I love how you have made me think here Jim.  I never really considered how my role as department chair would affect my students. I have really been focused on my relationships with colleagues and my new responsibilities.  I have not changed how I approach the role of teacher and build my relationships with students.  It's as if this title is a hat that I thought I could take off.  But maybe I can't even with them.  The fact that I have this title does likely impact them in some way.  It will be interesting to see how they interpret it in the coming weeks and months.

Would it matter to you if you were being taught by the department chair?  How does this change your perception of the course and the teacher?