Overview of Administrative Functions and Organizational Charts.

• The Dean of the School of Public Health, who is the School’s chief administrative and academic officer. The Dean’s responsibilities within the School are listed in the bylaws but centrally include: overseeing strategy setting and execution, representing the school to its peers locally and globally, working with senior University leaders on matters pertaining to the School, supervising, planning-budgeting-evaluation cycle; supervising the School’s administrative and academic officers, working closely with the members of an external Dean’s Advisory Board, and chairing the Governing Council. The Dean’s primary reports include all members of the Governing Council except the representatives of the faculty, staff, and student senates.
• The Associate Dean for Administration, who is responsible for all major administrative and financial functions in the School, including budgetary planning, financial compliance, space acquisition and allocation, equal employment opportunity (EOO) matters, Title-IX matters and human resources matters. The Associate Dean chairs the Administrative Council that is responsible for implementing administrative policies throughout the school.
• The Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, who is responsible for our efforts to promote an institutional culture that values and supports diversity; develops, implements, and monitors the School’s diversity and inclusion plan; and coordinates a variety of services, events, and programs aimed at enhancing diversity and inclusion at SPH. The Associate Dean chairs the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee and co-chairs the Recruitment and Retention Committee.
• The Associate Dean for Education, who is responsible for the academic affairs of the School. The Associate Dean oversees the Education Office and directors with educational portfolios, including the Admissions Office, the Career and Practicum Office, Educational Initiatives, the Registrar’s Office, and the Office of Graduate Student Life. The Associate Dean chairs the Education Committee that is responsible for policy setting and implementation around education at the School.
• The Associate Dean for Practice, who directs the Activist Lab, and is responsible for facilitating relationships between the School and non-academic institutions involved in the practice of public health.
• The Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Advancement, who is responsible for faculty recruitment, development, and retention, and the research program of the School. The Associate Dean oversees the Faculty Resources Office, idea hub, and the SPH Research Administration team and manages all programs related to faculty advancement (recruitment, appointment, promotion, and development), research administration, and the pilot award program. The Associate Dean chairs the Research and Faculty Advancement Committee and co-chairs the Recruitment and Retention Committee.
• The Department Chairs who are responsible for overseeing the education, research, and service activities of the department’s faculty and staff. Chairs are also responsible for strategic planning and managing the budget at the departmental level, as well as evaluating performance and supporting the professional development of faculty and staff.
• Center Directors, who are responsible for overseeing the scholarship and activities of the faculty and staff associated with each school-wide center. They are also responsible for the planning, budgeting, and evaluation for their center.
• The elected chair and a second designated representative of the Faculty Senate. The purpose of the Faculty Senate is to consider or recommend action, as appropriate, on all matters affecting the academic and professional concerns of the faculty of the school, including any matters as may be referred to it by the Dean or the Governing Council. The Faculty Senate has its own bylaws and governing structure.
• The elected chair of the Staff Senate. The Staff Senate is an elected body that includes at least one staff member from each department and representatives from school-wide offices. The purpose of the Staff Senate is to consider or recommend action, as appropriate, on all matters of concern to the staff of the school, including any matters as may be referred to it by the Dean, Governing Council, or Administrative Council. The Staff Senate has its own bylaws and governing structure.
• A student representative on behalf of the Student Senate. The goals of the Student Senate are to disseminate information, support student-initiated projects, and represent the concerns of public health students to the faculty, staff, and university community.
• The Assistant Dean for Development and Alumni Relations, who works closely with the University Development and Alumni Office and oversees the SPH Development and Alumni Relations Office.
• The Assistant Dean for Marketing and Communications, who manages the Communications Office and is responsible for communicating the work of the SPH community, both internally and externally.
• The Dean’s Office Chief of Staff, who is responsible for leading the Dean’s Office executive team, shepherding special projects for the Dean, and managing external relations and engagements for the Dean.

• The Activist Lab facilitates collaborations with the community on a broad range of public health issues and programs, including a public health workforce training program.
• The Administration and Finance team manages the School’s budget, human resources activities including hiring and staff development, (EOO) and Title-IX matters and is responsible for the planning and maintenance of the School’s space and physical resources.
• The Admissions Office works closely with the MPH Admissions Committee and program-specific committees to recruit students into the School’s educational programs. They are responsible for strategic planning for enrollment and recruitment, and implementation of recruiting events.
• The Career and Practicum Office works closely with students and alumni to identify career paths, job opportunities, and practica during their educational program and after graduation. The Office also awards scholarships to support student practica through Generation Health.
• The Communications Office serves to elevate and increase visibility for the work of the School. The office seeks to highlight work across local and national media outlets, serving our goals to be leaders in the conversation on public health, and manages all school communications, including the SPH website, SPH Today, SPH This Week, and SPH This Year. The office also advises faculty members on their professional web presence, including BU faculty profiles, headshots, and utilizing social media outlets.
• The Dean’s Office Executive Team runs the day-to-day operation of the Dean’s Office, manages Dean’s level events, coordinates programming for leadership, serves as a liaison to relationships outside the School, and completes miscellaneous projects as needed for the School and the dean.
• Development and Alumni Relations is the central point of contact for the School’s donors and 12,000+ alumni. The office coordinates numerous alumni events throughout the year, many of which coincide with professional conferences and events held around the globe.
• The Education Office works closely with all SPH faculty, department chairs, associate chairs, and directors to ensure the School is meeting the educational needs of SPH students. The office evaluates and implements new programs, facilitates curriculum development, supports all aspects of teaching and learning, and the evaluation of educational programs.
• The Faculty Resources Office supports faculty recruitment, appointment, promotion, and development, including managing the Annual Faculty Review, faculty mentoring program, incentive program, faculty development workshops, and the phased retirement plan. The office is a key point of contact for all faculty affairs processes at the school.
• Graduate Student Life (GSL) coordinates co-curricular activities, manages student organizations, and plans social events for all students at the School. GSL also facilitates student support services, including mentorship and academic supports, academic accommodations, and student professional development.
• The Research Office works closely with departmental grants managers and department administrators to develop and implement policies related to grants administration and ensure the best practices in grants administration put into effect.
• The Registrar’s Office is responsible for student records, course records, curriculum scheduling, and advising. The office is the central point of contact for federal, state, and University policies, including FERPA and copyright, and works closely with the Boston University Registrar’s Office. The Registrar also serves as the director of academic integrity and oversees the implementation of the university academic code.

• The Governing Council is the senior governance body for the school and has approval authority for school-wide policy setting, and other strategic activities. The Governing Council is comprised of all associate deans, all department chairs, the elected chair and a second designated representative of the SPH Faculty Senate, the elected chair of the SPH Staff Senate, a designated representative on behalf of the SPH Student Senate, and other members of the SPH community at the Dean’s discretion.
• The Administrative Council (AC) serves as the coordinating body for all administrative matters impacting the school, spanning broad functional areas ranging from human resources, to facilities, budget planning and more. The AC is chaired by the Associate Dean of Administration & Finance and is comprised of senior administrative leaders supporting the School’s various administrative programs and services.
• The Appointments and Promotions Committee is responsible for the review and approval of faculty appointments and promotions, as set forth in the SPH guidelines. The Dean appoints the chair of the Appointment and Promotions committee from the full professors at the School. All members shall be terminally promoted faculty members. At least one committee member is appointed on a modified track and at least one member is appointed on the unmodified track. Aspirationally, all academic tracks of the school would be represented on the committee by terminally promoted faculty. The Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Advancement and a member of the School’s Faculty Resources Office serve as ex-officio members.
• The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee serves as the coordinating body for affairs regarding the systems and structures that support diversity, inclusion, and belonging at the School. The committee is chaired by the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice and is comprised of one representative from each academic department and central administrative units and at least one student representative. The committee is charged with examining diversity and inclusion efforts within educational programs, student services, and alumni relations, and works to create advocacy and support in all of the School’s programs and services.
• The Education Committee oversees all of the School’s educational programs. It reviews proposals for new educational programs and new courses, oversees the student and teaching evaluation process, and regularly reviews the curricula of each program. The Education Committee is chaired by the Associate Dean for Education and is comprised of one faculty representative from each academic unit and at least one student representative. Membership also includes the directors of the MPH, DrPH, undergraduate programs, and research masters and PhD programs, the Assistant Dean of Strategic Educational Initiatives, and the Registrar. Faculty representatives, who are not directors, are appointed by department chairs and serve a two-year term, renewable once.
• The Practice Advisory Committee (also known as the Practice Committee) is the steering committee for practice initiatives, community relations and outreach, and student and staff service activities at the School. It is responsible for strengthening the School’s networks with public health agencies, establishing new affiliations with external organizations, engaging the School with the global public health practice community, and promoting practice activities within the School. The Practice Advisory Committee is chaired by the Associate Dean for Public Health Practice. In addition to the six department representatives, membership includes the Assistant Dean of Graduate Student Life, the Assistant Dean for Career Engagement, and at least one student representative.
• The Research and Faculty Advancement Committee is responsible for building effective faculty development programs and makes recommendations regarding administrative policies to enhance scholarship. The committee is also responsible for the SPH mentoring program and evaluating proposals for research pilot awards. The Research and Faculty Advancement Committee is chaired by the Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Advancement. In addition to the six department representatives, membership includes the Director of idea hub, at least one student representative, and an ex-officio member of the Faculty Resources Team.

• The Directors Group (DG) is chaired by the Associate Dean for Administration and Finance and is comprised of administrative directors of the academic departments as well as central units at SPH. This group meets monthly to discuss matters directly impacting the day-to-day operations of the academic departments and central teams.
• The DrPH Committee engages in creative thinking about the evolution of DrPH education at SPH, advises on student progress, including discussions on dissertation topics, and supports and advises on enrollment, marketing and admissions. The DrPH Committee is chaired by the DrPH Program Director and includes a representative from each of the six departments, the director of on-campus educational programs, and key staff from Admissions, the Registrar’s Office, Graduate Student Life, and the Career & Practicum Office. Faculty representatives are appointed by department chairs and serve a two-year term, renewable once.
• The Research Masters and PhD Programs Committee oversees marketing, admissions, recruitment, retention, curriculum, and satisfactory student progress to ensure that programs meet compliance and quality standards. It is chaired by the Research Masters and PhD programs Director and includes one faculty representative from each academic department (typically the MS and PhD director), the director of on-campus educational programs, and key staff from the admissions and education offices. Any faculty representatives, who are not program directors, are appointed by department chairs and serve a two-year term, renewable once.
• The Enrollment Committee sets the strategic direction for all SPH enrollment efforts with a focus on graduate education. It reviews the content, timing, and sequence of communications with applicants; oversees efforts to enhance student diversity; reviews the suite of marketing materials across all media channels; evaluates the substance and quality of prospective and accepted student days; reviews proposals for strategic partnerships; and advises the Associate Dean of Administration and Finance to set targets for upcoming admissions cycles. The committee is chaired by the Assistant Dean of Strategic Educational Initiatives and includes the Assistant Dean of Admissions, Assistant Dean of Marketing and Communications, Associate Dean for Education, and key staff from the Admissions and Marketing and Communications Offices.
• The On-campus MPH Committee oversees admissions, recruitment, retention, curriculum, and satisfactory student progress to ensure that on-campus MPH students meet compliance and quality standards. It is chaired by the On-campus MPH Program Director and includes the faculty certificate directors, the director of the dual degree programs, the director of undergraduate programs, the director of on-campus educational programs, as well as key staff from Admissions, the Registrar’s Office, Graduate Student Life, and the Career & Practicum Office.
• The Online MPH Committee oversees admissions, recruitment, retention, curriculum, and satisfactory student progress to ensure that online MPH students meet compliance and quality standards. It is chaired by the Online MPH Program Director and includes the online MPH course instructors, the Online MPH staff, as well as key staff from Admissions and the Registrar’s Office.
• The MPH Admissions Committee establishes criteria for admission, reviews and discusses applications to the School, and makes recommendations for admission to the Admissions Office. The committee is comprised of at least one full-time member from each department and chaired by the on-campus MPH program director.
• The MS Admissions Committee establishes criteria for admission, reviews and discusses applications to the School, and makes recommendations for admission to the Admissions Office. The committee is comprised of at least one full-time member from each department and chaired by the Research masters and PhD programs director.
• The MPH Practicum Committee ensures that the MPH practicum is a robust learning experience for students. The committee is chaired by the Assistant Dean, Careers & Practicum and is comprised of at least one faculty representative from each academic department and staff from the Career and Practicum Office. The committee is responsible for reviewing and approving practicum proposals, conducting midpoint and final assessments of competencies, and reviewing and assessing student work products.
• The Faculty Recruitment and Retention Committee is charged with recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty who support our institutional commitment to ensuring that BU is an inclusive, equitable, diverse institution where all constituents can thrive. The committee is co-chaired by the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice and the Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Advancement. The members include one faculty representative from each academic department and an ex-officio member of the Faculty Resources Team. When conducting a search on behalf of a department, three additional ad-hoc representatives from the department conducting the search are added to the committee to ensure that the perspective of the department is well represented.
• The Sponsored Programs Operating Committee (SPOC) addresses issues, shares ideas, and develops school-wide best practices for the management of sponsored research activities. The committee includes all grants managers at SPH and is chaired by the Assistant Director of Grants Administration and Financial Operations.

Committee members are appointed by the Dean or their designee, in consultation with the department chairs and unit heads, following the structures defined in the school’s bylaws and committee charges. Membership for the Administrative Council is comprised of senior members of the staff. Membership on the remaining standing committees is comprised primarily of faculty as summarized below.

Each of the remaining committees includes one representative from each of the School’s six departments. It is the responsibility of the department chair to ensure that citizenship activities are equitably distributed among faculty within the department, balanced with service contributions, and commensurate with the salary coverage provided. Department chairs may wish to have members who serve on committees by virtue of an administrative appointment (e.g., a program director) also fill the “department representative” spot on a given committee. There cannot be more than two faculty members on any given committee from any given department.

Department and unit membership on each committee by department representatives is for a two-year term, renewable once (i.e., four consecutive years). Department representatives can rejoin committees after a one-year break. Staff and faculty who are members of a committee based on administrative responsibilities may remain on the committee as long as they hold those positions. Student membership on each committee is for a one-year term, renewable once (i.e., two consecutive years).

The chair of each committee monitors membership and terms to ensure the timely turnover of each committee, as well as ensures there is a suitable transition between committee members and onboarding of new members to ensure continuity. In general, faculty and staff committee membership starts on July 1 of any given year, making committee engagements on an academic year cycle. Student membership typically begins on January 1 of a given year and aligns with the calendar year.

• Activist Lab
• Administration and Finance
• Biostatistics
• Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC)
• Career and Practicum
• Community Health Sciences
• Dean’s Office
• Dean’s Office Executive Team
• Development & Alumni Relations
• Education
• Environmental Health
• Epidemiology
• Global Health
• Health Law, Policy & Management
• Marketing and Communications
• Research and Faculty Advancement

Please contact the Associate Dean for Administration and Finance with any questions.