Oklahoma State University




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Title: JOB DESCRIPTION - HEAD, VETERINARY CLINICAL SCIENCES
Policy Number: 1.3.13
Date: 09/12/12
Job Description
Head, Veterinary Clinical Sciences

The department head is the chief executive officer of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences (VCS) which includes faculty, intern and resident clinical service assignments to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. S/he is responsible to the Dean of Veterinary Medicine. The department head shall:

  • Assume responsibility for the quality, effectiveness, and progress of the department in regard to its missions of teaching, research and service, and promotion of outreach/extension.
  • In cooperation with faculty, develop, implement and evaluate policies and procedures to assure high quality and national reputation for academic programs.
  • Assume responsibility for formulating and implementing budgets for the department. Final budget approval is by the Dean of the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences (CVHS).
  • Recommend, after appropriate faculty counsel and in keeping with relevant University Policies and Procedures, appointment, reappointment, salary increases and adjustments, tenure, promotion, dismissal, and other personnel actions relating to members of the faculty and staff in the department.
  • Provide leadership, strategic planning, motivation and management to assure excellence in teaching, research, clinical service and promotion of continuing education and extension.
  • Adhere to all College and University policies and procedures for control, maintenance, and general supervision of movable and fixed property and all official records assigned or delegated to the department.
  • Call and preside over timely meetings of the department.
  • Delegate responsibility where appropriate.
  • Coordinate recruitment, appointment and appropriate orientation of new faculty members, staff, interns and residents.
  • Establish mentoring committees for new faculty members.
  • Annually update and submit to the Dean a departmental five-year plan for the department's missions of teaching, research, clinical service and outreach/extension.
  • Prepare annual appraisal and development reports on academic personnel and meet with faculty and select staff members to discuss their career development and annual plans of work.
  • Serve as voting member of the Hospital Board. Provide input to budget, policy and procedures, and personnel decisions affecting the veterinary teaching hospital.
  • Provide overall direction and evaluation of the Department's intern and residency programs.
  • Assume responsibility for operations of the CVHS Ranch.
  • Serve as voting member of the Veterinary Administrative Council (VAC).




Proposed by Associate Dean Michael Lorenz and approved at the VAC meeting on June 30, 1998. Revisions were proposed by Associate Dean Michael Lorenz and approved at the VAC meeting on March 23, 1999. Revisions were proposed by
Dean Joe Alexander and approved with additional revisions at the VAC meeting on May 4, 1999. Revisions proposed by
Jim Meinkoth (Chair: Search Committee for open Head, VCS position) and approved at the Veterinary Administrative Council (VAC) meeting on September 12, 2012.

Approved by: VAC
Reviewed by: Mary Kay Jennings
Reviewed by: Jean E. Sander
Review date: 09/12/12