With a delegated authority, the Dean of the College appoints the department chair following consultation with the unit faculty and review by the Committee on Academic Personnel. Typical chair terms vary between three and five years. Effective July 1, 2022, chair compensation in CHASS is set to a standardized schedule, based on the operational complexity of the academic unit and a multiyear commitment to achieve parity in chair compensation across UCR. The terms and compensation for acting and interim appointments may differ. 

July 1, 2023 addendum: With the surge in new admits and transfers for AY23-24, especially in our largest majors, several enhancements to chair compensation take effect: 

• From the original Tier A, the creation of a new Tier “0” with an accelerated, performance-based compensation schedule. 
• A fixed allocation increase to chairs of all degree-granting undergraduate programs, to be used at the discretion of the chair, to support a faculty member (e.g., vice chair, undergraduate program director) charged with working closely with the Assistant Dean of Student Success on local student success initiatives (i.e., admissions, workload, retention, and graduation). Renewal of this annual allocation is subject to budgetary conditions and performance.
• Direct research support for chairs increases by approximately 20% across the board. 

July 1, 2026 addendum:

• Chair research support and stipends remain stabilized at AY25-26 levels. 
• Student Success allocations remain at AY25-26 levels, with new performance-based metrics for first-year retention efforts. The Assistant Dean for Student Success will announce specifics in September 2026. 
• Consistent with CHASS Policies on Teaching and Research (last revised 2017), chairs are relieved of two (2) courses per academic year. Graduate Advisors are relieved of one (1) course per academic year. Without exception, all other course releases must be requested from and approved by the Dean.
  
  Unless specifically authorized by the Dean for a period no longer than one academic year, there will be no instructional release extended to the vice chair (if any), the faculty graduate admissions director (if any), or chair designees for merit and promotion files. However, a chair may reassign one of their own course releases to the departmental officer of choice and/or use departmental funds to provide research support in compensation for service that will also be credited in the normal merit and promotion review.