Chair, Department of Literatures and Cultural Studies

Chair, Department of Literatures and Cultural Studies

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) invites nominations and applications for the position of chair of the Department of Literatures and Cultural Studies. Reporting directly to the dean of the College of Liberal Arts, the chair will be responsible for setting strategic, operational, and financial direction for the Department of Literatures and Cultural Studies. The college seeks a dynamic leader who will work in concert with faculty, staff, and students to promote a culture of excellence. The chair will be responsible for leading and building a robust department, to oversee its educational program, to support research programs, and to foster an interactive and collaborative culture.

UTRGV was created by the Texas Legislature in 2013 as the first major public university of the 21st century in Texas and is the second largest Hispanic Serving Institution in the United States. The majority of its students are bilingual and bicultural. UTRGV is located in a growing, vibrant region on the border with Mexico, which boasts many diverse cultural, ecological and recreational activities. UTRGV is a distributed campus, one university spanning four counties and multiple locations. Its purpose is to be a university for the entire Rio Grande Valley and beyond. For additional information, please visit our website.

The Department of Literatures and Cultural Studies, in collaboration with the Department of Writing & Language Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and the Program in Creative Writing in the College of Fine Arts, offers undergraduate degrees in English and a minor in French, as well as graduate degrees in English; provides coursework and mentoring to prepare teachers of English and French; and considers itself as the very gateway to internationalize and amplify a Liberal Arts education by developing creative problem-solving skills that will allow students to understand the complexities of a globalized society.

The Role of the Chair

The candidate will be principally dedicated to administrative leadership, while maintaining their research initiatives with a reduced teaching load. This is a marvelous opportunity for a leader with a bold spirit to head a department at a university aspiring to become a Research I institution.

The chair is expected to:

• Inspire and support a diverse and multilingual faculty, staff, and students and foster an environment of collegiality, collaboration, transparency, teamwork, and respect.
• Provide preparation, leadership and oversight of the department, including budget, assessment and reporting, supervision of faculty, staff, and student productivity and professional development, external relations, and multi-disciplinary collaborations within the university.
• Develop strategic planning initiatives and programming aligned with similar efforts at the college and university level to ensure student success.
• Support the expansion of the research capabilities of the department while maintaining departmental excellence in teaching.
• Advocate for the department and ensure it is aligned with the priorities of the college of liberal arts and UTRGV as a whole.
• Foster student success and satisfaction.

Preferred Qualifications & Attributes

The successful candidate must possess Ph.D. in English literature or a related field from an accredited institution of higher education and have demonstrated leadership abilities in administration, personnel management, and budgeting. Also, the ideal candidate should meet the requirements for tenure and appointment at the rank of full Professor and have an excellent track record in research, teaching and service. Advanced Associate Professors are also encouraged to apply. Preferred leadership skills include timely and consistent decision-making abilities and experience with academic program leadership at the level of program coordinator, director, or chair. Respect for shared governance and strong interpersonal skills are also valued. 

The full position profile can be accessed at https://greenwoodsearch.com/current-opportunities/.

How to Apply

Greenwood Asher & Associates ® is assisting The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in this search. Applications and nominations are now being accepted. For a full application package, please submit a cover letter, CV, and list of five references. Confidential inquiries, nominations and application materials should be directed to Greenwood Asher & Associates. Submission of application materials as PDF attachments is strongly encouraged. The search will be conducted with a commitment of confidentiality for candidates until finalists are selected. Initial screening of applications will begin immediately and will continue until an appointment is made. For best consideration, applications and nominations should be provided by March 1, 2024.

Salary will be competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience. Details on benefits can be found at https://www.utrgv.edu/human-resources/benefits/index.htm.

Inquiries, nominations, and application materials should be directed to:

Julie Schrodt, Senior Executive Search Consultant

E-mail: julieschrodt@greenwoodsearch.com

Tracey Weldon, Vice President of Executive Search

E-mail: traceyweldon@greenwoodsearch.com

It is the policy of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to promote and ensure equal employment opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or protected veteran status. In accordance with the requirements of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, our University is committed to comply with all government requirements and ensures non-discrimination in its education programs and activities, including employment. We encourage women, minorities and differently abled persons to apply for employment positions of interest.