Educational Administrative Roles and Responsibilities.
Faculty expectations in teaching, research/scholarship, and service and citizenship are described above in Section V. The educational administrative roles cataloged here are over and above typical citizenship activities and the only roles for which there is associated salary coverage for faculty. The percent salary coverage listed for each role are maximums and prorated if the duties of a role are shared. Not all roles will be filled at all times depending on the needs of the School. The Associate Deans for Education and Research and Faculty Advancement oversee faculty administrative roles.
Quality assurance in education is a critical process that includes promoting innovation in teaching and learning including, but not limited to, synchronous and asynchronous online teaching and novel uses of technology to enhance in-person teaching and learning, continuous quality improvement of teaching and learning including the development, collection and analysis of appropriate performance metrics, and building a culture of excellence in teaching that rewards the best and supports the rest. It also includes on-boarding of new primary and adjunct faculty, ongoing training and support for teaching faculty including programs such as peer coaching. These activities are best managed within departments. The work could be taken up by the chair, associate chair, allocated to a faculty member, managed by program staff or some combination.
A. Associate chairs
Associate chairs work closely with their respective department chairs in all aspects of leadership and management of department faculty and staff in advancing the mission of the school and the department. The particular mix of responsibilities may vary depending on the agreement between the chair and associate chair regarding how to best meet the needs of their particular department. The responsibilities of associate chairs include assisting the department chair in duties as assigned, and may include the following:
- meeting with chair regularly to manage strategic initiatives and operational priorities including personnel, space and infrastructure
- faculty and staff recruitment, mentoring and retention
- supporting faculty in appointment and promotion
- constituting and managing school-wide and departmental committees
- overseeing the administration and governance of educational programs within the department
- overseeing and expanding the department research agenda and portfolio
- managing departmental events
- developing and implementing strategies for communication and research translation
- representing the department at events within and outside of the school
- working with departmental and central staff on course rotations and additional instructional support requests
- leading new initiatives in education, research/scholarship and practice at the chair’s request
- managing administrative tasks for the department
- preparing nominations of faculty, staff and students for awards
- serving as acting chair when the chair is unavailable
- providing periodic reports on department functions, as requested
Associate chair(s): 20% FTE per department, allocated to one or more to perform associate chair duties
B. Program directors
Program directors oversee graduate studies within a degree program (PhD, DrPH, MS, MPH). Working with program faculty, department and SPH leadership, the director shares responsibility for managing and improving graduate education within a program. The responsibilities include:
- overseeing the administration and governance of graduate studies within the program
- participating in Accepted Student Days, Prospective Student Information Sessions, and other recruitment and yield events (expected of all faculty as part of service and citizenship)
- collaborating with the Admissions Office on marketing and recruitment strategies
- participating in student orientation to communicate program requirements and expectations
- serving as a point of contact for graduate students enrolled in the program
- acting as the liaison among the graduate students, program faculty, and SPH administration
- serving as the program’s representative on SPH governance committees, as appropriate
- identifying and managing funding opportunities for students, as appropriate
- communicating relevant matters to the program faculty or its committees as needed; informing the faculty of policies and deadlines, as appropriate; and forwarding recommendations, nominations, and other information from the faculty to the appropriate SPH and university administrators
- adjudicating requests for transfer credit and waivers (in consultation with the Registrar’s Office and appropriate faculty)
- ensuring compliance with accreditation requirements
- submitting curricular changes to the Education Committee for approval
- approving program requirements for annual bulletin deadlines
- reviewing teaching schedules to ensure availability of course offerings
- enforcing policies and regulations of the university, SPH and the degree program
- overseeing maintenance of student program records and regular student evaluation processes (including following up on student issues identified by the Satisfactory Academic Progress committee, as appropriate)
- providing periodic reports on the program to SPH as requested
The On-campus MPH director is additionally responsible for the following:
- serving as a standing member of the Education Committee and the Educational Leadership Group
- managing the MPH Program Committee which includes the Dual Degree Programs Director, the Undergraduate Programs Director, Certificate Leads, the Assistant Dean of Admissions, the SPH Registrar and Director of Academic Integrity, the Assistant Dean of Students, the Assistant Dean of Career and Practicum, and the Director of On-campus Educational Programs
- managing the MPH core instructors meeting
- co-chairing the MPH Admissions Committee
- serving as the point of contact for the part-time student organization
- advising graduate students with respect to program requirements until a permanent advisor is assigned
- working with the Assistant Dean of Students to support on-campus MPH students
- reviewing proposed curricular changes for certificates, the applied practice experience and the integrative learning experience
The Online MPH director is additionally responsible for the following:
- serving as a standing member of the Educational Leadership Group and attending the Education Committee as needed
- managing the Online MPH Program Committee which includes the Senior Director of the Online MPH, the Director of Student Success, the Assistant Dean of Admissions, and the SPH Registrar and Director of Academic Integrity
- collaborating with the Admissions Office on admissions decisions
- working with the Director of Student Success to support online MPH students
The MPH dual degree director is responsible for managing dual degree programs (MD/MPH, JD/MPH, MBA/MPH, MSW/MPH, MS/MPH, MSGC/MPH), and for working closely with faculty and staff in partner schools to create opportunities for collaboration. The director is additionally responsible for working with the on-campus MPH director, program faculty, departments across the University, and SPH leadership.
The Director of Undergraduate Programs is responsible for managing the BA/MPH and BS/MPH programs and the minor in public health, working with faculty and staff in partner schools to create opportunities for collaboration. The director is additionally responsible for working with the MPH director, program faculty, departments across the University, and SPH leadership. The director is a standing member of the Education Committee.
The Research Master’s and PhD Programs director is additionally responsible for the following:
- serving as a standing member of the Educational Leadership Group and attending the Education Committee as needed
- managing the Research Master’s and PhD Programs Committee which includes the MS program directors, the PhD programs directors, the Assistant Dean of Admissions, the SPH Registrar and Director of Academic Integrity, the Assistant Dean of Students, the Assistant Dean of Career and Practicum, and the Director of On-campus Educational Programs
- overseeing program-specific admissions processes in collaboration with Admissions Office and program directors
- reviewing proposed program-specific curricular changes
- supporting program directors with any student-related issues
The DrPH program director is additionally responsible for the following:
- serving as a standing member of the Education Committee and the Educational Leadership Group
- managing the DrPH Committee which includes a representative from each of the six academic departments, the Assistant Dean of Admissions, the SPH Registrar and Director of Academic Integrity, the Assistant Dean of Students, the Assistant Dean of Career and Practicum, and the Director of On-campus Educational Programs
- overseeing admission to the program and allocating scholarship awards
MPH director: 40% FTE, one person school-wide
OLMPH director: 20% FTE, one person school-wide
Research Master’s and PhD director: 30% FTE, one person school-wide
DrPH program director: 20% FTE, one person school-wide
PhD program directors: 15% FTE, one per program
MPH dual degree director: 15% FTE, one person school-wide
MS programs director: 15% FTE, one person school-wide
Undergraduate programs: 15% FTE, one person school-wide
MS biostatistics directors: 10% FTE, one per program
Training grant PI: 10% FTE, institutional support for PI
C. MPH Certificate Leads
MPH certificate leads oversee the design and implementation of functional and context certificates embedded within the program collaborating with the MPH director and program faculty.
Responsibilities of functional certificate leads include:
- drafting competencies for the certificate
- identifying courses that meet certificate goals
- mapping course assessments to competencies
- drafting requirements of the integrated learning experience (ILE) and devising a rubric for assessing satisfactory completion of the ILE
- serving as a point of contact for MPH students enrolled in the certificate
- participating in Accepted Student Days, Prospective Student Information Sessions, and other recruitment and yield events (expected of all faculty as part of service and citizenship)
- attending meetings of certificate leads
- communicating relevant matters (e.g., program updates, advising guidelines) to the certificate faculty as needed; informing the faculty of policies and deadlines, as appropriate
- hosting certificate events for certificate faculty and students
- overseeing and assessing the ILE for each student in the certificate; serving as faculty of record for PH845 in fall, spring, and summer sessions
- hosting practicum information sessions for certificate students
- coordinating with staff from the Career and Practicum Office on certificate-related career panels (identifying potential panelists) and participating in career information sessions
- ensuring compliance with accreditation requirements
- submitting changes to certificate requirements to the Education Committee for approval
- communicating relevant events, research, and media to certificate faculty and students
- enforcing policies and regulations of the University, SPH and the certificate
Responsibilities of context certificate leads include:
- identifying courses that meet certificate goals
- serving as a point of contact for MPH students enrolled in the certificate
- participating in Accepted Student Days, Prospective Student Information Sessions, and other recruitment and yield events (expected of all faculty as part of service and citizenship)
- attending meetings of certificate leads
- participating in practicum information sessions for certificate students
- communicating relevant matters (e.g., program updates, advising guidelines) to the certificate faculty
- hosting certificate events for certificate faculty and students
- submitting any certificate changes to the Education Committee for approval
- communicating relevant events, research, and media to certificate faculty and students
MPH certificate leads:
5% FTE, one per context certificate
10% FTE, one per functional certificate
15% FTE, one per functional certificate with >100 enrolled
D. Writing Director
The writing director is responsible for developing programming to support faculty, staff, and students in writing. The writing director is supported centrally by staff in the Office of Graduate Student Life who oversee the peer coaching program. Responsibilities of the writing director include:
- developing and disseminating resources for faculty, staff, and students to support and improve public health writing
- serving as the liaison with staff in the BU libraries and communicating relevant updates to faculty and staff at SPH
- working closely with the core course and other faculty to advise on writing assignments and rubrics and teaching tailored writing sessions in the core curriculum
- teaching writing sessions in the core curriculum and other courses, upon request
- serving as the liaison between faculty, staff in the Office of Graduate Student Life. and the peer coaches
- training and supporting the peer coaches on writing and providing feedback to students
- managing relationships with writing centers at Boston University
- promoting BUSPH as a leader in supporting student writing in schools and programs of public health
Writing director: 10% FTE, one person school-wide
E. Staff support for educational administrative roles
Program directors and certificate leads are supported centrally by the staff in the:
- Admissions office – who manage enrollment marketing, recruiting events, processing of applications, notifications of admission, rejection or deferral;
- Career services and practicum office – who deliver professional development activities (e.g., Career PREP, practicum advising, Career Fair, Practicum Expo, etc.), provide career counseling and advice (e.g., practicum information sessions), and manage the academic requirements of the MPH practicum;
- Education office – who support evaluation of new educational initiatives, assist with program modifications, accreditation requirements, and data requests;
- Office of graduate student life – who provide support for graduate students in all aspects of personal and professional development;
- Registrar’s office – who oversee course scheduling, student registration, student and program adherence to SPH, university and federal policies, and academic integrity.
Program directors and certificate leads are also supported by departmentally-based staff in many aspects of program administration, including but not limited to: admissions, student advising and community building events, student oversight, and data requests. The work of program directors and certificate leads are also supported by the Education Committee, Admissions Committee, Enrollment Committee, MPH Practicum Committee, and Research Masters and PhD Programs Committee (see Section II.3).