Significance

• Departmental chairs serve as a contact person and resource for senior administration to communicate the vision and purpose statement of the institution and the department to the other members. The department chair leads departmental meetings during which goals can be communicated and evaluated. Institutional announcements and changes in policy are also communicated through the department chairs. The chairperson administrates department funding and communicates the needs of the department to the school's leadership.
  
  

Time Frame

• Most departmental chairs are elected annually at department meetings. Some educational departments have perpetual leadership where the department chair retains the position year after year and only changes in the case of a resignation, retirement or forced removal of that member. Periodic elections within larger departments allow for fresh ideas and vision in leadership.
  
  

Effects

• Strong leadership by the department chair can unify the department. Clear communication can build trust between the faculty and the administration. Professors and teachers are free to plan and teach their classes knowing that the department's needs will be communicated and met fairly within the budget of the institution. Students gain a sense of security as they study under teachers who are prepared and confident to do their jobs in an atmosphere of trust and mutual support.
  
  

Functions

• A strong chairperson can function as a mentor for younger teachers, putting them in contact with training and resources to master their craft. A department chair can serve as a counselor and adviser to students and faculty within the department, resolving conflicts and solving problems at a personal and professional level. As a political representative, the department chair can represent the concerns of the department members to the administration, the press and the entire learning community.
  
  

Potential

• Faculty members who excel in the role of department chair may be encouraged to pursue doctorate degrees in educational leadership and aspire to higher levels of administrative responsibility. Many university presidents were department chairs earlier in their careers.