THE STRUCTURE OF EXPECTED ACADEMIC UNDERTAKINGS IN BABCOCK UNIVERSITY,

1
THE STRUCTURE OF EXPECTED ACADEMIC UNDERTAKINGS
IN BABCOCK UNIVERSITY,

• BY PROF. CHIMEZIE A. OMEONUDEPUTY VICE
  CHANCELLOR, ACAD. ADMINISTRATION AT THE 2008
  UNIVERSITY COLLOQUIUMAUGUST 11 18, 2008

2

• INTRODUCTION
• This is an introduction, first in the series of
  a University-wide orientation for every staff
  involved in academic ministry of the Institution.
  In a way, every staff of the University is
  involved.

3

• The orientation is planned to be on two planes
  the general and specific. This is the general
  and a kind of an overview of the specific. The
  specific like the one for Deans, HODs, Directors,
  Coordinators, Course Advisers - will be planned
  and those involved duly notified as per logistics.

4

• The motive is for us to interact and educate
  ourselves and through these know more of the
  contents of our calls for duty and hopefully be
  able to render faithful and acceptable service.

5

• DEAN OF A SCHOOL
• Committee Membership (Statutory)
• Member, Committee of Deans
• Member, Ways and Means Committee
• Chair, Schools Board of Examiners
• Chair, Schools Appointments and Promotions
  Committee
• Member, Universitys Appointments and
  Promotions Committee
• Member, University Senate
• Member, Admissions Committee

6

• He or she is the chief financial accountant,
  chief academic examiner, chief academic officer,
  chief fund raiser, operational manager, and chief
  public relations officer of the School

7

• He must work and prepare the School for every
  accreditation visit and see that the materials
  and other logistics for success are in place
  before the accreditation proper. He also leads
  out in making appropriate responses to
  recommendations and observations of accrediting
  bodies like NUC, AAA, NMCN, ICAN, . In this
  regard, he or she functions as a secondary host
  to the accreditation team.

8

• He or she presents the teachers and other workers
  for promotion and sees that the necessary
  materials for successful promotion are in place
  and that the guidelines and requirements for
  promotion are met by the candidate

9

• He liaises with the Chapel Seminar coordinators
  at the School and Departmental levels and see
  that attendance by students and staff are at the
  peak at all times
• He or she is an active participant in student
  orientation new and outgoing students

10

• Participates in the planning and execution of
  conferences, workshops, and seminars organized at
  the School level
• The Dean should lead out in a mock accreditation
  of programmes because an accreditation proper
• Explores avenues for grants and gifts to the
  School

11

• One of the most important virtue the dean needs
  is patience with those under him or her
• He or she is a principal signatory to the
  account(s) of the School
• Gets research openings and relevant conferences
  for staff of the school

12

• He or she should encourage interdisciplinary
  activities and cross school teaching for teaching
  depending on areas of expertise
• Sees to the publication of the Schools journal
  and other publications aimed to advertise the
  School
• The individual is in custody of the assets of the
  University that are domiciled in the School

13

• He or she is the chief public relations officer
  for the School, and leads out in selling the
  school to the public he prepares materials for
  advertising the School and for fund and intending
  student raising
• Leads out in curriculum review and other reviews
  of the activities of the School in e.g. a
  semester, a school year, etc.

14

• He is the landlord and the maintenance of the
  assets of the School, to a large extent, are on
  his or her shoulder
• He or she is a motivator and happy with the
  achievements of the staff in the School. He sues
  for peace among contending forces in the School
• He or she makes sure that official files of the
  School are up-to-date e.g. staff files,
  seminar/conference reports, financial records,

15

• He or she presents graduands during University
  graduation ceremony
• The individual may be officially requested to act
  for an officer or director of the University in
  the latters absence
• His office serves as a sure source of information
  on the progress of alumni of the School,
  important information that is demanded by
  accrediting bodies and agencies
• He or she is officially accountable for the
  School

16

• HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
• Committee Membership (Statutory)
• Chair, Departments Board of Examiners
• Member, Congregation
• Member, Schools Board of Examiners
• Member, University Senate

17

• He or she is the chief financial accountant,
  chief academic examiner, chief academic officer,
  chief fund raiser, operational manager, and chief
  public relations officer of the University at the
  Department level
• He is the assistant of the Dean at the department
  level what the dean is for the School is what
  the HOD is for the department

18

• The individual may be requested to act for the
  dean or another officer of the University in the
  latters absence
• He is in charge of the assets of the University
  that are domiciled in the department

19

• The Department is the nucleus of the academic
  programmes in the University
• He is officially accountable for the Department
• He or she must firstly be acquainted with the
  aims, objectives, and philosophy of the
  University and key in for the Department

20

• Has an eye on the accreditation status of the
  programmes of the Department interim, full,
  etc. and works with the School Dean to present
  programmes for accreditation especially the
  production of self-study and allied documents
  of various accrediting bodies
• The HOD should see that books, journals, and
  other learning materials which will be inspected
  by accrediting bodies are available in the
  Library (right quantity and quality, currency,
  local and foreign authors, etc.)

21

• Connect with other HODs of like programmes in
  other universities and other tertiary
  institutions benchmark and like with others. No
  HOD knows it all.
• Monitors effectiveness of teaching and learning
  at the department level
• The HOD must see that all teachers are carrying
  full loads or rendering maximum service to
  justify the terms of employment

22

• No HOD engages the services of part-time teachers
  till due approval from the University
  Administration is obtained
• The HOD must be creative in course allocations.
  The senior and experienced teachers should be
  assigned to 100-level students to give them a
  solid background to the course and motivate them
  along their chosen profession also, experienced
  and senior teachers should be assigned to the
  final year students to help prepare them for the
  world of work.

23

• He or she presents students to the Senate to be
  approved for graduation. This is done as
  empowered by the dean of the school. To avoid
  mistakes that arise due to recording lapses, the
  presentation may be made in three phases as
  applicable
• Summer Graduates
• First Semester Graduates
• Second Semester Graduates

24

• He or she chairs various committees at the
  department level or he or she delegates
• The most important virtue an HOD needs is
  patience with those under him or her
• Takes the lead in matters relating to academic
  restructuring especially in the creation of new
  academic programmes

25

• He or she is a file reader and makes sure that
  various files of the department are up to date
• He or she is a principal signatory to the
  account(s) of the department
• Member of the interview panel when new teachers
  are to be employed in the department he sets in
  motion activities aimed at hunting for teachers

26

• Sees to the publication of departmental journal
  and other materials for fund raising and
  advertisement of the department
• Functions as role model for the department

27

• Trains and prepares a successor since his success
  as an HOD will, to a large extent, depend on what
  becomes of the department when his or her tenure
  expires or when he is suddenly given another
  calling
• He or she is a key player in activities aimed at
  enhancing the status of staff in the department

28

• THE TEACHER
• Committee Membership
• Member, Congregation
• Member, School Board
• He is a Christian teacher, who, like the Master
  Teacher, is to seek and save that was lost,
  including the students and staff under him or her

29

• Functions as role model for the students and
  other staff
• He participates in invigilation and screening
  exercises
• He is to attend and participate actively in
  seminars and conferences related to his field or
  as sent by the University Administration
• He serves as a course adviser for the student

30

• He is the chief examiner for his course and
  should be at the hall when his examinations are
  being taken by students
• He or she is to meet times (time consciousness)
  set for the submission of grades and official
  reports

31

• He or she should get in contact with the
  Librarian to see that all recommended books and
  other learning materials are available in the
  Library. He or she should help the students to
  locate these materials in the Library. Also, the
  teacher should inform the Library staff of
  materials that should be placed on reserve.
• He is a guide and a role model not involved with
  extortions, sexual harassments, favoritism,
  tribalism, unethical financial transactions, etc.

32

• He is to integrate faith and learning in all he
  or she does. This means he or she must use his
  teaching as an avenue for students to connect
  with Jesus Christ and accept the gift of eternal
  life. The students must be considered as
  children of God for whom Jesus died and therefore
  can become candidates of heaven
• The teacher needs to be conversant with the
  computer for up-to-dateness of information in a
  particular field or subject

33

• He or she must be creative in delivery of the
  lessons
• The teacher should be prepared to teach in any
  other department or School where his or her
  services may be needed depending on the
  individuals professional competence
• Helps the HOD and Dean in making contacts for
  new teachers and other staff

34

• SUPPORT STAFF
• He or she is a role model for both staff and
  students, an agent of progress and a harbinger of
  peace
• Must be conversant with formats and timeliness of
  information and records

35

• Budgets and Financial Statements
• Agenda (Every Key Word Must be in Capital)
• Membership of Committees
• Minutes
• Conference (Research) Papers
• Reports
• Examination Questions (especially where three or
  four teachers are teaching the same course, all
  their names must appear on the question paper)
• Results for Presentation (e.g. to the Senate)
• Deeds, Contracts, Agreements, etc.

36

• He or she must see that information emanating
  from the office is accurate spelling, correct
  initials, correct official designations, etc.
  There are more than four Afolabis and five Idowus
  on Campus

37

• ALL
• Each is concerned with the success academic,
  economic, and spiritual - of the students. This
  is our reason for existence. Must be conversant
  with the aims and philosophy of the Institution
  or unit and key in.
• You are role model for the students and other
  staff. What you are is what they are planning to
  be. Do as I do, is to be chosen in place of
  do as I say.

38

• You are a public relations practitioner for the
  university. What you tell people is what BU is.
• Be careful with eclecticism picking here and
  there and trying to force other methodologies
  and approaches into your work and service
  delivery. Each philosophy has its applicability
  and environment and may not work out the same way
  in some other places due to differences in
  approach and applications

39

• Bring in creativity into your work. What will
  you do to make the unit or department better?
  You must leave the office and or unit or position
  better than you met it. Strive to brighten the
  corner where you are.
• Strive to meet the time or deadline set for
  assignments and reports

40

• You are role model for the students and other
  staff. What you are is what they are planning to
  be. Do as I do, is to be chosen in place of
  do as I say.
• You are a public relations practitioner for the
  university. What you tell people is what BU is.

41

• Always be cooperative and make for progress and
  success. The University is one body with many
  parts. Success or failure of any unit is like
  oil that affects other parts or units of the
  University. Thus we rise and fail at the same
  time.
• Every staff in Babcock University should be
  computer literate and own a computer to make the
  work load lighter and enhance productivity.

42

• THE FAITH DIMENSION
• The official topic for this presentation is a
  question Can Faith Work in a Restructured
  University Environment? The answer to this
  question is a strong and unequivocal yes.
  Firstly, what is faith? It is the believe that
  no matter what the situation and problems are,
  God is able.

43

• When Habakkuk 24 says that The just shall live
  by his faith, the text is equally saying that
  the just shall live by Gods faithfulness. God
  is faithful. As you faithfully brighten the
  corner where you are, you will be restructured
  for eternal life.