UT department chairs may not have to punch a time sheet every day to make sure they are spending enough time in their offices, but the amount of hours spent at the desk is not what is important, said David Sosa, chairman of the Department of Philosophy.
"If your administrative work is going well, that means you're doing a good job - not the number of hours you work," Sosa said.
UT does not have a written policy on the amount of time department heads need to spend in their offices or on campus.
"They just have to get their job done," said Stephen Monti, executive vice provost.
The amount of hours department chairs need to spend on administrative duties versus the time spent on research and teaching varies during the year, Sosa said.
"The important thing is the quality of administrative work on campus and that it is done efficiently and effectively," he said. "There is an expectation that you will be generally available as the main administrative contact person."
Howard Ducharme, a professor at The University of Akron, was recently removed from his position after 11 years as chairman of the Department of Philosophy because he argued with College of Arts and Sciences Dean Ronald Levant, who said he needed to be on campus from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday.
The issue of office hours is not the only reason Levant removed Ducharme from his position, Levant said in a statement to the deans at the University of Akron.
"I do not see chairs as hourly employees and would never expect them to 'punch a clock,'" Levant said. "They are trusted professionals in vital roles that require them to be readily available to students, their colleagues and others who often need to be able to reach them quickly."
Texas A&M University also has no policy that dictates the amount of time department chairs must spend in their offices.
Monti has never heard any problems relating to UT department chairs not being available on campus, he said.
"I'm expected to be on campus in order to supervise staff, but I'm also expected to continue with teaching and research," Sosa said.
Sosa works from home on the weekends but is in his office every weekday. If he is out of town for a conference, the associate chairman takes charge of the philosophy department office.
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