They are responsible for their units' undergraduate and graduate instructional programs, for promoting research, for supervising the performance of the faculty, and for preparing and administering their units' budgets. Their role in appointing, terminating, evaluating, promoting and tenuring faculty is prescribed in the URI-AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement . The Deans of University College, the College of Continuing Education, and Admissions and Student Financial Aid do not have faculty assigned to their units and do not have a direct role in faculty appointments, terminations, promotions or tenure. The duties of department chairpersons, who report to the academic deans, are listed in the University Manual and in the URI-AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement. They are appointed for renewable three-year terms.
Chairpersons are members of the collective bargaining unit.
They also are departmental administrators charged with providing leadership for the instructional activities of their departments. Department chairpersons administer and participate in the evaluation process in making their recommendations to the dean. The University Manual prescribes the rights, duties and responsibilities of the faculty with respect to their participation in the development of courses and programs at the department and Faculty Senate levels. The Manual also provides the rules and regulations for the conduct of instruction, examinations, grades and other academic matters. Regular reminders of these policies regarding such points as final examination protocols are sent to faculty by memoranda.