University of North Texas 
The Role of the Department Chair
A department chair plays a vital role in ensuring the success of the unit’s faculty, students, and staff. A department chair serves as both a faculty member and an academic administrator, providing leadership and management to the department/division consistent with the university's mission and goals. Chairs also engage in teaching, research/creative activities, and service as determined by the overall distribution of their workload. Refer to the Roles and Responsibilities of Department Chairs document for specific responsibilities, including appointment terms, workload distributions, compensation guidelines, and evaluation procedures.
New Chair Orientation
New chairs will be invited to a New Chair Orientation in late August or early September to learn more about becoming a new chair. The Vice Provost of Faculty Success and the Chair Council Chairperson facilitate the half-day program. It covers topics and resources essential for successfully onboarding into the chair role.
Chair Academy
Administered by the Chairs Council in consultation with the Vice Provost of Faculty Success, the Chair Academy meetings explore contemporary issues and best practices through engagement and collaborative dialogue. The overarching goal of the academy is to offer a basic set of procedures to accelerate the development of the University of North Texas (UNT) leadership team. The academy meets throughout the calendar year and hosts a retreat at the beginning of each fall semester. For a current list of department chairs, Chair Academy meetings, and calendar events, visit the UNT Chairs website.
Chair Development Hub
The Chair Development Hub meetings are one-hour virtual meetings focused on a single topic for discussion to promote learning, mentoring, and development. These are usually held each quarter or more frequently as needed.
Chairs Council
The Chairs Council facilitates and improves the work of department chairs by referring issues of interest and/or relevance to chairs to the university administration. The Chairs Council Constitution can be found online, along with other Chairs Council resources and the list of current representatives. The Chairs Council meets quarterly throughout the calendar year.