College of Arts and Humanities

Interdisciplinary Program Directors

Duties and Responsibilities of Interdisciplinary Program Directors

The interdisciplinary program director is the chief administrator of the program and is responsible for its academic business. The director represents the program in college and university matters and reports to the dean. The director is responsible for the same duties as the department chair, as outlined in Section IV with the following exceptions, which are administrated by the affiliated department chair and dean: 

1. Faculty Personnel
2. Support-Staff Personnel

Election of Interdisciplinary Directors

Interdisciplinary Program Directors are to be elected in accordance with section II.A of the CWU Faculty Senate Academic Code, as the section applies to the election of chairs (ww.cwu.edu/faculty-senate/).

Specific procedures for the election of interdisciplinary program directors in CAH are as follows:

1. Interdisciplinary program teaching faculty will be notified by the dean's office at the beginning of the academic year when a director election is scheduled. Director elections may take place in either Winter or Spring quarter, depending on the preference of the program faculty. The dean is to be informed of the program faculty’s preference, at which point a date for the election will be set.
2. No later than one month before the election date, all candidates for interdisciplinary program director must formally announce in writing to program colleagues and the dean their intention to run. Candidates may also be nominated by full-time faculty teaching at least one class per year in the program, as long as the acceptance of the nomination and decision to run is formally announced in writing one month in advance of the election.
3. Faculty in interdisciplinary programs should have some formal exposure to candidates' positions on matters pertaining to the program and relevant academic issues, along with candidates' approaches to leadership and administrative style. It is up to each interdisciplinary program what mechanisms they wish to put into place to ensure that such information is available to faculty. Meetings or forums to present ideas and discuss relevant issues, with question and answer sessions, are encouraged.
4. On the day of the election, written secret ballots will be distributed to voting faculty in their mailboxes. Ballots are cast and turned in to the dean. Ballots are counted by the dean.

Interdisciplinary Program Director Performance Appraisal

Policy: Feedback is essential to the effective functioning of any administrative position. The goal of the review process is to enhance the effectiveness of the director through a thoughtful analysis of strengths and areas for improvement.

Timeline: Directors serving four-year terms will be evaluated in the spring of the first and third years of their terms. Directors serving shorter terms will be evaluated at least once every two years.

Process: The dean will conduct the review as follows:

• Goals established for the year, and for the long-range in the context of department circumstances
• Significant accomplishments
• Significant challenges
• Areas for improvement
• Changes to enhance performance as a director

2. After the chair self-evaluation has been distributed, full-time faculty and staff will complete the CAH Director Performance Appraisal available.

3. Interviews may be conducted with students, staff, faculty, or other constituencies, at the dean's discretion. Directors may submit names for interviews.

4. Utilizing the self-evaluation, faculty, and staff appraisals, interviews (if appropriate), and her/his own observations, the dean will write an evaluation that addresses the following categories:

• Goals established for the year and for the long-range in the context of the program circumstances:
• Significant challenges
• Areas for improvement
• Significant accomplishments
• Changes to enhance performance as a program director

5. In a meeting between the director and dean, the dean will summarize the information collected from faculty and staff and share the written evaluation.