Department Chair, Public Health Sciences

Chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences

Wichita State University (WSU) seeks a dynamic and visionary leader to serve as the Chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences (PHS) within the School of Health Sciences in the College of Health Professions (CHP). This role is pivotal for a professional with a commitment to excellence in education, research, and community engagement and a desire to advocate for and advance the work of the programs.

Role Summary: The Chair will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of the department, reporting directly to the College Dean. Responsibilities include leadership and administration; program development, academic program oversight; faculty management; research and scholarship oversight; student engagement, recruitment and retention; community engagement and service. This leadership role involves building relationships within the university and with external stakeholders, including health professionals, agencies, and associations at local, state, and national levels.

The Department of Public Health Sciences seeks an innovative chair prepared to lead the transition to a new biomedical campus, with a focus on interprofessional education and research. The chair should have health administration experience in any of the following fields: public health, health administration, aging, or health sciences, with a proven track record of extramural funding and ability to support faculty development and scholarship. Candidates should be committed to ongoing accreditation efforts and interprofessional education activities.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Leadership and Administration:

• Provide visionary leadership, with an emphasis program growth.

• Oversee and manage departmental operations, including budgeting, resource allocation, strategic planning, personnel, admissions, and course scheduling.

• Foster a collaborative departmental culture.

• Lead collaborative research and build relationships to support applied learning opportunity placements.

2. Academic Program Oversight:

• Lead the department in strategic planning, program development, and accreditation efforts.

• Assure curriculum aligns with professional, state and university accreditation requirements; ultimately meeting industry needs and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

• Oversee the evaluation, improvement, and reporting processes necessary to maintain accreditations and realize/fulfill program missions and shared visions of the college and university.

• Documentation of state assessment outcomes, annual reporting of program successes, and other documents that must be produced annually or on a continuous cycle.

• Develop graduate Executive-in-Residence (EIR) programs.[HA1]

• Support development of continuing education for practicing professionals.

3. Faculty Management:

• Focus on recruiting and mentoring faculty members while cultivating an environment dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, and engagement with the community.

• Encourage faculty to pursue professional development opportunities, including active involvement in research and educational projects.

• Create a positive and supportive workplace that promotes innovation, professional growth, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

4. Research and Scholarship:

• Strengthen research capacity through the support of faculty and students.

• Promote and support research and interprofessional collaboration.

• Facilitate collaborations between academics, stakeholders, and industry.

5. Student Engagement:

• Enhance student recruitment by promoting accreditation and applied learning experiences.

• Enhance student success through innovative educational practices.

• Foster student-centered education that integrates technology and novel methods to engage students to address health system challenges.

• Collaborate with community and technical colleges to enhance student recruitment efforts.

• Support University efforts to achieve Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) status.

6. University and Community Engagement and Service:

• Participate and advocate for PHS in faculty governance and oversight through committee membership at the Department, College, and University- levels.

• Serve as a key member of the College’s Leadership Team and Executive Council, contributing to the college’s strategic objectives and advocating for PHS.

• Build and maintain partnerships with community organizations, industry stakeholders, and government agencies.

• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships within and outside the university.

• Represent PHS in relevant professional organizations and at conferences.

• Facilitate community outreach to maximize department strengths and community impact that leverage the reciprocal nature of community engagement to enrich the academic mission and the community.

• Assist with relationship building, stewardship and major gifts from private entities.

The PHS Department: PHS includes ten full-time faculty, two faculty program directors, numerous affiliated faculty and one staff member. PHS has a growing research portfolio. Faculty led research projects have been funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (HHS OMH), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the National Institutes of Health, and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).

 

Program Highlights: PHS offers two bachelor’s degree programs, two master’s degree programs, and several undergraduate and graduate certificate programs focused on advancing interprofessional education, innovative research, and leadership in healthcare.

The Bachelor of Science in Health Management (BSHM) is offered primarily in an online format with hybrid and in-person options and an average of 65 degree-bound students. BSHM leaders are currently seeking Association of Undergraduate Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) certification. The Bachelor of Science in Health Science, a pre-professional degree designed to prepare students for clinical education, is offered in a hybrid format with an average of 150 degree-bound students. The Master of Arts in Aging Studies (MA) and Master of Health Administration (MHA) are fully online graduate degrees. The MA program averages 30 degree-bound students. The MHA degree was recently accepted into Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) candidacy. The MHA program averages 45 degree-bound students.

The PHS undergraduate and graduate curricula are designed to develop highly skilled, collaborative, flexible entry- and executive-level leaders equipped to make significant industry contributions to practice and research.

Qualifications:

• Proven leadership skills in academic administration, including managing staff and budgets.

• Ability to effectively lead a diverse team of faculty committed to excellence and continuous improvement.

• A strong track record in research, including publications and securing external funding.

• Experience with interdisciplinary education and familiarity with accreditation processes.

• Strong skills in organization, teamwork, and managing projects.

• Strong commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion.

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication abilities, capable of representing the department at various levels including college, university, and community.

• Requirement: A Doctorate in Health Administration, Health Sciences, Public Health Sciences, or a similar field. Academic rank of an Associate or Full Professor with a proven record in research, teaching, service, and leadership.

• Preferred: Background in health administration, specifically in public health, health administration, aging, or health sciences.

• Preferred: Experience in developing support services, fostering interdisciplinary research partnerships, driving change and innovation, and operating within accredited programs.

Application Process: All candidates must go on line tohttp://wichita.edu/wsujobsto apply for the position.
 

This opportunity is perfect for a leader dedicated to pushing forward innovation and education in public health sciences. It requires someone ready to guide the Department towards its strategic objectives in the changing landscape of healthcare