OVERVIEW OF THE ACADEMIC STRUCTURE OF THE COLLEGE

Let me welcome you once again to the new academic year, and share some important information with you that you need to know.

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I am Leroy Harvey, the Vice Principal of Academics, and head of the Academic Affairs Council.  The Council is the decision-making body for the Academic Affairs Division of the College.   The Academic Affairs Division of the College is responsible for your formal education and anything to do with the teaching-learning activities that take place here. 

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The College is divided into three faculties, and they are: The Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Science and Technology, and the Faculty of Education.  Each faculty is headed by a Dean who oversees the affairs of that faculty.  Each faculty is further divided into schools and departments, with the schools being headed by Heads of School, and the departments headed by Chairs of Department.  Every lecturer is a member of either a school or department.  In addition, there are two satellite campuses, one in Linstead and the other in St. Mary, and an Evening Division, each headed by a Director. 

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The Deans are classified as Principal Lecturers on the College’s establishment and organization structure.  The two Campus Directors and the Evening Division Director are also Principal Lecturers, overseeing the affairs of the satellite campuses and Evening Division.  Not all Principal Lecturers are Deans, and some may be assigned administrative responsibilities for other activities within the Academic Affairs Division of the College.  The Heads of School and Chairs of Department are either Senior Lecturers or Principal Lecturers, but not all Senior Lecturers are Heads of School or Chairs of Department.  Some Senior Lecturers are assigned special responsibilities in the College that are outside the ambit of heading a school or department.

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The difference between a school and a department within the College is that the schools coordinate and administer the academic programmes here at the College, while the departments provide support in the teaching-learning activities of these programmes.  Lecturers within a school report to, and are supervised by, the Head of that School; while lecturers within a department report to, and are supervised by, the Chair of that Department.  Heads of school and Chairs of Department report to the Dean of their respective faculties; and the Deans report to the Vice Principal of Academics, who reports to the Principal.  Directors of the satellite campuses and of Evening School, however, report to the Vice Principal of Administration and Students Affairs, who reports to the Principal as well.

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Whenever an academic issue is to be addressed by you the students, you must first have discussion with the lecturer teaching that course.  If the issue is not resolved, then your next level of discussion will be with the Head of School through which the specific programme of study is offered.  If the matter cannot be settled with the Head of School, then you may contact the Dean of the Faculty in which that school resides.  After all of those options have been exhausted, then you may write to the Vice Principal of Academics to intervene in the matter.  In most instances, all academic matters are resolved before they reach the Office of the Vice Principal of Academics.

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Let me wish you all the best in your time here with us.  Remember to do your best in all of your studies.  May God bless you.