Department Chair, Physician Assistant Program

University of Saint Mary
Leavenworth, Kan.


The Department Chair of the Physician Assistant Program (Chair) must be both a leader with vision and a manager, capable of and committed to articulating and implementing the mission of the University of Saint Mary (USM) and the Physician Assistant Program.  They will be is responsible for marshalling the energies of the entire program to achieve its stated goals and objectives.  As both leader and manager, they serve as the liaison between the academic program and the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA), representing the needs and expectations of both to the other.  The Chair guides that program in planning for the future, within the parameters of the goals and objectives developed by Academic Affairs and USM.


The Chair must recognize the talent of the faculty in the program and be committed to working with them as colleagues.  The Chair motivates faculty members to focus on undertakings that contribute to the program, and USM’s long-range interests.  The Chair also insures the program faculty support collective program and other academic goals, and that there is congruence between those goals and overall institutional plans.  Accomplishing the latter task requires that the Chair effectively represent the program to USM commprogramy, and institutional priorities to the program faculty.


The Chair also has authority (subject to the VPAA’s agreement) concerning how the program is to operate.  Chairs must follow the policies and procedures as outlined in the USM employee handbook.  The Chair makes final decisions at the program level, for example, regarding budget allocations, individual faculty teaching assignments, course offerings for the semester, assignment of non-teaching responsibilities within the program, candidate recommendations for faculty and staff position.  Finally, the Chair must also deal effectively with personnel problems.  In the event a program member does not meet performance expectations or contribute in a positive and collegial manner to the work of the program, the Chair must determine and implement appropriate corrective actions.  The guide for determining these actions will be the USM employee handbook.


Essential Functions

 

  • General Operations

  • Administering the academic program.

  • Recruiting and supervising faculty and aiding in their professional development.

  • Upholding standards of professional integrity and ethics.

  • Overseeing student recruitment and retention, and student advisement.

  • Hiring and supervising support personnel, and maintaining program facilities and equipment.

  • Preparing and administering program budgets.

  • Participating in outreach activities.

  • Participating actively in administrative meetings.

  • Working with the VPAA to advance the missions of the program and USM.

  • Performing other duties as observed by the Chair to be needed and/or assigned by the VPAA.

  • Budgetary Responsibilities

  • Preparing the program budget.

  • Acquiring external funds as possible.

  • Monitoring and assessing the program.


Relation to Program Faculty and Staff

  • Provide leadership for, and maintain appropriate involvement in, all personnel actions arising in the program.

  • Provide leadership in developing clear and equitable standards for faculty retention and promotion.

  • Expected to be an informal mentor for all faculty members in the program, though the level of the Chair’s mentoring involvement will vary according to the seniority and needs of individuals.

  • Supervises all support staff in the program.


Communication with Administration

  • Must keep the VPAA informed in advance of leadership messages being communicated inside the program or USM, as well as to others beyond USM.

  • Must inform the VPAA if they desire to take any policy-level, budgetary, personnel, etc., actions to the President’s Office; or other high-level USM administrators, programs, or faculty; or outside supporters.


Department Chair

  • Preside at all regularly scheduled and special meetings of the faculty.

  • Serve on the Academic Leadership Council as the official representative of the department.

  • Serve on all other committees required while the program is developing; e.g., (graduate committee, faculty senate, etc.)

  • Appoints faculty to specialized roles in the department such as the Director of Clinical Education, the Director of Research and Admissions, and the Curriculum Director and Director of Informational Services.

  • Recruit and recommend faculty for appointment (rank and salary) to the VPAA.

  • Present and recommend faculty for promotion and tenure to the appropriate tenure and promotion committee and to the VPAA.

  • Evaluate the performance of all faculty according to the policies of USM.

  • Prepare and submit reports to the VPAA as requested.

  • Prepare and submit an annual budget that reflects the operating needs of the department.

  • Assign responsibilities and duties to faculty.

  • Assign responsibilities and duties to staff and office personnel.

  • Monitor expenditures.

  • Maintain control of the budget.

  • Maintaining an inventory of all supplies of the department.

  • Approve all expenditures of the department.

  • Performs other duties as prescribed by the VPAA.

  • Serves on all Departmental Committees as needed.

  • Globally, assures that all activities related to accreditation are completed, of which portions may be delegated.

 

Specific Actions

  • In conjunction with the VPAA and Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services, will ensure that all fees related to accreditation are paid in a timely manner.

  • Submit all documentation required by all accrediting bodies related to the Physician Assistant Program in a timely manner. Documentation will include but may not be limited to annual accreditation reports, progress reports, reports of graduation rates, performance on state licensing examinations, and employment rates.

  • The Chair will notify all accrediting bodies of any substantive change within the program and of any change in institutional accreditation status or legal authority to provide post-secondary education in a timely manner.

  • Work to resolve all issues of conditional compliance within 2 years of being determined to be out of compliance.

  • Ensure that the Program’s accreditation status is accurately reported on all documents, web pages, and other media disseminated for informational purposes.

  • ARC-PA Reporting

  • Responsible for maintaining accreditation.

  • Responsible for sending reports and notifications to the ARC-PA.

Physical/Mental Requirements

  • Requires ability to speak before large groups

  • May require long periods of time at a computer terminal

Education, Experience, and skills


Applicants must have a Physician’s Assistant degree, teaching experience, and must be eligible for licensure in Kansas.  

To Apply:

  1. Submit a cover letter of application that relates your education, teaching and experience to the qualifications listed;
  2. A current curriculum vita or resume;
  3. The name, address, and current telephone number of at least three current professional or academic references;
  4. Transcripts from all institutions of higher learning attended (Official transcripts will be  required prior to hiring), to:


By Mail:

Dr. Bryan Le Beau, Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs, 

University of Saint Mary, 4100 South Fourth Street, Leavenworth, Kansas,  66048.


By Email:

hoyesk@stmary.edu 

 

EOE