Dean (education)

In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority.

The term comes from the Latin decanus, a leader of "ten", taken from the Medieval monasteries (particularly those following the Cluny reform) which were often extremely large with hundreds of monks (the size of a small college campus). The monks were organized into groups of ten for administrative purposes, along the lines of military platoons, headed by a senior monk, the decanus.

The term was later used to denote the head of a community of priests, as the chapter of a cathedral, or a section of a diocese (a "deanery").

When the universities grew out of the cathedral and monastery schools, the title of dean was used for officials with various administrative duties.

United States of America

Many junior high schools and high schools have a teacher or administrator referred to as a dean who is in charge of student discipline and to some degree administrative services. In large schools there may be a dean of men or boys, and a dean of women or girls, or each year may have a dean. Although most high schools are led by a principal or headmaster, a few (particularly private preparatory schools) refer to their chief authority as a dean.

The term is much more commonly used in higher education. Although usage differs from one institution to another, a dean is usually the head of a significant department or collection of departments within a university (as "Dean of the Downtown Campus," "Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.") Many colleges and universities have a position known as "Dean of Students," who is in charge of student services, and a "Dean of the Faculty," who serves as the faculty's voice in the school's day-to-day administration.

Almost every American law school, medical school, divinity school or other professional school refers to its highest ranking administrator as a dean, and most have several assistant or associate deans as well (such as a Dean of Academics and a Dean of Students).

United Kingdom

In universities in the United Kingdom the Dean is the head of a faculty, a collection of related academic departments. Examples include Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. Durham University also has a Dean of Colleges, who is chosen from the various College Principals and Masters and takes a parallel role to the Faculty Deans in university-wide debate.

Oxford and Cambridge

In most Oxbridge colleges, there will typically be a senior fellow with the title "Dean". The Dean's duties centre around framing and enforcing the college's rules, making the Dean a figure associated with discipline and punishments. Decanal penalties range from fines for minor transgressions to so-called "community service" (assisiting college officers and fellows with menial tasks) for larger incidents, or for recidivists. Students may also be "gated", or confined to the college's grounds, though this is less common than it was. For more serious offences, the Dean may (usually by convening a disciplinary committee from among the college fellowship) have a student rusticated or sent down. Being called to the office of the Dean for one's actions is referred to by students as "being Deaned". The Dean of a college will usually enjoy a notional parity of status with the college's senior tutor, responsible for academic matters, and its bursar, responsible for finances. The Dean will be answerable to the head of the college.

It should be noted that the authority of a Dean extents only to their own college: very serious offences, or those that fall out of the perview of the college, are dealt with by the Proctors - the equivalent post for the entire University.

Christ Church, Oxford, being technically an extension of Oxford Cathedral, gives the title "Dean" to the head of the college (since this post is always held by the Dean of the Cathedral). The Dean of Christ Church does not undertake the disciplinary duties given to other college Deans; instead these duties fall to the "Censor", a post unique to Christ Church and equivalent to other colleigate Deans.

Canada

In a Canadian university, a Dean is typically the head of a faculty (sometimes called a "school"), which may include several academic departments. Typical positions include Dean of Engineering, Dean of Science and Dean of Business. Many universities also have a Dean of Graduate Studies, responsible for work at the postgraduate level in all parts of the university.

The job description for Deans at the University of Waterloo is probably typical, and reads in part, "The Dean of a Faculty is primarily a University Officer, serving in that capacity on the Senate, appropriate major committees and on other University bodies. As University Officer, the Dean has the dual role of making independent judgments on total University matters and representing the particular Faculty's policies and points of view. The Dean should oversee the particular Faculty's relations with other Faculties to ensure that they are harmonious and serve the total University's objectives. The Dean will report directly to the Vice-President, Academic & Provost."

There may be Associate Deans responsible to the Dean for particular administrative functions.

Some universities also have a Dean of Students, responsible for aspects of welfare and discipline and serving as an advocate for students within the institution.

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United States of America

United Kingdom

Oxford and Cambridge

Canada

See also