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Department Chair - Theatre

Employer
University of North Carolina, Wilmington
Location
North Carolina, United States
Salary
Salary Not Specified
Date posted
Nov 15, 2021

Posting Details

Working Title

Department Chair - Theatre

External Link to Posting

https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/22478

Vacancy Number

E653

Position Number

4036

Location of Workplace

Main UNCW Campus

Department

Theatre - 32122

Division

Academic Affairs - 30000 Division

Brief Summary of Work for this Position

This position is a 12-month tenured appointment that will begin July 1, 2022 at the rank of Associate or Full Professor. The successful candidate will be appointed to an initial 4 year term as Department Chair. This position is eligible for renewal with support of the faculty and Dean. The Chair position includes a 1/1 teaching load as well as an expectation to maintain a scholarship agenda commensurate with rank.

As a member of the theatre faculty, the successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching excellence and contribute to curriculum in the area of the candidate’s expertise. Expertise in Lighting Design or Multimedia is preferred but not required. The position is open to all areas of expertise with a priority placed on candidates with strong interpersonal skills and an artistic vision that is forward-thinking. Also prioritized are those who represent and support diverse perspectives and will contribute to a department committed to creating a culture and educational experience for students that is transformative, inclusive, sustainable, equitable and one that values a range of educational opportunities and career paths.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Completion of a terminal degree such as a Master in Fine Arts or PhD in Theatre. Currently hold the rank of Associate or Full Professor (or present credentials commensurate with appointment at that rank at UNCW .) If hired as an associate, may apply for promotion to full after two years.
  • Strong managerial and organizational skills
  • Knowledge of departmental, college/school, and university policies and procedures
  • Knowledge of budgets
  • Ability to prepare department schedules and teaching assignments
Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Additional Preferred Qualifications:
  • A strong record of academic or professional leadership, artistic or scholarly research, publication, or creative activity
  • Academic administrative experience (preferably as a department chair)
  • A passion for liberal arts theatre training and a desire to nurture and advocate for all students and faculty in their own creative practice and scholarship
  • Enthusiasm as well as aptitude for recruitment, grant writing, curricular and fiscal development
  • An aptitude for visionary and inspiring leadership specific to infusing anti-racism and social justice practices as fundamental values of theatre practice, scholarship and community engagement
  • Experience in strategic planning, budgeting, programming and community engagement
  • Proven ability to articulate to internal and external constituents the essential value of the arts
  • Expertise in Lighting Design, Multimedia Design preferred. However, all disciplines considered
In consultation and collaboration with the faculty the responsibilities for Chair include, but are not limited to:
  • Operating with visionary leadership that will support opportunities to expand and enhance programs within the Department of Theatre while furthering professional and community affiliations
  • Fostering diversity in all its forms in the faculty, staff, and student body as well as in programming and the curriculum
  • Championing equity, access, and inclusion as social, cultural and intellectual imperatives
  • Articulating and enacting a vision infusing anti-racism and social justice as a fundamental value of theatre practice, scholarship and community engagement
  • Prioritizing recruitment and brand identity with a clear and proactive strategy to make visible the ways in which the UNCW Department of Theatre stands apart from similar institutions and departments
  • Supporting curriculum development which is forward-looking and which embodies decolonized curriculum and pedagogy
  • Facilitating department policy/procedures
  • Continuing consensus-building and transparent decision-making that best advances the mission of the department
  • Continuing to advocate for collaborative culture based on open communication with faculty, staff, deans, students, alumni, and university administration
  • Managing the budget and department resources
  • Supervising class scheduling and student advising
  • Assessing the needs of the department as they intersect with UNCW’s strategic plans in a manner that is both efficient and forward-thinking
  • Supporting the artistic vision of the faculty and student production season
  • Teaching and/or contributing to the performance season or curriculum
  • Teaching one course each semester in area of specialization
  • Continued professional scholarship and artistic achievements
  • Supervising university policies, procedures, teaching loads, research and scholarship in compliance with the transition to R2 classification
Required Certifications or Licensures

No Required Certifications or Licensure.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

The Department of Theatre is a highly engaged B.A. program committed to a liberal arts education, intensive practical training in addition to university and community partnerships. The department serves between 80 – 90 majors and approximately 25 minors, focusing on a solid academic core coupled with applied, pre-professional instruction in a variety of disciplines. The thirty-four-million-dollar Cultural Arts Building houses the Theatre, Music and Art Departments. The Department of Theatre features a 300-seat proscenium theatre, 100-seat flexible studio theatre, scenic and costume design/fabrication shops, studio and design classrooms, computer lab, lecture hall, and seminar classrooms equipped with multi-media and distance learning capabilities.

The department mounts between five and nine productions annually, including one to two Student Lab Series and two to four Second Season productions. In addition, students expand their practical experiences through applied learning projects, extracurricular activities, and off-campus performance venues. Students are educated and trained to succeed either within graduate programs or as working professionals in a wide range of fields. Student recruitment is a high priority, and the department seeks to increase enrollment in all B.A. options. Additionally, the department consistently works to create opportunities for collaboration and partnership with the film and music departments; including both a newly formed musical theatre minor and a dance minor.

The historic coastal city of Wilmington, NC, provides a rich, creative environment for theatre students and professionals, and the Department of Theatre is a key member of the arts community. For twelve consecutive years, U. S. News & World Report ranks UNCW as one of the top ten public master’s universities in the South and recently received the Carnegie R2 classification.

As Wilmington continues to pursue restorative social justice and community accountability following the coup de tat of 1898, the city and university also continues to celebrate the massive contributions of marginalized populations to the physical and cultural community over the past 300 years. UNCW is deeply committed to this ongoing work both on and off campus.

The Department of Theatre is responsible for creating a climate that supports inclusivity and makes efforts to enhance diversity among students, faculty, staff, and the broader Wilmington community. Diversity includes, but is not limited to race, sex, age, national origin (including ethnicity), language, religion, disability, neurodivergence, sexual orientation, the spectrum of gender identity and gender expression, veteran’s status and socio-economic status. Continued attention to anti-racist and social justice work is vital for the health and relevance of education and contemporary arts practice. Candidates applying for this position should speak to their personal and professional experiences and articulate a vision for creating and sustaining a community of educators who hold these values.

College/School Information

The College of Arts and Sciences is UNCW’s largest academic unit, employing 450 full-time and 150 part-time faculty members and awarding approximately three quarters of the university’s academic credits. Ours is a comprehensive arts & sciences college comprising the arts, the humanities, the mathematical and natural sciences, and the social and behavioral sciences.

The College’s twenty-two departments offer a variety of undergraduate majors leading to the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, the Bachelor of Music, and the Bachelor of Science. The College also offers a full complement of minors, including interdisciplinary minors such as African-American studies, Asian studies, forensic science, Latin American studies, Native American studies, and women’s studies, among others.

Applied learning is a hallmark of the student experience in the College of Arts and Sciences. Each of the College’s departments requires an applied learning experience as a part of the curriculum for its undergraduate majors. Examples include faculty-directed research, internships, service learning, and capstone courses and projects, all of which challenge students to integrate various stands of knowledge and to apply that knowledge to broader, real-world or real disciplinary situations. Through applied learning, students in the college gain direct hands-on experience with the skills of their major fields as an essential part of their preparation for life and career.

In addition to its undergraduate major and minor programs, the College is chiefly responsible for the curriculum that comprises the university’s University Studies Program, through which all UNCW undergraduates gain a foundation in the liberal arts and develop the transferable skills essential for life in the twenty-first century. The College strives in its undergraduate programs and in its University Study offerings to nurture creative thinking, intellectual curiosity, and academic integrity in students while providing them with a solid foundation of knowledge in their chosen fields. Upon completion of their undergraduate studies, College of Arts and Sciences students will have the necessary preparation for rewarding careers, advanced study, effective citizenship, and meaningful lives.

University Information

The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world-class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking and a community rich in diversity, inclusion and global perspectives.

A public institution with nearly 18,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate-level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to- BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program focused on coastal engineering.

The university’s efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of “Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity” institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.

EEO Statement

At the University of North Carolina at Wilmington ( UNCW ), our culture reflects our values of inclusion, diversity, globalization, ethics and integrity and innovation and we are committed to providing equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, sex (such as gender, gender identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents – except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs. UNCW believes that embracing the unique contributions of our faculty, staff and students is critical to our success and paramount in being recognized for our global mindset.

Eligibility for Employment

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Number of Openings

Single Incumbent

Special Notes to Applicants

Prior to the official appointment to the university, the candidate(s) selected for hire must be able to demonstrate eligibility to teach assigned courses by successfully meeting the credentialing requirements based on official transcripts and other documentation as required.

Applications will be accepted until 11:59pm EST on January 4th, 2022, the position closing date. To apply, please complete the online application and attach the following materials as an Adobe PDF document including:
1. Cover letter overviewing your personal and professional career trajectory that prepares you for this position.
2. A curriculum vitae.
3. A list of three references who can comment on your leadership and/or administrative aptitude/abilities.
4. Other: A statement describing your leadership, teaching and scholarly accomplishments, including how these intersect with diversity, equity, and inclusion. (Please attach as “Other:”)
5. Sample of work/portfolio (optional.)

Note that letters of application without the requested components will not meet the application requirements.

Please note that a minimum of three professional references are required for all applications.

Letters of recommendation will be requested during the screening process.

Please direct questions concerning the search to Robin Post (Postr@uncw.edu) or Christopher Marino (Marinoc@uncw.edu.)

Months Per Year

12 Months

FTE

1.0 (40 hours per week)

Type of Position

Permanent

Anticipated Ending Date if Time-Limited Positions

Job Posting Date

11/15/2021

Posting Close Date

01/04/2022
Applicant Documents
Required Documents
  1. Cover Letter
  2. Curriculum Vita
  3. List of 3 Professional References
  4. Other
Optional Documents
  1. Portfolio/Work Sample
Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

  1. * How did you learn of this opportunity with UNC Wilmington (2021)?
    • UNCW Website
    • UNCW Facebook Page
    • UNCW Linkedin Page
    • UNCW Twitter Account
    • UNCW Employee Referral
    • Chronicle of Higher Education
    • Craigslist
    • Diverse Issues in Higher Education
    • Glassdoor
    • Higher Ed Jobs
    • Hispanic Outlook
    • Indeed
    • Inside Higher Ed
    • North Carolina Job Network
    • Women In Higher Education
    • Other


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