The academic unit head (AUH) serves as a leader, administrator, manager, and coach—someone who must grasp the complexities of the role while considering perspectives from above, below, and within. This position provides opportunities to make meaningful, positive change in the daily experiences of faculty, staff, and students at JMU.

Academic units differ in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to the number of faculty, staff, and students; budget allocation and management practices; discipline-specific accreditation requirements; the composition of intra-unit leadership (e.g., assistant and/or associate AUHs, program directors); and advisory board or council responsibilities, and student advisory responsibilities.

Even so, typical responsibilities include the following:

Leadership and Strategic Planning

• Collaborate with faculty and staff to develop and implement strategic and short-term plans aligned with institutional goals.
• Establish clear priorities and actions to fulfill the mission of the academic unit, college, and university.
• Coordinate with advisory boards or councils to inform planning and decision-making.

Academic and Instructional Oversight

• Ensure the delivery of high-quality instruction and academic programs.
• Manage the curriculum process and advocate for instructional resources.
• Supervise course scheduling, registration, and instructor assignments to meet student and institutional needs.

Faculty and Staff Development

• Recruit, support, and evaluate faculty and staff.
• Conduct faculty evaluations (initial, annual, mid-point) and manage tenure and promotion processes in partnership with personnel advisory committees.
• Collaborate with faculty to request new faculty positions.
• Make faculty workload assignments in collaboration with the faculty.
• Maintain confidentiality and foster a collaborative, inclusive environment.

Operations and Resource Management

• Manage the academic unit’s operations, including budgeting, resource allocation, and governance.
• Develop and uphold unit policies, procedures, and bylaws in collaboration with faculty.
• Coordinate educational and unpaid faculty leaves.

Internal and External Constituency Engagement

• Address student concerns and support academic success and retention.
• Maintain effective communication with faculty, staff, administration, and external constituencies.
• Facilitate career and professional guidance for faculty, staff, and students.
• Represent and advocate for the academic unit within the university and to external audiences.

Reporting and Professional Contributions

• Prepare annual reports on unit-level accomplishments.
• Serve as the point of contact for Academic Program Reviews (APRs) and accreditation/reaccreditation processes.
• Ensure compliance with institutional and accreditation standards.