Ordinance 7: Academic Organisation

The Council will establish Departments on the recommendation of the Senate.

(1)

There will be the following Departments within each Faculty:

(a)

The Faculty of Arts

https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/aboutus/

(b)

The Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine

https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/deptsandcentres/

(c)

The Faculty of Social Sciences

https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/departmentsandresearchcentres/

(2)

The framework for the management structure of each Department and staff consultation mechanisms will be set out in Regulations.

(3)

The membership of a Department will consist of all of the employees of the University who at the 1^st of October in any year hold a contract of employment in that Department of at least twelve months duration (or are seconded or otherwise assigned).

(4)

Where an individual holds a contract in more than one Department, that individual will be considered a member of all the Departments concerned, however, only one of the Heads of Department concerned will be considered to have managerial responsibility for an individual who is a member of more than one Department. At the time of an individual’s appointment the Heads of Department concerned will agree who has managerial responsibility and will notify the individual concerned in writing.

(5)

Each Department will have a Head, who will be appointed under the provisions of this Ordinance, with the exception of the Dean of the Warwick Medical School who will be the Head of the Warwick Medical School (ex officio), the Dean of the Warwick Manufacturing Group who will be the Head of the Warwick Manufacturing Group (ex officio) and the Dean of the Warwick Business School will be the Head of the Warwick Business School.

(6)

A Head of Department will be responsible for the management of the Department to the Vice-Chancellor, who may appoint a deputy for this purpose.

(7)

All members of the Department will be responsible to the Head through whatever decision-making and management structures the Head from time-to-time approves.

(8)

Heads will be responsible for a range of duties defined from time to time in Regulations.

(9)

The Committee on the Appointment of Heads of Department will receive and approve recommendations from the formal interview panel for appointment of Heads of Departments.

(10)

The membership of the Committee on the Appointment of Heads of Department will be as follows:

(a)

The Vice Chancellor or Provost (ex officio);

(b)

The Vice-Provost and Chair of the Faculty of Arts (ex officio);

(c)

The Vice-Provost and Chair of the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine (ex officio); and

(d)

The Vice-Provost and Chair of the Faculty of Social Sciences (ex officio).

A relevant senior member of HR will normally be the Secretary to the Committee.

(11)

(12)

The Head of Department will normally be chosen from amongst the professorial members of the Department. However, anyone who holds an academic appointment of Associate Professor or above shall be eligible for appointment to the position of Head.

(13)

The term of office of a Head of Department will normally be five years, with a three-year break clause. A Head of Department may be re-appointed for a second consecutive term of up to five years.

(14)

In the Autumn Term of the academic year in which the Head of Department’s appointment expires, the Vice-Chancellor, Provost or relevant Vice-Provost will advise members of the Department that an appointments process will commence in line with the Committee on the Appointment of Heads of Department’s approved process led by the relevant Vice-Provost and Chair of Faculty.

(15)

The Chair of the appointment panel will provide a report and recommendation to the Committee on the Appointment of Heads of Department following the formal recruitment process.

(16)

On receipt of the report the Vice-Chancellor or Provost will convene a meeting of the Committee on the Appointment of Heads of Department. The Committee will have the power to:

(a)

confirm the appointment of a single applicant

(b)

make an appointment from a number of the applications received

(c)

undertake further engagement with the Department with a view to making an appointment.

(17)

Where either no applications are forthcoming or the Committee on the Appointment of Heads of Department is unable to make an appointment as in paragraph (16) above, the Vice-Chancellor or Provost will decide the best course of action. For example, an external search; a search beyond the current department or an alternative. In the case of an external search, the normal Professorial recruitment process should be followed.

(18)

In the case of a casual vacancy the Committee on the Appointment of Heads of Department will appoint an Acting Head of Department, except that no Acting Head of Department may hold continuous office for more than twelve months.