1.5 Administration

The administration comprises all persons who have responsibilities for matters of college/university operations apart from instruction of students. The internal organization and reporting structure of administrators and administrative staff are detailed in the appendix to Part I (available from the Human Resources Office). The Faculty Handbook includes a brief description of the authority and responsibilities of those administrators who have responsibilities to the academic program.

The president of the College of Saint Benedict is the chief executive officer of the college and reports directly to the Board of Trustees on all matters of college operation. The president of Saint John’s University is the chief executive officer of the university and reports directly to the Board of Regents on all matters of university operation.

The presidents work together to strengthen the coordinate relationship between the college/university while preserving the separate identity of each institution.

The provost is the chief academic officer and is accountable to both presidents for oversight of all academic and academically related programs and services in the coordinate curriculum of the college/university. The provost empowers deans, department chairs and other academic administrators to fulfill their responsibilities effectively and efficiently by hiring and retaining a faculty capable of sustaining the coordinate curriculum. The provost also directs the coordinate academic planning process and oversees administration on all academic budgets and the use of academic facilities.

Each dean is accountable to the provost for the orderly administration of academic programs in their areas of responsibility: the dean of the College of Saint Benedict for the divisions of Fine Arts, Social Sciences and Education at both institutions; the dean of Saint John’s University for the divisions of Natural Science, Humanities, and Nursing at both institutions.

The locus of each faculty appointment is in a specific department. The dean’s responsibilities for scheduling, evaluation and matters of student and faculty interpretation of educational policies are included in his/her divisional oversight. Matters specific to a faculty member’s College of Saint Benedict or Saint John’s University contract are to be called to the attention of the appropriate institutional dean. Both deans may participate in the evaluation for promotion on rank and tenure review, but ordinarily the dean works with faculty members who hold appointments in his/her institution.

The dean of the School of Theology is the chief administrative officer of the School of Theology, and reports to the provost. The dean holds a faculty appointment at Saint John’s University, and is a member of the president’s staff and coordinate cabinet. The dean of the School of Theology, in conjunction with the rector, is responsible for informing and seeking advice of the chancellor, the ordinary of the diocese of Saint Cloud and the School of Theology Board of Overseers concerning the professional and religious functions of the school as they may be guided by canonical norms.

The chair of a department of instruction represents the faculty of that department and has administrative responsibilities within that department. As an administrator, the chair is responsible for the proper functioning of the department; governance, faculty, students and facilities.

Department chairs are ranked faculty members. They report to the provost and to the dean responsible for the academic division that their department is in.