Department Head and Artistic Director, Dramatic Arts

The Department of Dramatic Arts at the University of Connecticut invites applications for the position of Department Head and Artistic Director of the Connecticut Repertory Theatre. The successful candidate will be appointed at the rank of Professor or Associate Professor and the anticipated start date is August 23, 2021. This person will act as the Department’s artistic, administrative, and academic leader, with oversight of faculty, staff, curriculum, budget, recruitment, and strategic direction, as well as the artistic direction of the Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT). UConn’s Department of Dramatic Arts offers degrees in five (5) areas, at the undergraduate and graduate levels, notably including the nation’s only graduate program in puppet arts. CRT is a primarily student-staffed theatre operating on a URTA-AEA contract, with AEA stage management and guest artists. The successful candidate will bring bold and innovative artistic leadership, paired with a passionate commitment to the training and development of theatre professionals.  

Department Head and Artistic Director is a five-year, renewable appointment. Beyond that term, as a member of the faculty, the successful candidate will be expected to contribute to research and scholarship through extramural funding, high quality publications, impact as measured through citations, performances and exhibits, and national recognition as through honorific awards. In the area of teaching, the successful candidate will share a deep commitment to effective instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels, development of innovative courses and mentoring of students in research, outreach and professional development. Members of the faculty are also expected to broaden participation among members of under-represented groups; demonstrate through their research, teaching, and/or public engagement the richness of diversity in the learning experience; integrate multicultural experiences into instructional methods and research tools; and provide leadership in developing pedagogical techniques designed to meet the needs of diverse learning styles and intellectual interests.

The new Head will be expected to have a strong commitment to academic excellence in a major research institution, and to fostering diversity and inclusiveness at all levels of the academic enterprise, including faculty and staff hiring and student recruitment. They will work collaboratively with the Dean and other leaders within the School of Fine Arts, particularly the Heads of the other academic departments (Art & Art History, Digital Media and Design, and Music) to implement the strategic goals of the School and of the University. 

The Department Head will oversee budget, personnel (including faculty promotion and tenure procedures), curriculum, and facilities, and work closely with faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, and outside constituencies to support and promote the vision and mission of the department.

The University of Connecticut’s Department of Dramatic Arts offers BFA degrees in Design/Technical Theatre, Acting, and Puppet Arts, and a BA degree in Theatre Studies. The Department offers an MFA in Theatre with concentrations in Scenic Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Technical Direction, Acting, Puppet Arts, and Arts Leadership and Cultural Management. Its MFA programs in performance and design/tech are rated among the top six by the University/Resident Theatre Association. The unique, internationally acclaimed MFA Program in Puppet Arts offers training and experience for students across the department in innovative puppet and object performance. There are twenty-five members of the full-time faculty and an additional 7 staff members.

The Department of Dramatic Arts is resolutely committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible, and equitable environment for all members of our community. With that affirmation in mind, historically underrepresented and/or marginalized groups of all held identities, including but not limited to, individuals with disabilities, women, candidates of color, are actively encouraged to apply, and your offerings of continued accountability are welcomed.

The Connecticut Repertory Theatre prepares students by blending education and industry. Created as a training ground, and modeled on a stand-alone LORT/regional theatre, CRT produces four Main Stage productions per academic year (two in the 486-seat, proscenium-stage Harriet Jorgensen Theatre and two in the 241-seat, thrust-stage Nafe Katter Theatre) and two Studio productions in the 116-seat Studio Theatre. The CRT has a professional staff of ten, several of whom also teach periodically.

Also housed within the School of Fine Arts are the Department of Art & Art History, the Department of Music, the Department of Digital Media and Design, the William Benton Museum of Art, the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, and the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry.

Founded in 1881, the UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.

The UConn Storrs campus is in a beautiful area of New England, with a moderate cost of living and proximity to major cultural, recreational, and urban centers of the Northeast. The University community provides residents with a rich diversity of cultural, artistic, athletic, and historic experiences. UConn is ranked as the top public university in New England, and among the top 25 public universities nationwide.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the department and CRT through a period of restructuring, aimed at better uniting all (5) areas in creating a more sustainable producing model that more closely reflects the progress and pedagogy of our industry and academia.
• Steer the department and CRT in our continued self-assessment, accountability, and growth, as we work towards an actively anti-racist, accessible, equitable, and inclusive community. These efforts will be holistic, encompassing pedagogy and programming, as well as recruitment and retention of students, faculty, staff, and guest artists with a focus on diversity of racial, ethnic, gender, socioeconomic, geographic, academic/professional backgrounds, and other underrepresented groups.
• Act as the department’s primary representative in working with School and University administration, championing the needs of students, faculty, and staff and participating in School and University-level strategic planning, policy-making, and budgeting as appropriate
• Provide leadership in University engagement, fostering collaborative relationships and interdisciplinary initiatives with other departments, schools, and colleges.
• Manage and monitor Department and CRT budget development, fiscal planning, and resource management while balancing the needs of Department/CRT with existing budgetary constraints. Procure external funding in collaboration with the UConn Foundation to support the work of the department.
• Oversee CRT as Artistic Director, through duties including but not limited to: season planning, community engagement, development and fundraising, and the cultivation of artistic relationships beyond the University.
• Maintain and expand the reputation of the department’s programs within academia and the industry.
• Promote and oversee the artistic excellence of the program through the recruitment and retention of exceptional members in all areas: students, staff, faculty, and guest artists.
• Provide direct oversight of faculty, staff, and guest artists, including ensuring compliance with University policies, conducting annual performance reviews, making merit recommendations, and supporting faculty/staff scholarship, creative activity, and professional development.
• Engage directly with students as a teacher, mentor, and advisor.
• Support tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty through the promotion, tenure, and reappointment process as appropriate.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• MFA, DFA, Ph.D., or equivalent terminal degree.
• National/international record of achievement commensurate with the rank of tenured Associate or Full Professor at the University of Connecticut.
• Past experience as an Artistic Director, or related experience in theatre management.
• At least three years of teaching experience in higher education.
• Evidence of creating and fostering equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist environments within an academic or artistic community

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience managing non-profit financing and fundraising, focusing on the short and long-term health of the institution.
• Demonstrated experience in recruiting, retaining, and supporting students, faculty/staff, guest artists from underrepresented populations.
• Demonstrated experience/commitment to shared governance.
• Experience in at least one area beyond Artistic or Managing direction, such as directing, design, or development

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, 10-month, tenured position with an anticipated start date of August 23, 2021. The successful candidate’s academic appointment will be at the Storrs campus. Faculty may also be asked to teach at one of UConn’s regional campuses as part of their ordinary workload. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.  

TO APPLY

Please apply online to Academic Jobs Online https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/18396 and submit the following application materials:

• A cover letter specifically addressing your credentials relative to the minimum and preferred qualifications listed above,
• Curriculum vitae,
• A one-page statement of teaching philosophy,
• A one-page statement of program leadership or leadership/management style
• A one-page diversity and inclusion statement articulating the candidate's previous practices centered on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. This section should be comprised of implemented actions towards a more anti-racist, equitable, diverse, and inclusive theatre and can include examples given from both the industry and academia.
• Names and contact information of three professional references

Evaluation of applicants will begin immediately. For fullest consideration, please submit your application by April 14, 2021.

If you have any questions related to the search, please send a detailed inquiry to Nisha Joshee Hardnett, Administrative Coordinator, at nisha.hardnett@uconn.edu with #495114 Dramatic Arts Department Head Search in the subject line.

For more information regarding the Department of Dramatic Arts, visit www.drama.uconn.edu

At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community.

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check. 

This position will be filled subject the budgetary approval.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.

The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty and staff. The diversity of students, faculty and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University’s teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn’s ranking as one of the nation’s top research universities. UConn’s faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.