Chairperson of the Department of Special Education
- Employer
- Illinois State University
- Location
- Illinois, United States
- Salary
- Salary Commensurate with experience
- Date posted
- Oct 18, 2021
View more
- Position Type
- Faculty Positions, Education, Other Education, Special Education
- Employment Level
- Tenured/Tenured Track
- Employment Type
- Full Time
Title: Chairperson of the Department of Special Education
Employee Classification: Department Chairperson
Division Name: Academic Affairs
College/Unit: College of Education
Department: Special Education
Campus Location: Normal, IL
General Summary
The College of Education at Illinois State University invites
applications for Chairperson of the Department of Special
Education. The College seeks a dynamic, collaborative leader to
further the Department’s mission and vision while advancing
diversity, equity, and inclusion in our policies, personnel, and
undergraduate and graduate programs. The Chairperson will encourage
high-quality teaching, research, and service, and advocate for
resources needed to prepare special education teacher leaders for
the nation’s schools. The Chairperson is responsible for long-range
planning, fiscal management, personnel, faculty and staff
advancement, program assessment, and curriculum review and
development. The Chairperson will develop and maintain partnerships
within and outside the University, as well as promote Department
programs to campus, alumni, business, governmental, and other
educational stakeholders. The successful candidate will advocate
for the Department to be at the forefront of discussions in
Illinois related to special education teacher preparation and
provide active leadership for faculty and staff within a university
culture of shared governance and collegiality. Preferred start date
is July 1, 2022. ISU recognizes that a diverse faculty, staff, and
student body enriches the educational experiences of the entire
campus and greater community. Candidates who have experience
working with a diverse range of faculty, staff, and students, and
who can contribute to the climate of inclusivity and equity are
especially welcomed. Women, veterans, persons with disabilities,
LGBTQ+, and people of color are encouraged to apply.
Required Qualifications
For full consideration, applicants must have:
•An earned doctoral degree from an accredited institution in the
field of special education or relevant field to the Department of
Special Education with academic achievements in scholarship,
teaching, and service that merit appointment, with tenure, at the
rank of associate or full professor.
•A minimum of three years of experience as an educator or direct
service provider to individuals with a disability and demonstrated
commitment to equitable public education.
•A record of successful administrative or other leadership
experience at the program, department, college, or university
level.
•Evidence of a demonstrated commitment to culturally-relevant and
appropriate leadership that values diversity, equity, inclusion,
and access.
•A successful record of teaching, scholarship, and service in
special education.
State law mandates demonstrable oral proficiency in the English
language as a requirement for this position. This position is
security sensitive, and employment is contingent upon passing a
satisfactory criminal background investigation.
Salary, Rank, and Tenure
The position is a twelve-month tenured appointment. The salary and
rank are commensurate with qualifications and experience. A
comprehensive benefits package is included.
Additional Information
The Department of Special Education
The Department of Special Education (SED) was recently ranked the
#1 program offering a degree in special education in the United
States. It is home to three undergraduate teacher preparation
programs and three graduate programs. The Department includes a
blend of accomplished faculty who are recognized for their
high-quality research and publications, as well as for being
well-grounded in experiences as classroom teachers. The Department
includes 16 tenure line faculty and 35 non-tenure line faculty. The
Department provides personal attention to students while preparing
them to take their place as teacher leaders in the nation’s
schools. SED faculty have successfully secured prestigious national
and state-level grants to support teaching and research. SED
scholarship is nationally and internationally recognized, and
perhaps more significantly, contributes to the school communities
with whom Illinois State collaborates. The SED undergraduate
teacher preparation programs leading to licensure include learning
and behavior specialist (LBS), deaf/hard of hearing (DHH), and low
vision/blindness (LVB). Collectively, around 700 undergraduate
students are enrolled in these programs, which offer robust and
rigorous clinical experiences. The Department also offers master’s
and doctoral programs. These include a Master of Science, a Master
of Science in Education, a Master of Science in Low/Vision and
Blindness, an Ed.D. in Education, and a Director of Special
Education certificate. Together, our graduate programs serve over
120 students. Department website: https://education.illinoisstate.edu/about/departments/sed/
College of Education
Illinois State University has a historic and enduring commitment to
prepare teachers and other school personnel who will be responsive
to the ethical and intellectual demands of a democratic society. To
teach in a democracy is self-consciously to take up the challenge
of improving the ethical and intellectual quality of our societal
dialogue by including in it as many educated voices as possible.
The democratic ideal unites caring and knowing: the more voices we
call into thoughtful dialogue, and the less fettered the mutual
exchange among those voices becomes, the truer our convictions and
conclusions will be. This is the foundation of a democratic
society, and it is why ISU graduates aspire to teach everyone,
especially those on the margins, those who have been or are in
danger of being excluded. This democratic conception of education
informs all aspects of teacher education at Illinois State.
Graduates who are ready to meet the challenges and rewards of
serving students in a democratic society embody the ethical and
intellectual commitments of teaching and learning in order to
realize the democratic ideal. The College of Education complements
its abiding commitment to inclusive teacher preparation and the
development of educational leaders with pursuit of scholarly work.
A distinguished faculty, and the students they mentor, engage in
work that discovers, integrates, and applies disciplinary knowledge
while also advancing the University’s commitment to the scholarship
of teaching and learning.
ISU is ranked as the fourth largest producer of teachers in the
nation. Nearly one in six Illinois public school teachers is an ISU
alum. The College of Education is organized into the Department of
Special Education, the Department of Educational Administration and
Foundations, the School of Teaching and Learning, the Cecilia J.
Lauby Teacher Education Center and two laboratory schools: the
Thomas Metcalf School and University High School. The College
enrolls more than 3,000 students who choose from a wide array of
teacher and administrator preparation programs, including Learning
and Behavior, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Low Vision and Blindness,
Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Middle Level
Education, Reading, Bilingual and Bicultural Education, Leadership,
Equity, and Inquiry, and areas of educational
administration/leadership. Graduate programs are offered in Special
Education, Teaching and Learning, K-12 Administration, and Higher
Education Administration. The College of Education is one of only
85 in the nation that maintains Laboratory Schools. Thomas Metcalf
and University High schools provide a unique educational option
from pre-kindergarten through the senior year for approximately
1,000 students in the community. The schools also serve as sites
for clinical experiences that are critically important to the
college’s future teachers. College web site: https://education.illinoisstate.edu/
Illinois State University
Illinois State University is a public research university in
Normal, Illinois, approximately 130 miles southwest of Chicago.
Founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University, it is the
oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes
teaching and is recognized as one of the top ten largest producers
of teachers in the United States according to the American
Association of Colleges of Teacher Education. Founded as a
teachers' college, the university now offers a range of programs at
the bachelor, master, and doctoral levels. Illinois State is
accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of
the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
The teacher preparation programs are accredited by the National
Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and certified by the
Illinois State Board of Education. In addition, 22 programs hold
discipline-based accreditation. As of the fall of 2021, total
on-campus enrollment was 20,233, with 17,674 undergraduate students
and 2,559 graduate students. Slightly over half of the enrollment
is female (57%), 29% of all students are from minority groups, and
international students represent 69 different countries. Illinois
State’s athletic teams are members of the Missouri Valley
Conference and the Missouri Valley Football Conference and are
known as the "Redbirds," in reference to the state bird, the
cardinal. University website: https://illinoisstate.edu/
Bloomington-Normal Community
Illinois State University is located in the growing twin cities of
Bloomington and Normal, with a population of approximately 167,000.
The community is home to Illinois Wesleyan University, Lincoln
College, Heartland Community College, St. Joseph Medical Center,
Carle BroMenn Medical Center, Country Financial, and State Farm
Insurance Corporate Headquarters. The community has distinguished
itself for its outstanding school systems and educational
attainment, rich theatre and cultural events offering, parks and
recreation, health care, job growth, economic opportunity, and low
crime. Business Insider recently named Bloomington #1 on its list
of “Best Cities to Live in After the Pandemic Ends.”
Bloomington-Normal is conveniently located about three hours from
Indianapolis, two hours from both Chicago and St. Louis and an hour
from Peoria, Champaign-Urbana, Decatur, and Springfield, many of
which are accessible via Amtrak rail service. The Central Illinois
Regional Airport, currently serviced by four airlines, provides
daily flights nationwide. For more information on our community,
please visit http://www.visitbn.org/.
Required Qualifications
- An earned doctoral degree from an accredited institution in the field of special education or relevant field to the Department of Special Education with academic achievements in scholarship, teaching, and service that merit appointment, with tenure, at the rank of associate or full professor.
- A minimum of three years of experience as an educator or direct service provider to individuals with a disability and demonstrated commitment to equitable public education.
- A record of successful administrative or other leadership experience at the program, department, college, or university level.
- Evidence of a demonstrated commitment to culturally-relevant and appropriate leadership that values diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
- A successful record of teaching, scholarship, and service in special education.
- Candidates must be able to demonstrate oral proficiency in the English language as a requirement for this position, as mandated by state law.
Proposed Starting Date
07/01/2022
Salary Rate / Pay Rate
Commensurate with experience and qualifications
Required Applicant Documents
- Cover letter describing your related experience and interest in
this position
• Current vita
• Statement of leadership and teaching philosophy
• List of three professional references (with phone numbers and email addresses).
PLEASE NOTE: These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"
Special Instructions for Applicants
To assure full consideration, please complete an online application for posting number 512334 at www.jobs.Illinoisstate.edu and submit all required materials by November 15, 2021. Along with your application, submit a cover letter describing your related experience and interest in this position, current vita, statement of leadership and teaching philosophy, and list of three professional references (with phone numbers and email addresses). Initial review of applications will begin November 15, 2021 and continue until the position is filled. Preferred start date is July 1, 2022. Questions regarding this position may be sent to Katherine Kaiser (309) 438-2543 (phone) or email kmkais1@ilstu.edu.
Contact Information for Applicants
Department
Katherine Kaiser
(309) 438-2543 (phone)
kmkais1@ilstu.edu
Human Resources
Clay Gruenwald
Cmgruen1@ilstu.edu
Important Information for Applicants
This position is subject to a criminal background investigation based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.
Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative
Action Employer.
If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable
accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or
other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by
contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309)
438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any
confidential information you provide in confidence.
If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call
Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.
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