Appointment procedure - Head of School/Department

• Role and responsibilities of a head of school/department
• Appointment of head of school/department
• Temporary absence of a head of school/department (acting head)

Role and responsibilities of a head of school/department

The head of school/department reports to the dean in the faculty where the school/department is located.

Where a faculty is not divided into schools/departments, the dean shall be responsible for performing the duties of a head of school/department. The dean may delegate such duties to other members in the faculty such as Associate Deans. (Statute 3.3 subsection 2.7)

In addition to the duties and responsibilities imposed upon a head by virtue of being a member of the Academic staff, a head of school/department shall be required to undertake, and take responsibility for, the following additional academic and administrative duties:

• leadership and academic development of a school/department and the management of teaching, research and other academic activities;
• contribution to the formulation of the faculty budget;
• responsibility for the expenditure allocated to the school/department from the faculty and for the allocation and supervision of funds within the school and/or department(s).
• establishment and maintenance of the academic programs offered by the school/department at both undergraduate and graduate levels;
• allocation of lecturing, tutorial, demonstration and administration duties to members of the Academic staff;
• establishment of procedures for supervising student progress and assessing student performance in school/departmental programs;
• recommendations to faculty board of acceptance of candidates for higher degrees;
• allocation of supervisors to graduate students;
• general regulation of the research activities of the school/department;
• headship of school/departmental meetings and contribution to the faculty and university boards and committees as required;
• overall management and supervision of academic and General staff and, where applicable, laboratories and workshops of the school/department;
• compilation of estimates of student numbers;
• compilation of estimates of school/departmental requirements for staff, equipment, and other resources for teaching and research;
• coordination of measures to obtain funds from outside sources and the disbursement of such funds within the school/department;
• arrangements, in conjunction with the dean, for advertising and filling all vacant posts within the school/department;
• human resource matters for the school/department such as recommendations for appointment, confirmation of appointment, salary increments, promotions, reclassification, and
• termination of appointment of all staff, as appropriate;
• correspondence on behalf of the school/department with the dean, vice-chancellor, University officers, and outside bodies as appropriate;
• general welfare of all staff and students in the school/department; and
• general responsibility for safety and security within the school/department.

In addition, a head of school is to liaise, where appropriate, with heads of department for matters pertaining to members of the school who are also members of a department of the faculty (or in some cases, another faculty).

Appointment of head of school/department

Procedures for Appointment of a Deputy Dean, Associate, Head of School/Department and Deputy Head of School/Department.

Temporary absence of a head of school/department (acting head)

Where a head is temporarily absent the deputy shall be the acting head.

In the absence of the head, if the deputy head is unable to act or if it is proposed that someone other than the deputy head should be acting head, then a recommendation should be made to the dean of the faculty requesting an appointment of an acting head.

Refer to staff acting in senior management positions.

It is most important that the University's Finance Policy and procedures are adhered to in relation to financial delegation for acting heads.

The University has specific requirements in respect to training and access to the electronic finance system, SAP. Financial delegation is incorporated into a staff member's access and processing rights in SAP. Prior to the absence of a head with SAP access and financial delegation, the appropriate paper work, training and access for the officer nominated to act in the role must be arranged in accordance with the Finance Policy.

In every case where authorisation of non-electronic documents is handled by a deputy, whether a deputy head or someone specifically appointed from time to time, that deputy should add, beneath his/her signature, the words 'acting head' when signing each such document.