Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance

Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance

College/School/Unit: College of Fine Arts
Department: Theatre & Dance
Posted: Sep 22, 2022
Apply By: Open until filled

Description

The College of Fine Arts at The University of Texas at Austin invites nominations and applications for the position of Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance. The appointment will be effective for the 2023-2024 academic year. The College seeks a bold, inclusive, visionary, and collaborative leader committed to innovative and socially engaged new work.

The candidate must be a nationally/internationally recognized practitioner and/or scholar who is active in research and/or practice of theatre or dance and is qualified to hold the rank of full professor with tenure. The Chair is the primary academic, administrative, and external affairs officer of the Department of Theatre and Dance and reports to the Dean of the College of Fine Arts. The Chair will be responsible for leading the Department in all aspects of teaching, research, artistic vision, and service and will guide the Department's efforts to:

• advance a collaborative, shared vision with and for the Department through transparent and ethical leadership;
• recruit, retain, and support a diverse faculty, staff, and student body in ways that promote an equitable and inclusive working and learning environment;
• guide the department's annual productions;
• expand curricular and programmatic offerings to reflect the increasing diversity of scholarship and performance in the field;
• plan strategic advances in the quality, reputation, diversity, and affordability of undergraduate, graduate, and non-majors' programs; and will
• administer the Department's approximately $6 million budget;
• participate as an active member of the College's collaborative administrative team;
• provide exemplary support for the well-being and professional advancement of all departmental employees;
• foster positive relationships between the Department and its various campus, local, regional, and national constituencies, and forge new relationships with underrepresented groups;
• maintain and strengthen the academic and producing relationships between the Department and the University's professional presenting house, Texas Performing Arts;
• advocate for the Department and the theatre and dance professions within the University and beyond.

We encourage applications from candidates belonging to groups that are underrepresented in higher education leadership, including women, non-binary people, people from historically marginalized racial and ethnic communities, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQIA communities.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will hold a terminal degree in a relevant performance discipline and must demonstrate evidence of:

• professional and/or academic accomplishments as a scholar and/or creative practitioner commensurate with the rank of full professor with tenure;
• a record of administrative leadership in theatre and/or dance in higher education or demonstrate translatable skills for the position;
• an optimistic view of the future of theatre and dance in society and the ability to forge partnerships and build consensus toward advancing the goal of diversifying the theatre and dance communities in higher education;
• demonstrated leadership in diversity, equity, access and inclusion in theatre and/or dance;
• effective advocacy for the role of the arts in contemporary society;
• respect for shared governance along with an ability for decision making;
• an eagerness to foster and nurture partnerships within the College of Fine Arts and the University;
• an approachable and engaging manner that can attract support and advocacy to the Department.

Application Instructions

Review of applications begins 5 December 2022, but the position remains open until filled.

To nominate an individual, please e-mail Jacqueline Tamayo, Executive Assistant to the Dean, Jacqueline.tamayo@austin.utexas.edu explaining why they would be a strong candidate and providing contact information, if you have it.

To apply for this position, please submit the following via Interfolio by clicking the Apply Now button:

• Letter of interest that addresses your qualifications and ambitions for this leadership position and your diversity-related skills and contributions in teaching, service, and/or research.
• A curriculum vitae (CV) or professional resume (please include live links to publications, if applicable); and,
• Contact information for three references (letters will be requested only for finalists).

You may direct questions to Jacqueline Tamayo (Jacqueline.tamayo@austin.utexas.edu) but all applications must be submitted via Interfolio. Background check conducted on successful candidate.

About the Department of Theatre and Dance and The University of Texas at Austin

The Department of Theatre and Dance has a diverse student body of approximately 360 undergraduates, 53 masters and 15 doctoral students and offers BA, BFA, MA, MFA, and PHD degrees, as well as K-12 teaching certification. As an integral part of the thriving creative culture of Austin, Texas, the Department offers an array of programs to prepare artist, scholars, and teachers to make profound contributions to theatre and dance through engaging study and exceptional performance experiences. The department has 18 full-time staff members and 35 full-time faculty members and is housed in well-equipped facilities, which include black box, proscenium and lab theatres, teaching and practice spaces, and state-of-the-art design and computing labs. The department produces six large-scale and numerous small productions per year, including the largest student-driven biennial New Works Festival in the country, that produces up to forty productions in one week.

The College of Fine Arts has a diverse student body of about 1,700 undergraduate, 200 masters and 200 doctoral students and offers BA, BM, BFA, BS, MA, MM, MFA, DMA, and PHD degrees in a variety of practice-based and scholarly disciplines, as well as an Artist's Diploma and K-12 teaching certification. Most, but not all, are in-residence degrees following the standard tuition-funded model of a large, land-grant, public research university. The College is committed to making its programs reflect more closely the demographics and priorities of the world today. As a College, we strive to educate the next generation of creative leaders and endeavor to generate new knowledge of benefit to society. We hold an expansive understanding of creativity as not only being crucial to traditional artistic practices but also to innovation in science, health, business and beyond. We champion and preserve many artistic traditions and repertoires, while also re-imagining them and welcoming new ones.

The University of Texas at Austin is a flagship, tier-one, research institution, situated in Austin, Texas, a city known for its charm, quality of life and active engagement with the arts. The University has recently been designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution. To learn more about the Department of Theatre and Dance, we invite you to explore our vibrant community one our website: https://theatredance.utexas.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.


To apply, visit https://faculty.utexas.edu/career/103829



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