Ordinance VII: Heads of Departments - Keele University
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Ordinance VII - Heads of Departments, Heads of Schools and Heads of Designated Cost Centres

A Heads of Department/School

1. Heads of the academic departments listed in Ordinance VI above shall be appointed by the Council on the recommendation of the Senate.

2. Academic staff as defined in Section 1.1 of the Statutes in the Department/School concerned shall be eligible for appointment as Head of Department/School. Professors shall be liable to serve if appointed, unless the terms of their appointment excuse them from this liability. Other academic staff may decline to serve.

3. Procedure

a) The Dean of the Faculty will write to all persons within the School/Research Institute (academic, technical and administrative), inviting views from colleagues (in person or by email) and requesting nominations and/or self-nominations for the Head of School/Research Institute Director post.

b) HR will then write to all nominations and self-nominations requesting that, if they wish to be considered for the post of Head of School/Research Institute Director, they submit a current CV by a given deadline.

c) Based on the requirements of the role, as detailed in the Job Description and Person Specification, the Appointment Committee will compile a shortlist of candidates for interview.

4. Appointment Committee

The Senate shall make its recommendation on the report of an Appointment Committee, consisting of:

  • The Vice-Chancellor or Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Chair),
  • Pro Vice-Chancellor
  • Dean of Faculty concerned.
  • 1 Head of School or Research Institute Director from Faculty concerned.
  • 1 Head of School or Research Institute Director external to the Faculty concerned.
  • HR representative (shall act as Secretary to the Committee).

(No other member of the School or Research Institute concerned shall be a member of the Appointment Committee).

5. Human Resources will write to the successful candidate to confirm their dates of appointment and the terms of the remuneration package.

6. The appointment of Head of School/Research Institute Director is normally for a period of three years with an option to extend for a further two.

7. In the temporary absence of a Head of Department/School for one semester or more the Council shall, on the recommendation of the Senate, appoint an Acting Head of Department/School for a period not exceeding one calendar year who will assume all the responsibilities of the Head of Department/School including membership of the Senate.

B Heads of Designated Cost Centres

8. Certain Cost Centres, designated by Regulation, have a status analogous to that of Departments/Schools.

9. Heads of Designated Cost Centres are appointed by the Senate on the recommendation of an Appointment Committee constituted as in paragraph 4 above.

10. a) Heads of Designated Cost Centres shall have the same powers and duties as those of Heads of Department/School as prescribed in Ordinance XXI and all Regulations.

b) Heads of Designated Cost Centres have the right to attend meetings of the Senate as Observers.