Board of Trustee Approval: September 30, 2016 
Revised: October 1, 2022  

Department Chairs are appointed for five-year terms. In the November prior to the June when a chair’s term expires, the following process is followed: 

1. Fulltime faculty members nominate someone from the department using a confidential electronic survey sent to each member. Members may nominate themselves. Current department chairs may be nominated. Input is requested from adjunct faculty teaching in the department through a similar survey. Surveys are generated and results of surveys compiled by the Curriculum Associate for Instruction. 
2. The survey information is reported to the Vice President of Instruction who discusses the nomination of each individual with him or her. If the nominee is interested in serving as department chair, the Vice President meets with the nominee to discuss the responsibilities of the Department Chair, compensation, and the expectations of the administration of department chairs. 
3. The names of those who have confirmed their interest in serving are sent to the full-time department members through a second confidential survey for a vote. 
4. The results of the vote are reported to the Vice President of Instruction who recommends a selection to the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs & Institutional Planning. The name of the individual selected is reported to the President for approval.  

If the vote results in a tie, the selection will be made by the Vice Presidents and presented for approval to the College President.  In exceptional circumstances, the President in consultation with the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs & Institutional Planning and the Vice President of Instruction may appoint a department chair.  

Nursing Department Chair Selection 

Due to requirements of nursing program accreditation, the Nursing Department Chair is a hired position instead of an elected one. Nursing program accreditation requires certain credentials be held by the Director of Nursing or Nursing Department Chair. Therefore, the SCC hiring process is followed for the selection of the Nursing Department Chair, and there is not a specific term associated with this position.  

Interim Chair Selection 

If a department chair’s term is terminated (voluntarily or involuntarily) during the five-year term, an interim department chair may be appointed through a recommendation by the Vice President of Instruction and approval of the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs & Institutional Planning and the College President. The selection process will then be followed to select a department chair whose five-year term will begin on July 1 of the next academic year.  

Program and General Education Coordinator Selection 

Department chairs recommend qualified individuals to serve as program coordinators for applied science programs within their departments to the Vice President of Instruction and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs & Institutional Planning for approval. Department chairs serve as the program coordinators for the programs in their areas of expertise. A general education department chair may recommend a general education coordinator for a subject area within their department based on factors such as number of offerings and the number of adjunct faculty used.  Proposed general education coordinators go through the same approval process.

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