****Amendments to Regulation 30 were last approved by the University Council by Chair's Action, with changes taking effect from 19 March 2019.***

Regulation Governing the Procedure for Appointment of Heads of Joints Schools in the Faculties of Arts & Social Sciences

(1) The Head of a body governed by these regulations shall be appointed by the Committee established under Ordinance 7.2 to appoint Heads of Academic Departments.

(2) Any member of a body governed by these regulations who holds an academic appointment of Associate Professor (or Senior Lecturer) or above shall be eligible for appointment to the position of Head.

(3) The term of office of the Head shall be three years with effect from lst August in the year of appointment, the appointment being renewable.

(4) (a) At the beginning of the Spring Term before the expiry of a Head’s period of appointment, the Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Arts or the Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Social Sciences as appropriate shall consult all members of the body concerned about the appointment of the Head.

(b) Following the consultation process, the Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Arts or the Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Social Sciences as appropriate shall make a report to the Committee established under Ordinance 7.2.

(c) The Committee shall then consider any recommendation for appointment, or shall meet with members of the body concerned to discuss the position, and shall determine the procedure to be followed in identifying a Head.

(5) (a) If the post of Head becomes vacant by resignation or from any other cause before the expiry of the period of office, the Committee shall appoint an Acting Head, following consultation with the Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Arts; no Acting Head shall hold continuous office for more than one year.

(b) The Committee shall direct that a consultation process shall be undertaken by the Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Arts or the Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Social Sciences as appropriate, who shall make a report to the Committee.

(c) In the light of the report from the Chair of the Faculty Board the Committee shall determine, on the recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor, whether such an appointment shall be:

(i) for the remainder of an unexpired period of office;

(ii) for a full term of three years from 1st August following;

(iii) for the remainder of the academic year in which the vacancy occurs and a full term of three years thereafter;

(iv) for such other period as may be deemed appropriate.

(6) The Head shall be responsible to the Senate, as determined in the Constitution of the body, for its management, for the administration of its academic programmes and the effective deployment and control of its financial and other resources. This shall include the responsibility to forward academic plans, to allocate teaching, administrative and other duties, and to ensure the proper execution of those duties. The Head shall also have a general responsibility for the guidance and development of non-academic staff.

(7) The Head of Department is required to make recommendations on a range of issues concerning the progress and promotion of those professorial academic staff who are appointed solely to the body.

(8) The Head of Department is also required to make recommendations on the academic, administrative and managerial aspects of applications for study and other leave by those members of academic staff who are appointed solely to the body.