Chair, Agriculture/Professor

Chair, Agriculture/Professor

Position Number: F00343P
Position Type: Faculty
Position Category: Chairs
Driver Classification: Non Driver
City: Richmond
Division: Academic Affairs/Provost
Department: College of Science, Tech, Engineering & Math
Unit: Agriculture
Contact Person: Tim Ross
Funding Source: Institutional

About the College/Department:
Eastern Kentucky University is a regional, coeducational, public institution of higher education offering general and liberal arts programs, pre-professional and professional training in education and various other fields at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Located in Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky, EKU has a distinguished record of more than a century of educational service to the Commonwealth. Eastern Kentucky University is committed to access, equal opportunity, dignity, respect, and inclusion for all people, as integral to a learning environment in which intellectual creativity and diversity thrives.

Situated near the heart of the Bluegrass, Richmond is served by a network of major highways that make EKU easily accessible from all parts of Kentucky and surrounding states. Richmond is 26 miles southeast of Lexington, Kentucky. Interstate Highways I-75 (north-south) and I-64 (east-west) make the metropolitan areas of Cincinnati, 112 miles to the north, and Louisville, 110 miles to the west, within convenient distance by automobile. Richmond is also served by U.S. Route 25 from Southeastern Kentucky and Kentucky Route 52 from the east and west. The Bluegrass, Mountain, Daniel Boone, and Cumberland Parkways provide even greater accessibility by automobile since the city is located near the convergence of these arterial highways into the interstate system.

EKU is dedicated to high-quality instruction, scholarship, and service, and places emphasis on the three in that order. Through its colleges and schools, the University seeks to offer quality instruction at a variety of degree levels in general education, the arts, the sciences, business, education, pre-professional and professional areas, and applied and technical disciplines. Through consultative services, continuing education, and the extended campus, the University seeks to provide service to the community and the region. Research seeks both to advance knowledge in the subject matter areas with which the University is concerned and to support the primary function of teaching.

The Department of Agriculture, located within the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, consists of over 130 majors and offers two and four-year degrees in Agriculture and Animal and Veterinary Science. Various concentrations in Agriculture and Horticulture disciplines are offered, as well as associated programs in Agriculture Education and a MS concentration in Agriculture Operations. For more information, visit http://www.agriculture.eku.edu/.

Position Summary:
Eastern Kentucky University invites applications for the position of Chair, Department of Agriculture. The Chair reports directly to the Dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
CHAIR RESPONSIBILITIES The Department of Agriculture Chair will…

• Provide dynamic collegial visionary leadership and direction to a department with a dedicated faculty and staff.
• Coordinate short-term and long-term planning with faculty and staff.
• Facilitate faculty and staff development, program assessment, curriculum review and development, and oversight of teaching and applied research laboratories.
• Operate within a multidisciplinary teaching, research and service environment in such a way as to enhance excellence in these areas.
• Manage the administrative, fiscal, and instructional resources of the department.
• Ensures effective representation and communication between the department faculty, staff, students, dean and other administrative officers of the university.
• Recruit and support talented faculty and staff to fulfill the department's mission of providing high quality instructional programs with practical applications.
• Facilitate utilization of the department's multiple resources including Meadowbrook and Brassfield Farms, on-campus horticulture facilities and other resources to support faculty teaching, research and service goals.
• Coordinate with faculty in the development and renewal of academic curricula to account for changes in the agriculture industry.
• Effectively distribute faculty time between teaching, service and applied research.
• Enhance existing student recruitment and retention strategies and actively plan and enlist new and creative strategies with departmental faculty.
• Develop and maintain professional relationships with alumni and agricultural stakeholders.
• Serve as a strong advocate for faculty, staff and students to ensure that funds are used equitably for compensation, professional development, projects, equipment, and travel.
• Lead departmental institutional effectiveness reporting for short- and long-term university strategic planning.
• Answer concerns of administration, faculty, staff, students and the public in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Teach undergraduate/graduate courses in area of expertise.
• Evaluate faculty and support staff.

Preferred start date is January 3, 2023, with option to defer up until July 1, 2023.
Nominations of outstanding potential candidates for the position are welcomed. Review of applications will begin September 2, 2022. This position will remain open until filled.

Minimum Qualifications:
The successful candidate must…

• Hold an earned doctorate in an agriculture-related field
• Meet the requirements for appointment with tenure at the rank of professor or associate professor. Rank of professor is preferred, but the rank of associate professor will be considered.
• Have a record of excellence in teaching, a commitment to and a record of productive research, and service.
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively manage budget, personnel issues and strategic planning.
• Have communication and leadership abilities to foster strong working relationships among students, faculty, staff and agricultural stakeholders.
• Have an understanding of regional, national and global agriculture.
• Have demonstrated leadership skills in building cooperative and collaborative relationships with other academic units at the university and with external organizations.

Desired Qualifications:
Rank of professor is preferred, but the rank of associate professor will be considered.

Posting Number: F00343P
Number of Vacancies: 1
Job Open Date: 07/12/2022
Application Review Date: 09/02/2022
Job Close Date:
Open Until Filled: Yes

Special Instructions Summary:

• PLEASE NOTE: Applicants are requested to include a Statement of Administrative Philosophy in the “Additional Space Reserved for Attaching Documents” options under Applicant Documents.

AA/EEO Statement:
Eastern Kentucky University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, ethnicity, disability, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g., athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts or any employment policy or practice.

Background Check Statement:
Offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory background check.

Document Link:

To apply, visit https://jobs.eku.edu/postings/20866 jeid-aca9d40d9a204c4197252b7049483ff2