University Organizational Chart
Explore an editable university organizational chart example, beginning with President and its principal branches.
University Organizational Chart
Illustrative, editable whole-company structure. Adapt roles and relationships to your organization.
About this company template
University Organizational Chart is an illustrative, role-based template for an entire organization. It does not describe a named employer or require one fixed set of roles.
A university separates the academic line (provost, deans, department chairs, faculty) from administration (finance, facilities, student services, advancement). Faculty also take part in governance through a senate or council, which advises rather than manages.
Change the example to match your legal entities, operating model, decision rights and real reporting lines before sharing it.
How this university organizational chart works
President is the top node in this example. The first layer contains Provost, Vice President Student Affairs, Vice President Finance & Administration, Vice President Advancement, Chief Information Officer, Faculty Senate.
A university separates the academic line (provost, deans, department chairs, faculty) from administration (finance, facilities, student services, advancement). Faculty also take part in governance through a senate or council, which advises rather than manages.
A solid connector in this editable org tree means an example reporting relationship. Ownership, advisory, service, project and partnership relationships may need a separate note or relationship type; do not treat them as another manager.
The academic line is the long spine: provost, deans, department chairs, faculty. Research, graduate study and the library hang off the provost here, but some universities place research under a separate vice president. The dotted Faculty Senate stands for shared governance: it shapes curriculum and academic policy and advises the president without being a management layer.
Lead role
President
Leads the institution and reports to the governing board. — Replace this label with the actual accountable role or governing body.
Provost
Chief academic officer; deans and department chairs report through this role.
Vice President Student Affairs
Admissions, services and housing.
Faculty Senate
Advises on academic policy; not a management line.
How to adapt this structure
The academic spine and the administrative branches can each grow without blurring faculty authority over teaching and research.
Adapt the branches to your organization and remove any managerial layer that does not exist.
Design tradeoffs
- A clear academic spine keeps faculty decisions with academic leaders.
- A single-parent tree cannot fully express every cross-functional, ownership or contractual relationship.
- Shared governance gives faculty a voice in academic policy.
- It can slow decisions that administration treats as urgent.
What this chart shows
- Deans lead colleges or schools; department chairs often rotate from the faculty.
- Governing board and chancellor titles vary by system and country.
- Research may sit under the provost or a separate vice president.
- Public and private institutions differ in who appoints the president.
Related company structures
Frequently asked questions
Who do deans report to?
Usually the provost, although some institutions have deans report to the president.
Is the faculty senate a manager?
No. It is a governance body, so it is drawn as a dotted advisory line.
Does a connector always mean direct employment reporting?
No. Where a branch represents ownership, advice, service or partnership, add a clear relationship note rather than relying on the connector alone.
Can I add colleges?
Yes. Add each college under Academic Deans and its departments below.
Use this org chart template
Open and edit this university organizational chart in QueryChart.