Department Chair

University Policy #1326 (PDF) calls for the regular evaluation of Department Chairs to ensure effective administration of Cal Poly Pomona’s academic programs. The formal review process for Department Chairs occurs primarily during spring term of the third year of each four-year period of service.  Reviews by the Deans and department faculty should emphasize strengths as well as areas for future improvement. Every effort should be made to ensure an objective evaluation. While the procedures and criteria are defined by tenured faculty, probationary faculty, and full-time lecturers, the process must provide the opportunity for input from all faculty members (probationary, tenured, and full-time/part-time lecturers), staff, administrators, and students.

A brief summary of the process is as follows: in consultation with the Dean and Department Chair, the department faculty (an elected department committee), develops procedures, criteria, and necessary instruments for evaluating the Chair’s performance, such as survey questionnaires and/or feedback forms. The Chair submits a written self-assessment, including “state of the department report” summarizing important activities and achievements. The faculty, or elected committee, provides the input received to the Dean along with a report that summarizes and analyzes the input. The Dean writes a report based on the Chair’s self-assessment, the report of the faculty committee (with any response provided by the Chair), and the Dean’s observations on the Chair’s performance. A summary of the Dean’s report is made available for review by department faculty and staff. The department report, the Dean’s report, and the summary are provided to the Provost who sends an acknowledgement letter to the Department Chair.