FAQs for Faculty & Staff

Advising

Department-level forms that require only a chair’s signature will remain the same: 

• Change of Major
• Declaration of Minor

For forms that require a Dean’s signature, please see changes below.

Whom do I contact if I am concerned about a student?

If a student is demonstrating a behavior that impacts his/her performance in a class, please contact your department chair. The chair will then decide if the issue is best managed by Student Affairs (chair contacts Dean of Students) or Academic Affairs (chair contacts College Dean) to determine the appropriate intervention measures.

Where do I go to support a day undergraduate student who is appealing an academic dismissal?

The Registrar serves as the chair of the Academic Standing Committee.  Questions regarding academic dismissal for all undergraduate students should be forwarded to the Registrar or Dean. The academic dismissal process for graduate students will be overseen by the appropriate Dean.

Who signs academic forms for “day” undergraduates?

If any forms remain that required the signature of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, they will now be signed by the College Dean, including the following: 

• Grade change
• Independent study
• Late withdrawal
• Grade appeals
• Academic dishonesty
• Application for Enrollment Over 18 Credits

Please note that the Assistant Provost will sign:

• Curriculum Substitution Forms (for Core Substitution)

Who signs forms for Continuing Education undergraduates?

All approval processes follow those of the day division.

In which college are the exploratory (UND) students housed?

There are several types of exploratory/undeclared students. Exploratory/Undeclared students who have not indicated any specific disciplinary interest on their admissions application will be housed in the Sociology, Hispanic, Liberal, and Interdisciplinary Studies Department. A student who has indicated multiple disciplinary interests on his/her admissions application will be housed in the college that is closest to his/her primary academic interest.

A student may be undeclared because he/she is not accepted into his/her first choice major. These students will be assigned to a college on a case-by-case basis. For example, a student who is not accepted into a major in which students are allowed to transfer later may be placed into the college of first choice major and monitored for progress. Students who will not be able to transfer into the first major of choice, having been declined admission initially, will be placed in a college that reflects his/her second choice or related major.

If the student is a double-major in two different colleges, who is their dean?

If the student is a double-major in two different colleges, they will report to both Deans.

Each college has their own budgets. The Deans will be responsible for the budget, so the budget and procurement processes (e.g. budget requests, equipment requests, ROs, POs) will be forwarded to the appropriate individual. The Deans will work with Deb Cramer, Director of Academic Affairs Fiscal Management, as needed.

Who approves my request to travel?

• Request to Travel forms will be approved by the Department Chair, and then sent to Susan Davignon, Director of Faculty Affairs for processing.
• If the department chair submits a Request to Travel form, the form goes directly to the Dean and follows the process above.
• For any grant-related travel, please contact the Office Grants and Sponsored Programs for funding and process.

Who approves Authorization to Pay forms?

• Authorization to Pay forms without a purchase order number will be approved by the Department Chair, sent to the Dean for initialing, and then sent to the Office of the Provost for processing.
• As in the past, Authorization to Pay forms with a purchase order number will be approved by the Department Chair.

What is the role of the Dean in grant solicitation and writing?

Academic Affairs is in the process of reviewing its grant policy and associated procedures. Departments are asked to work closely with the Dean(s) of relevant college on any intent to solicit or write a grant. The Dean of Assessment and Accreditation oversees the Grants and Sponsored Programs office, but the  Deans are responsible for generating and guiding grant proposals from their home college in collaboration with the Grants and Sponsored Programs office.

Whom do I contact with ideas or questions about university-wide academic programs?

If you have ideas or questions about programs, the Department Chair and Dean will help guide your next steps.

How will the development of department course schedules be affected by the new structure?

The department chairs will continue to work with faculty to develop course schedules. College deans will work with department chairs to ensure that the course schedules are serving the needs of students and using resources effectively. Course schedule edits should be sent to the Dean, who will work directly with the Registrar on preparing the final schedule. Deans will review course enrollments and work with department chairs and the Registrar to cancel low-enrolled courses. Deans will work across the Colleges and with the Assistant Provost and the Registrar to ensure campus-wide coordination of program offerings and support for general education.

Deans are responsible for approval of:

• Course by Special Arrangement
• Independent Study
• Pilot Courses

Who is involved in academic program planning and development?

All ideas for new majors, minors, or certificate programs should be discussed at the departmental level first and brought to the Dean for further discussion.  Any programs that involve DGCE resources and graduate programming should also be discussed with the Dean. The Assistant Provost serves as the liaison to the DHE and will work with deans and department chairs on submission for state approval process of new undergraduate and graduate academic programs.

The Dean of Assessment and Accreditation is responsible for coordination of the implementation of the Common Core. The Dean of Assessment and Accreditation works with campus constituents such as the schools, AUC, the Curriculum Committee, and ACAP (Advisory Committee on Academic Planning) on assessment of, and revisions to, the common core.

Who is involved with the review of academic programs?

The program review process is an essential part of academic planning. The Office of Assessment and Accreditation is responsible for coordinating the regular program review process. All questions regarding program review should be sent to the Director of Accreditation and Special Projects. The dean will support the academic departments in the program review process.

The Office of Assessment and Accreditation is also responsible for providing institutional support for the accreditation process. The Director of Accreditation and Special Projects tracks the accreditation review of all programs, collaborates with associate deans and department chairs to ensure that the review process proceeds smoothly and serves as a liaison with central administration to secure their cooperation in this process. Deans are expected to monitor the accreditation status of programs in their home school and secure resources to support the accreditation process.

Annual Reports

Department Chairs will submit annual reports to the Dean. College deans are responsible for reviewing all annual reports, meeting with department chairs to follow-up on the reports, and summarizing the reports for central administration as part of a summary of school-wide activities.  All annual reports are then submitted to the Office of Assessment and Accreditation.  

Evaluation

Faculty evaluations continue to be conducted in accordance with the bargaining agreements, involving peer review committees and department chairs as required.

The MSCA contract continues to include Deans in the evaluation process for reappointment, tenure, and promotion, but has changed their location in the process. Deans provide their recommendation to the committee on tenure and/or the committee on promotion.

Whom do I contact for faculty and staff-related matters?

Please first see the department chair to discuss questions, concerns, or issues and determine an appropriate course of action.

Who hires and funds part-time faculty?

Department chairs will continue to be primarily responsible for finding, interviewing, and requesting to hire part-time faculty. The Assistant Provost will serve as the signatory on part-time faculty contracts which will be processed by assistant to the assistant provost once they are in place. The responsibility for managing the adjunct budgets will rest with the Assistant Provost.

How do departments request a full-time faculty line?

As it has been the case in with Academic Affairs in the past, all vacated faculty lines revert to the Division of Academic Affairs for later distribution. The lines will be distributed based on a transparent process following guidelines for position requests explained in the new Faculty Position & Search Request form. The process includes providing an evidence-based rationale for the hire to the Dean for approval.

Requests approved by the Dean will then be assessed by the Office of the Provost. Requests approved by the Provost are presented to Finance Cabinet for funding and if approved sent to the President’s office. This includes positions funded by DGCE.