On average, chairs probably serve six years. One person has served as chair for more than twenty years. Chairs are responsible to the vice chancellor for academic affairs and to the two associates who divide overall administrative activities into curriculum and faculty development. In essence, they serve as deans. Chairs undergo a confidential faculty evaluation every three years and receive a yes or no vote on continuance in their position.
Faculty members can also talk with a vice chancellor for academic affairs about a chair's work.
The vice chancellor looks for consensus on each chair. Chairs do not receive a financial supplement, but they are reassigned from 1-4 classes per year. UNC-A has a Council of Chairs who meet with the vice chancellor. These meetings are mostly informational with some in-depth conversations taking place. Vice chancellors usually meet before these meetings to discuss the issues that will most likely emerge.