Department Head, English

Valdosta State University's College of Humanities and Social Sciences seeks qualified applicants for an administrative faculty position in the Department of English to serve as the department head. Position is tenure earning and rank will be at either the associate or full professor level and is dependent upon credentials and qualifications.  Appointment date is July 1, 2021.

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.  With 34 full-time faculty, the Department of English offers a B.A. with emphases in both Literature and Language and in Journalism as well a dual degree that leads to both a B.A. in English and a B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education. The department also supports an on-campus M.A. (with literature and rhetoric/composition tracks) and an online M.A. designed for in-service language arts teachers. The department houses a myriad of impressive student publications including the Spectator (student newspaper), Omnino (undergraduate research journal), On Tap (general-interest magazine), and Odradek (literary magazine).

POSITION DETAILS:

Reporting directly to the Dean, the department head is responsible for the overall day-to-day functions of the English Department and serves as its primary spokesperson and advocate. Other responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Hiring, managing and evaluating faculty and staff members in the department;
• Conducting regular departmental meetings;
• Fostering a positive department environment that supports excellent teaching, scholarship and service;
• Establishing a collaborative department vision and agenda that is aligned with the university and college strategic plans;
• Scheduling classes and sections for each faculty member in each academic semester;
• Supporting students through mentoring, overseeing internships and providing curricular overrides, where appropriate;
• Teaching necessary courses throughout the academic year;
• Participating in research and scholarly activities;
• Attending required conferences, including those associated with academic presentations;
• Supporting department experiential learning activities, including undergraduate research;
• Facilitating departmental curriculum reviews to maintain program viability and alignment with accreditation requirements;
• Participating in College Executive Committee meetings;
• Attending monthly Council of Department Heads meetings;
• Serving as Budget Manager for the department.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• An earned terminal degree from an accredited university in a discipline within the department; 
• A record of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service commensurate with appointment at the rank of associate or full professor with tenure;
• A strong record of progressively responsible and relevant leadership experience;
• An awareness of current trends in higher education and a commitment to innovation in teaching and learning;
• Exceptional organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills;
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion;
• A commitment to shared governance and a consultative leadership style.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

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

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 12,300 from all states within the US and hosts over 300 international students from more than 76 countries.  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 http://www.valdosta.edu and for more information about the community visit https://www.valdostachamber.com. 

Online application is required and should be submitted by January 4, 2021.  For more information, contact Dr. Robbins, Search Committee Chair, via email jwrobbins@valdosta.edu.  

VSU is an Equal Opportunity educational institution and has a strong institutional commitment to diversity and inclusion. 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.