided by law.
Associate and Assistant College and Library Deans
(Senate: 5/25/65, 8/24/71, 5/9/17; President: 6/15/65, 8/25/71, 10/13/17; Editorial Amendment: 9/00, 8/01)
The associate or assistant dean performs administrative functions as directed by the dean and governed by the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor's Office, and University policies. Normally, tenured full professors serve as associate or assistant deans. It is expected that the incumbent will possess those scholarly, administrative, and personal characteristics that will secure the respect of the college's faculty, and thus to most effectively assist the dean.
The selection process for associate and assistant deans includes consultation by the dean with the department/division chairs or school directors (for college associate and assistant deans), and with an elected faculty committee (for all associate and assistant deans). The procedures are developed within the college/library and filed with the President and with the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Appointment is by the President, upon recommendation of the college/library dean.
The appointment as associate or assistant dean is for an unstated term, but the incumbent can be removed from office by the dean only after full discussion with the associate or assistant dean concerned, or by the President only after full discussion with the dean and the associate or assistant dean concerned.
Where more than one associate or assistant dean is appointed in a college or the library, the dean shall designate beforehand one to serve as acting dean in the absence of the dean.
Associate and assistant deans shall be reviewed annually following procedures adopted by the college/library.
Department/Division Chairs and School Directors
(Senate: 3/5/64, 2/20/68, 12/2/69, 8/22/72, 7/21/76, 5/23/95, 8/27/02, 1/25/05, 10/30/07, 1/14/14, 9/20/16; President: 3/9/64, 3/27/68,12/31/69, 8/25/72, 8/5/76, 7/7/95, 11/13/02, 2/28/05, 11/29/07, 2/4/14, 4/7/17; Editorial Amendment: 9/00)
Governing Documents: Article 20.30 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the California State University and the California Faculty Association.
Each department/division/school (hereafter department) has a chair or director (hereafter chair). The department chair is the liaison between the department and the administration. Chair appointments are governed by University policy. It is the responsibility of the department chair to keep the faculty informed of department business and consult with faculty as appropriate.
A faculty member appointed to the position of department chair retains the rights and responsibilities possessed by virtue of being a member of the faculty, consistent with the terms of that appointment.
The college dean shall inform the chair of college and department policies and procedures as appropriate. There shall be orientations and regular professional development sessions for department chairs conducted by the college dean and, as needed, by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or designee. Chairs are expected to regularly participate in such professional development.
Assigned time and other forms of compensation for department chairs may be recommended by the college dean and determined by the President or designee, consistent with the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Department Chair Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the department chair may include the following activities.
- Administration. Administer University, school and department policies for professional duties such as class attendance, office hours, committee obligations, sick leave, final examinations, off-campus travel, and course grade reporting. Make recommendations for instructional assignments to the dean. Exercise signatory authority as assigned by the University for items such as approval of late adds/drops, change of grades, etc.
- Leadership. Provide department leadership in program and curriculum development and quality, effective teaching, budget, advising, staff relations, professional activity, research, external funding, student achievement, University outreach, University and community service, and collegial working relations.
- Course Programing. Oversee the timely planning of course schedules submitted in compliance with University policy. Recommend appropriate staffing to the dean for all courses offered by and through the department. Chairs shall consult with faculty prior to notifying faculty of their assigned schedules. Oversee course offerings to assure curricular requirements of the department receive appropriate curriculum reviews at department and college levels.
- Personnel Actions. Make recommendations on matters of faculty retention, tenure, and promotion as indicated in the department appointment, retention, tenure, and promotion document. Make recommendations about requests for leaves of absence and faculty appointments. Ensure that all hiring recommendations by the department conform to University hiring policies.
- Representation. Call and chair meetings of the department faculty. Disseminate information transmitted to the department and maintain departmental records. Represent the department at the college and University levels, and within the community, and represent the college and the University to the department.
- Budget. With faculty input, propose and administer the department's budget. Manage the appropriate use of equipment, supplies, and facilities assigned to the department. Plan and allocate budget resources openly and fairly. Ensure that accurate records are maintained and made available to faculty.
- Staff Appointment and Supervision. Make recommendations about support staff hiring, performance, and reclassification. Supervise support staff assigned to the department.
- Planning and Coordination. Coordinate and guide department planning in areas of academic programs, personnel, facilities, and equipment; and oversee the ongoing review of departmental plans consistent with college and University goals and plans. Coordinate the work of departmental committees.
- Collaboration. Work collaboratively with college and University staff and administrators to monitor student success, including academic progress, advisement, and registration, and other retention initiatives. Works collaboratively with dean's office and college advising office to provide advisement for students during winter and summer breaks.
- Liaison. Serve as liaison between students, faculty, administration and the community for discussion and informal resolution related to departmental concerns.
- Conflict Resolution. Serve as the first point of discussion for issues arising within the department having to do with faculty, staff and student complaints.
Department Chair Appointments
When a vacancy occurs or is expected to occur in a department chair's position, the department, under the initiative of the college dean, will elect by secret ballot a three-person (or comparably limited number) advisory committee. Membership on the advisory committee shall not be considered a detriment to selection as department chair. Persons eligible to vote for or eligible for election to the committee membership are all full-time probationary and tenured faculty (including all such members who have become administrative officers, with tenure rights as academic employees, in the college, University, or The California State University system). Members who serve on the advisory committee must recognize that one of their responsibilities is to make positive efforts to implement the principles of diversity and inclusivity of the University. The deliberations of the advisory committee shall be confidential.
The advisory committee will solicit recommendations of the permanent and temporary faculty members of the department in the form of secret preferential ballot. The ballots shall include the names of all tenured members of the department and also provide an opportunity for the faculty to express a preference to search outside the department or University. Each permanent or temporary faculty member of the department will be given the opportunity to rank all names on this ballot that are acceptable as department chair. Faculty with less than a 0.5 time base shall receive 0.5 votes. Faculty with a time base of 0.5 or above shall receive one vote. These ballots will be transmitted to the advisory committee which shall utilize the rankings as an important source of information in reaching its recommendation.
The advisory committee may also consult the relevant records of candidates, and may also consult individual members of the faculty in the department. It will also keep the college dean generally informed of its progress, and give careful consideration to the dean's views on the nature of the position of department chair.
The advisory committee will render its recommendation of one or more candidates for the chair's position to the college dean. Given the role of the department chair in the recruitment, retention, tenure and promotion process, normally only tenured full professors are eligible to hold these positions. In the event of few or no tenured full professors, committees may also consider tenured associate professors, or, tenured full professors from other departments, with justification for their recommendations in either case. If the recommendation is not accepted, the advisory committee will be so informed, along with the reasons for such action, and will further review potential department chairs and make further recommendations. The dean and the department advisory committee shall each have a veto power in their considerations.
Terms of department chairs shall be determined by their respective departments with the approval of the appropriate college committee and the dean. The appointment shall be for a term of no less than three years and no more than five beginning with the first day of any semester. Normally the department may be appointed for a maximum of two terms consecutively. Appointments beyond those two terms require the approval of an appropriate college committee, the dean, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. In the case of reappointment beyond a second term, the same procedures shall be followed as in the case of a vacancy. The chair may hold a 12 month position when mutually agreeable among the nominee, department, and the dean of the college, and when administratively desirable and fiscally feasible. Whenever feasible, the department should continue to teach on a part-time basis.
Since chairs are foremost faculty members, when a college dean thinks that an off-campus search for a department is necessary, but the department does not concur, the dean shall consult with the college Faculty Policy Committee (or equivalent) and shall carefully consider their views as to the advisability of seeking a chair from off campus. That college committee will consult faculty from the affected department and review the most recent department program review document, and then advise the dean. If the dean finally concludes that an off-campus search is warranted, the college Faculty Policy Committee will establish the process for electing or appointing the search committee of three to seven tenured faculty members, after giving the department the opportunity to indicate its preferences as to the membership and chairing of the search committee. The search committee shall conduct a nationwide search and make a recommendation to the dean from the pool of candidates. Except as noted in this paragraph, the committee's search will be governed by the policies and procedures for faculty appointments in the Faculty Handbook.
Following the procedures outlined above, the department/division chair or school director selected will be appointed by the President or designee.
As long as the general procedures stated above are followed, a department may propose supplementary requirements, e.g., eligibility criteria for the chair or for advisory committee members, subject to the approval of the college, with the procedure being approved and recorded by the President.
Department Chair Review
The department chair will be subject to formal review by the department and the college dean at least twice during each term of office according to procedures established by the college. The first review shall occur in the second year of their term and the second review in the final year of their term. Department chairs may be reviewed more frequently upon the request of either the chair of the President. A chair with an appointment longer than three years who wants to be considered for a subsequent term will also be reviewed during the final year of the current term. The review committee shall consider the performance of the department chair in the context of the responsibilities of the position.
The review of each chair shall be conducted by the department faculty personnel committee charged with reviewing those at the highest rank (e.g., RTP Committee A) and by the college dean. The department personnel committee shall solicit the input of full and part-time department faculty serving during the year of the review using the department chair Performance Evaluation Form. In addition, the input of students shall be solicited according to the procedures outlined in the policy "Student Input in Academic Personnel Processes." The review of all department chairs within a college will follow the same procedures. Chairs shall be given an opportunity to provide the review committee with a self-evaluation of their activities as chair.
The opinions and judgments received by review committees, the deliberations and reports of such committees, and any accompanying materials, shall be confidential. The reviews by the department and the college dean shall be formal written reports to be included in the department chair's Personnel Action File. All individuals completing the evaluation forms shall have the opportunity to provide statements or opinions. However, if a review includes statements and/or opinions about the performance of a department chair from individuals other than the author(s) of the report, the source(s) of such statements and opinions shall be identified by name.
Review of Directors of Interdisciplinary Programs
In cases in which an interdisciplinary program is sufficiently complex (e.g., which involves the appointment of faculty members, the scheduling of courses, supervision of staff, and other duties typical of a department chair) and is not wholly contained within an existing department, subject to the availability of resources, a college dean may appoint a program director to administer the program.
The review of such program directors shall fall within the scope of this policy, with oversight by the dean of the college in which the program is housed and shall include input from all permanent and temporary faculty supervised and/or appointed by the director, as well as those faculty appointed in other departments whose teaching assignment includes courses in the interdisciplinary program.
In such cases where a program is housed within an existing department, the evaluation of the program director is subject only to such policies as they exist in the department or the college in which the program is housed.
Resignation or Removal of Department Chairs
The department chair may resign as chair at any time. The resignation should be directed to the President with copies to the dean and department faculty.
The department chair can be removed as chair by the President, but only after full discussion with the college dean and with the permanent faculty of the department. The President or designee will normally be expected to report reasons for such action to the department.
Appointment of Interim Department Chair
When such conditions exist that warrant the appointment of an interim department chair, the dean shall consult with the department faculty regarding the recommendation to appoint an interim department chair. The dean, after consultation with faculty, shall recommend to the President the name of an interim department chair.
Normally, the term of service for an interim department chair shall be one year or until a new department chair is appointed. Only in exceptional cases may the dean, after consultation with the department faculty, recommend to the President that an interim department chair continue to serve beyond one academic year.
Department/Division Associate Chairs and School Associate Directors
(Senate: 5/11/67, 8/27/02; President: 5/15/67; 11/13/02)
An associate chair or director shall be appointed to serve as acting chair or director in the absence of the chair or director and to assist the chair or director as needed. During the period of service as acting chair or director, the associate chair or director shall be given the released time which would otherwise be given to the chair or director, and may be given additional released time during one or more of the remaining quarters of the academic year to assist the chair or director in administrative duties. The associate chair or director normally shall serve for at least one year, but in no case longer than the unexpired term of the chair or director.
The associate chair or director shall be appointed by the dean of the college upon recommendation of the department/division chair or school director. The chair or director shall make a recommendation only after department/division/school consultation, following procedures established by the total full-time department/division/school faculty. These procedures shall be on file in the office of the college dean.
Administrative Policies
Agreements of the University
(Senate: 1/14/69; President: 1/15/69)
Any agreement as to policy, program, curriculum, or administrative decisions made at California State University, Los Angeles which is inconsistent with or violative of established appropriate consultative processes shall be of no force or effect.
Office Assignments
The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or designee is responsible for the allocation of space to the colleges after consultation with the college deans. College deans are responsible for specific assignments of space from the college allocation.
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