Director, School of Art and Design #202242TTL

Texas State University, a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) located in San Marcos, Texas, seeks an accomplished leader with appropriate professional and administrative experience to apply for the Director position in the School of Art and Design. We seek a director and colleague who identifies as a changemaker, one who will support and grow initiatives toward equity and inclusion in the School of Art and Design.  

Texas State University

Founded in 1899 as a teaching college, Texas State University is now home to more than 38,000 students. The University holds a Carnegie classification of Doctoral University-High Research Activity and is engaged in a strategic plan to attain eligibility for the State of Texas’ National Research University Fund. Nationally, Texas State is the 39th largest public university. It is among the top 10 universities in the nation to receive federal financial aid, and 37% of undergraduates are Pell Grant recipients. In addition, 47% of undergraduates are first-generation college students. Texas State University, located along the beautiful San Marcos River, is in the center of Texas’s innovation corridor, 40 miles south of Austin and 60 miles north of San Antonio. San Marcos is rich in vibrant and eclectic communities, with a public school district that is attended by more than 50% Latinx students and implements diverse bilingual education programs. 

The School of Art and Design

The School of Art and Design is one of five academic units within the College of Fine Arts and Communication which also includes the Department of Communication Studies, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the School of Music, and the Department of Theatre and Dance. The Director is the head of the School of Art and Design and responsible to the Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication. 

The School of Art and Design offers degree programs in Studio Art, Photography, Art Education, Art History, and Communication Design. These programs cross-pollinate, compelling students to search for deeper connections between disciplines. The school supports more than 80 diverse faculty members dedicated to fostering the conceptual and technical abilities of its more than 900 declared School of Art and Design majors. 

Responsibilities:

• Support, promote, and lead the school’s artistic, scholarly, and academic programs. These are: Art Education (B.F.A./teacher certification), Art History (B.A.), Communication Design (B.F.A., M.F.A.), Photography (B.F.A.), and Studio Art (B.F.A., B.A. Art Major).
• Foster an inclusive and collegial community that values communication and shared governance and builds on the diversity and strengths of its students, faculty, and staff.
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to create and support excellence and innovation in scholarly and visual arts research, teaching, public engagement, and impact.
• Manage the school’s administrative, financial and academic operations, and facilities in ways that maintain accreditation and align with the strategic plan of the school, college, and university.
• Work with faculty, staff, and students to continually reassess the school’s programs, policies, operations, and curricula to move us toward ever better access, equity, and inclusion. 
• Support the school’s mission, vision, and goals and communicate its achievements effectively and strategically to both internal and external constituencies.
• Lead efforts for and expand resources, support, and recognition for the School of Art and Design.
• Recruit and retain high-achieving students, faculty, and staff.

Additional information about Director Responsibilities can be found at: https://policies.txstate.edu/division-policies/academic-affairs/01-02-11.html.

We seek candidates who share our commitment to educational equity, social justice, and the high-quality education of students from historically underserved and systemically marginalized communities. We are especially interested in applicants whose professional background includes attention to the concerns of race, ethnicity, multilingualism, the immigrant experience, social class, gender, and diversity, broadly defined. Individuals from historically underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. All positions are subject to availability of funds. 

Required Qualifications:         

• A terminal degree (or professional equivalency) and a record of significant teaching and creative and/or research activities warranting a tenured appointment in the School of Art and Design.
• Relevant administrative experience.
• Leadership experience at an institution of higher education (or professional equivalency).
• Evidence of success in promoting an environment that advances access, equity, and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated success as a chair or director (or associate director) within an academic setting or in a comparable leadership role.
• Record of successful teaching in the art and design field at the collegiate level.
• Significant administrative experience with an academic unit offering a comprehensive spectrum of academic and professional programs in art and design.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, facilities, and personnel.
• Demonstrated success advocating for resources with internal and external constituents, including experience with grant development.
• Successful academic and curricular program planning and development experience.
• Record of success having worked cooperatively with colleagues and administrators in a multicultural setting.

Application Procedures:

Online submission of all application materials is required through the university’s application portal, https://jobs.hr.txstate.edu/postings/36864.

To ensure full consideration, please submit the following materials by January 5, 2022:

• Letter of application that includes a detailed explanation of how you meet the required and (if applicable) preferred qualifications for this position;
• Current curriculum vitae;
• One-page diversity statement;
• One-page research statement;
• One-page statement of administrative philosophy; and
• List of three professional references with contact information. (No letters of recommendation are required at this time).

The selected candidate will be required to provide official transcripts from all degree-granting universities.

Texas State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, committed to inclusive thought and action in support of our diverse community. Individuals from historically underrepresented groups and all those who share our commitment to inclusivity and passion for the strength of our diversity are strongly encouraged to apply.

Employment with Texas State University is contingent upon the outcome of record checks and verifications including criminal history, driving records, education records, employment verifications, reference checks, and employment eligibility verifications.

Texas State University is a tobacco-free campus. Smoking and the use of any tobacco product will not be allowed anywhere on Texas State property or in university owned or leased vehicles.

Texas State University is a member of the Texas State University System.

Why Work at Texas State?

Texas State University is home to more than 38,000 students and 2,000 faculty members in the growing Austin-San Antonio corridor. A member of the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie classification, the university creates new knowledge, fosters cultural and economic development, and prepares its growing population of diverse students for the endless possibilities that await them as citizens of Texas, the nation, and the world.

Bolstered by research with relevance and innovation in creative and scholarly work in a full range of academic disciplines and a spirit of inclusiveness, Texas State seeks outstanding candidates for a variety of faculty positions.