Deans and Heads of Departments | Antonine University

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Deans and Heads of Departments

As per the Organic Statute (Article 58), the faculties and programmatic departments are headed by the deans and heads of departments who are appointed for a 3-year term and assisted in the performance of their general duties by the respective councils. In exceptional circumstances, the Rector may appoint an acting dean throughout a transitional period that shall not exceed 12 months.

Deans and heads of departments are senior members of the University’s academic administration, act under delegated authority from the Rector or Vice Rector for Administration (VRA), are ex officio members of the Antonine University (UA) Council and the Academic Committee and chair the Councils of their faculties/departments. They serve as representatives and advocates of their units, seek the necessary resources to further their goals, and provide academic and strategic leadership in accordance with the University’s rules and regulations and within the framework of its strategic plan. They play a pivotal role in ensuring the effective functioning of their units, fostering research partnerships and activities, and providing mentoring and support to the faculty members to help them achieve the highest level of excellence in the fields of teaching, research, and community service.

The deans’ responsibilities include but are not limited to (noting that the same holds true for the heads of departments, except for specific tasks that are strictly performed by the deans):

  • overseeing and approving all hiring decisions, presiding over the Audition and Selection Committee for the appointment of academic personnel (heads of departments and faculty members), and undertaking a review of each faculty member’s application to decide on the eligibility for academic promotion and thus provide recommendations to the Rector and VRA;
  • creating and controlling the faculty’s annual budget and being in charge of the effective management of the financial resources;
  • developing and implementing long-term academic plans with a view to recruiting new students in accordance with the University’s enrollment objectives;
  • promoting high academic standards within the faculty/department, evaluating teaching effectiveness, encouraging staff development, establishing and maintaining a culture of academic integrity among faculty members, administrative staff, and students;
  • supporting curriculum development, initiating new undergraduate and graduate programs, and proposing changes to existing ones;
  • preparing the course offerings and ensuring that they meet the standards set out by the VRA;
  • working closely with the Director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Quality Assurance (ISAQ) to ensure adherence to accreditation standards and UA’s policies and support quality review processes.