In addition to their regular salaries, faculty who serve as chairs are eligible to receive other compensation in a number of forms—in recognition of the work that chairing entails, based on the size and complexity of the department or program. Options for compensation include release time from teaching, stipends (which may be paid as extra compensation, which is taxable, or as research funds, which are generally not taxable to the faculty member), or a combination of release time and stipends/research funds. Stipends are paid in two installments; the first is included in the October paycheck and the second in the March paycheck. Research funds are deposited in chairs’ research accounts early in the fall semester of each academic year, if they choose this form of compensation.
Chairs may also be compensated with additional semester of sabbatical after three years of chairing, under the terms described in the scenarios and compensation selection forms at the bottom of this page. Unless they are choosing to take an additional semester of sabbatical, chairs of departments may choose to receive one form of compensation in one year and another in a subsequent year. Course releases may not be carried over ("banked"), and two course releases may not be taken in one semester. Departments may only have two course releases per year.
Chairs should complete a compensation preference form on an annual basis via the links at the bottom of this page.
Large Departments
Listed below are the compensation options for chairs of large departments, which are defined for purposes of this program as departments with ten or more continuing faculty members.
- A stipend ($6,500 per year during first two years of chairing and $7,000 per year during the third year) and a course release
- Two stipends (totaling $13,000 per year during first two years of chairing and $14,000 per year during the third year)
- Two course releases per year (chairs may not take two course releases in one semester)
- A stipend each year and an additional semester of sabbatical after three years of chairing.
- One course release per year and an additional semester of sabbatical after three years of chairing.
This compensation applies to the departments of: Anthropology and Sociology; American Studies; Black Studies; Computer Science; Economics; Environmental Studies; History; Political Science; Psychology; Spanish
Large Departments with the Opportunity to Designate a Compensated Associate Chair
Listed below are the compensation options for chairs of large, complex departments, which are defined for purposes of this program as large departments (with ten continuing faculty members) with five or more staff members or that involve multiple programs of instruction.
- A stipend ($6,500 per year during first two years of chairing and $7,000 per year during the third year) and two course releases (chairs may not take two course releases in one semester)
- Two stipends (totaling $13,000 per year during first two years of chairing and $14,000 per year during the third year) and one course release
- Two stipends and an additional semester of sabbatical after three years of chairing
- A stipend, one course release, and an additional semester of sabbatical after three years of chairing
For these departments, there is an opportunity to designate a compensated associate chair, who will be given a clearly defined set of responsibilities (the responsibilities may differ from department to department). One course release or a stipend may be used to compensate the associate chair. Between the chair and the associate chair, departments may have a total of two course releases per year.
- Chair could take two course releases and give associate chair a stipend
- Chair could take one course release, a stipend and give associate chair a course release
- Chair could take a stipend, take an additional semester of sabbatical after three years of chairing and give an associate chair one course release
- Chair could take one course release, take an additional semester of sabbatical after three years of chairing and give an associate chair a stipend
This compensation applies to the departments of: Art and the History of Art, Asian Languages and Civilizations, Biology, Chemistry, English, Mathematics and Statistics, Music, Physics and Astronomy, and Theater and Dance
Small Departments
Unless they choose the sabbatical option (see below), chairs, during each year in which they serve, may choose whether to receive a stipend ($6,500 during the first two years of chairing and $7,000 during the third year), which would be taxable; the same amounts as research funds, which are generally not taxable; or a course release.
Chairs of departments who serve for three consecutive years have the option of choosing an additional semester of sabbatical at the conclusion of their three-year term, in lieu of any other form of compensation, for their work as chair.
This compensation applies to the departments of: Classics; French; Geology; German; Law, Jurisprudence and Social Thought; Philosophy; Religion; Russian; Sexuality, Women’s and Gender Studies
Programs
Chairs of Architectural studies, Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Education Studies, Film and Media Studies, Latinx and Latin American Studies, and Neuroscience are eligible for the same compensation options that are described above under small departments.
Small Program
During each year in which a faculty member serves as chair of European Studies, the chair may receive a taxable stipend of $3,000.
Faculty Who Will Chair in 2024–2025: Select Your Form of Compensation Below
Chairs are asked to complete the appropriate form shown below. Indicate your compensation preference for the academic year 2024–2025 only. The provost’s office will ask chairs for their compensation preference on an annual basis.
LINKS TO COMPENSATION SELECTION FORMS FOR CHAIRS
Large Departments
Large, Complex Departments with the Opportunity to Designate a Compensated Associate Chair
Small Departments and Programs
Effective fall 2023