Chair, Department of Physical Therapy

The Department of Physical Therapy at Arkansas State University (A-State) invites applications for the position of Department Chair.  The Department offers both the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) and Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree programs.  This is a full-time, 12-month position that reports directly to the Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions.

The Chair of Physical Therapy provides academic and administrative leadership to a dynamic department of 9 other full-time faculty members, one administrative staff member, and approximately 125 total students enrolled in the DPT and PTA programs.  Responsibilities include administration of the Department, teaching in area(s) of expertise, maintaining an active research agenda, and overseeing the quality, growth, and continued accreditation of the DPT and PTA Programs.

Candidates must have the following required qualifications:

• Possess an earned clinical doctorate in Physical Therapy (i.e., DPT) or terminal academic doctorate (i.e., Ph.D., Ed.D., D.Sc.) from a regionally accredited institution in a discipline appropriate for teaching responsibilities in the DPT program
• Be licensed, or eligible for licensure, as a physical therapist in Arkansas
• Be eligible for tenure and the rank of associate or full professor at A-State, as supported by a record of academic and research excellence.

The ideal candidate will also display the following preferred qualifications:

• At least five years as a full-time core faculty member in a CAPTE-accredited entry-level Physical Therapy education program;
• Previous applicable administrative leadership experience, such as physical therapy program director, assistant program director, and/or director/coordinator of clinical education
• A strong understanding of CAPTE accreditation, and, ideally, demonstrated successful leadership through the program accreditation process
• Demonstrated history of strong, decisive leadership working with faculty, students, staff, administrators, and external stakeholders
• Team-builder with highly developed interpersonal skills for communication, consultation, and collaboration
• Ability to foster a culture of trust, transparency, and collegiality while serving as an advocate for the mission, vision, and values of the Department, College, and University
• Other diverse professional experience supporting this academic leadership role, including strategic planning, personnel management, fiscal responsibility/budget management, resource allocation, maintaining accreditations, seeking external funding, building community collaborations, and promoting faculty scholarship;
• Knowledge of legislative, regulatory, legal, and practice issues affecting clinical education, students, and the profession of Physical Therapy;
• Active scholarship agenda appropriate for career progression, preferably with a potential interprofessional application;
• Active membership in the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA); and
• Active participation in professional activities at local, state, and/or national levels.

Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, AR is a Carnegie Foundation R2 national doctoral-granting institution serving the upper Mississippi Delta region and beyond.  The College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) has the fastest growing enrollment of any A-State college, and is well-regarded for its large breadth of nursing and allied health professional education programs.  Moreover, CNHP’s interprofessional programming extends to events with the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, a separate institution but located on the Arkansas State University campus.

Located in the northeastern part of Arkansas, Jonesboro is approximately 2 hours from Little Rock and 1 hour from Memphis, TN.  With a population over 81,000, Jonesboro is a regional hub for education, healthcare, and trade.  A-State brings a college-town atmosphere to the city, and plays a vital role in local economic growth, partnerships, innovation, and cultural events.

Application Instructions:

Please submit 1) a current curriculum vita; 2) a cover letter addressing qualifications for the position, leadership philosophy, and brief statement of research activities; 3) names and contact information of 3-5 professional references; and 4) unofficial copies of all collegiate transcripts.

Application Deadline:

Applications are due by 11:59 pm CST on 1/13/2025.  Review of applications will begin on 1/14/2025 and continue until the position is filled.  Applications for this position must be received online at http://www.astate.edu/jobs.

Arkansas State University does not discriminate on the basis of color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, age, national origin, religion, marital status, veteran status, genetic information or disability in any of its practices, policies or procedures.  This includes, but is not limited to, employment, admissions, educational services, programs or activities which it operates or financial aid.