Purpose

The College of Arts and Sciences seeks to provide its students with the best possible undergraduate and graduate education in the liberal arts and sciences by fostering a rich intellectual climate conducive to generating and disseminating knowledge.

Function

The College of Arts and Sciences achieves its purpose through its unique and seminal role in the University's general education curriculum; through the diversity of its disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs leading to liberal arts degrees; through the extent of its commitment to graduate education, especially at the doctoral level; and through the broad range of instructional and scholarly/creative contributions of the faculty. Additionally, the expertise of the College serves the broader interests of the region, state and nation by the discovery of new knowledge and its application to pressing societal needs and by enriching the aesthetic dimension of the American culture.

Staff

The Dean is the chief administrative officer of the College. Working closely with the faculty, s/he must ensure the intellectual integrity of the undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the College and facilitate the maintenance of an intellectual and social community within which faculty and students can prosper. S/he also serves as chief fiscal officer and chief personnel and contracting officer. S/he is the principal representative of the College to the upper administration, other colleges and non academic units and to communities outside the University.

The Dean is assisted and advised by Assistant/Associate Deans. These appointees are responsible for curriculum development and all academic matters affecting programs and student achievement within the College, including academic advising and faculty development; and for managing all budgets, space, instructional needs including summer school.

Governance

The Dean is advised by several councils and committees. Arts and Sciences Council, representing academic divisions, and the Council of Chairs advise the Dean on matters of general collegiate policy and policy implementation. The Promotion and Tenure Review Committee is an elected faculty committee that advises the Dean on reappointment, promotion and tenure decisions. The Divisional/School/Collegiate Curriculum Committees are faculty committees that advise the Dean on curricular development and reform. The College Committee on the Budget is an elected committee, representing divisions, programs and schools, that advises the Dean on personnel, operating and equipment budget allocations.

Policies and Procedures

The College complies with all University policies and procedures as established in the various personnel and governance documents published by the University. All other policies under its purview apply only to the collegiate unit.