Department Head - Art & Design

The Valdosta State University College of the Arts is accepting applications for Head of the Department of Art & Design. The position is tenure earning; rank will be either associate or full professor and is dependent upon credentials and qualifications.  Appointment date is July 1, 2022.

Valdosta State University is proud to have a highly diverse student body, and we are seeking to recruit and retain outstanding candidates who exhibit a clear commitment to diversity and inclusion and who will enhance the diversity of our faculty and staff. 

The Department Head is the administrative officer of the Department of Art & Design and reports directly to the Dean of the College of the Arts. The ideal candidate will:

• Demonstrate exceptional organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills as well as time management, prioritization, and completion of tasks;
• Commit to student engagement, and promote an open, inclusive, and positive environment;
• Promote an environment of collegiality, shared governance, and an openness to engage faculty in strategic planning and decision-making;
• Provide a creative vision and execute long-range planning to lead dynamic programs to excellence and to regional and national recognition;
• Collaborate with diverse groups and individuals in a wide range of environments;
• Foster an equitable and impartial culture of transparent, and consistent communication with students, faculty, and staff, as well as with university and community partners;
• Possess an understanding of how technology informs, affects, and responds to the evolving needs of the discipline, and makes an impact on a national and global scale;
• Mentor and develop faculty teachers and scholars as part of their ongoing engagement with our global, diverse, and technological society;
• Collaborate with faculty, administration, and community stakeholders in recruitment and retention initiatives and program development;
• Connect and engage with local, regional, and national civic and community organizations;
• Possess a working knowledge and experience with accreditation for art and design programs.

Job Responsibilities:

• Course instruction related to area of specialization;
• Overall preparation and management of the departmental budget;
• Departmental course scheduling and facilities management;
• Departmental strategic planning, program assessment, review and reporting;
• Annual evaluation of faculty/staff, and participation in the tenure and promotion processes;
• Developing departmental academic programs and overseeing curriculum revisions;
• Program reporting to internal and external reviewers, and maintenance of program accreditation;
• Recruitment and retention of faculty and students;
• Developing, sustaining, or leading community outreach supporting the visual arts;
• Involvement with community engagement, stakeholders, patron and donor cultivation;
• Utilization of various technologies to interface with students, faculty, and administration in support of student registration and academic progress, enrollment and retention data, etc.

Required Qualifications:           

• An earned terminal degree from an accredited institution in a discipline represented in the Department of Art & Design (e.g., Art/Studio, Design/New/Digital Media, Interior Design, Art Education, Art History, etc.);
• A record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service commensurate with appointment at the rank of associate or full professor with tenure;
• Demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching and learning, as well as scholarship;
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion;
• Commitment to shared governance and a consultative leadership style;
• Compelling record of progressive, responsible, and relevant leadership experience;
• An understanding of current trends in higher education and a commitment to innovation in teaching and learning;
• Active participation in professional arts organizations at the state/regional and national levels.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience as a department head or similar administrative role;
• Experience with faculty evaluation and promotion and tenure processes;
• Record of successful outreach to community;
• Accreditation experience;
• Experience with grant writing and extramural funding.

Applicants will be required to submit the following:

1. A letter of interest stating how the candidate’s experience is applicable to the position qualifications and characteristics expressed in the position profile
2. Statement of leadership philosophy
3. Curriculum vitae
4. Media examples: 20 images of personal creative works saved as a pdf, or writing samples (as appropriate to the applicant’s scholarly discipline)
5. Five professional references; Names, email addresses, and telephone numbers, including the candidate’s professional relationship with each individual
6. Unofficial transcripts

For more information contact Michael Schmidt, Professor/Associate Dean and Search Chair via email mschmidt@valdosta.edu. 

The Department of Art & Design offers four comprehensive undergraduate degree programs and opportunities designed to prepare students for professional involvement in a 21st-century environment. In addition to traditional studio programs such as Drawing, Painting, Ceramics and Sculpture, the Department also offers instruction in Photography, Art Education, Interior Design, Art History, and electronic media such as Graphic Design and Web Design. Fifteen full-time dedicated art faculty-mentors provide a dynamic and challenging learning experience to approximately 220 undergraduate majors. Studio facilities, equipment and technologies are constantly upgraded, affording our students the most current experiences in the classroom and studio environments. Gallery facilities include the Dedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery featuring professional and external juried exhibitions, and the Martha G. Smart Gallery, a dedicated exhibition space for students in the department. VSU is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).  For more information, visit https://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/arts/art/.     

The VSU College of the Arts includes the Department of Art & Design, the Department of Music, and the Department of Communication Arts (Communication, Emergent Media, Mass Media, Public Relations, Theatre & Dance). The College of the Arts is also home to the award-winning Valdosta Symphony Orchestra and the Peach State Summer Theatre, designated as the Official Musical Theatre of the State of Georgia. VSU is accredited by NASAD, NASM, and NAST. With nearly 90 faculty members and approximately 1,100 students, the College offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. For more information, visit https://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/arts/. 

Review of completed applications will begin January 3, 2022.  Position will remain open until filled.  Apply online at https://www.valdosta.edu/administration/finance-admin/human-resources/employment-opportunities.php. 

Valdosta State University is a regional comprehensive university located on a gorgeous 168-acre campus of palm trees, vast green lawns, Spanish mission style architecture and an award-winning design. The university serves a student enrollment of approximately 11,750 from all states within the US and hosts over 300 international students from more than 76 countries. It is located in the city of Valdosta, a very family-friendly area with new housing developments, modest living costs, excellent public and private schools, a vibrant music and arts scene, and a 170-acre theme park, Wild Adventures. The city is served by the Valdosta Regional Airport and is home to Moody Air Force Base. It is located just north of the Florida state line on Interstate 75 and is within a two-hour drive of Jacksonville and Tallahassee, Florida and a three-hour drive of Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, visit https://www.valdosta.edu or for information about the community visit https://www.valdostachamber.com.   

Valdosta State University is an Equal Opportunity educational institution and has a strong institutional commitment to diversity. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of people, including, but not limited to, minorities, and individuals with disabilities. Valdosta State University has a non-discrimination policy that includes sex, race, color, sexual orientation, religion, age, marital status, national origin, disability, and veteran status.