Department Chair/Associate or Full Professor of English

Duties Performed in the Usual Course of the Job

As Sam Houston State University is experiencing a period of explosive growth, the English Department seeks applications for the position of Chair of the Department from candidates with an energetic and sustained commitment to the future. This full-time, tenured position will begin Fall 2025. Compensation includes a regular 9-month salary commensurate with rank and experience, a Chair’s stipend, and full-time summer pay (which equals 33% of the 9-month salary).

The chair oversees strategic recruitment to meet the growing needs and opportunities of the department and university community. Manages the department’s budget to support existing and developing programs, and supports faculty research, teaching, and service across the department. Collaborative academic disciplines and programs: three master’s degrees (English MA, Creative Writing, Editing and Publishing MFA, and Technical Communication MA), a dual MA in literature/MFA in creative writing degree, a Graduate Certificate in English, one bachelor’s degree, five undergraduate minors, and one undergraduate certificate. The chair is supported in these endeavors by an office staff, an associate chair, and program directors and area coordinators. The chair also teaches two courses per academic year.

Ideal candidates will possess: a record of transformative, transparent, collaborative leadership; experience developing and expanding relationships inside and outside of the university; experience working within a multidisciplinary department; experience supporting contingent and tenure-track faculty; experience advocating for the humanities; and a commitment to recruiting and serving students with various backgrounds and ability levels.

Educational Requirements for the Position

Earned Doctorate in English or related field.

Experience Required for the Position

University teaching at the undergraduate level. Proven record of academic leadership. A strong record of publication. Qualifications for appointment at the level of Associate Professor or Full Professor

Other Requirements for the Position

Preferred Experience
Demonstrated publication success in English or a related field as well as experience in encouraging publication productivity in faculty. Experience as a department head or director in English or closely related department, as an associate/assistant chair, or as a program director. Experience teaching at the graduate level, including chairing committees for master’s theses, capstone projects, portfolios, and/or other similar projects. Experience with curriculum development. Demonstrated capability to manage budgets, schedules, and projects. Experience as an effective communicator, office supervisor, and advocate for staff and faculty. Experience or demonstrated potential for supporting and mentoring faculty through the tenure and promotion process.

Special Instructions Summary

Please note: References provided in the References section of the application will receive an automated email reference request at the time the application is submitted.

Interested candidates must submit a statement of leadership that articulates their understanding of the current and future landscape of English studies and speaks to their approach to working with a variety of disciplines and specializations within a single department.

Home to a distinctive student population of over 22,000, Sam Houston State University (SHSU) is in Huntsville, Texas, on the rapidly developing Interstate-45 corridor between Houston and Dallas. SHSU is 70 miles north of downtown Houston and 170 miles south of Dallas, ideally situated between the 4th and 9th largest cities in the country and two of the 10 fastest-growing cities in the U.S. SHSU. In Fall 2023, SHSU welcomed its largest first-year class in history and celebrated a retention rate of over 75% for returning students.

A great name in Texas education, Sam Houston State University offers over 85 bachelor’s degree programs, more than 60 master’s degree programs, 10 doctoral programs, and 1 professional doctoral program (DO), including award-winning programs, nationally and internationally recognized scholars, and innovative initiatives to help students develop and succeed. SHSU is classified as a “R2: Doctoral University—High Research Activity” by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, and it was recently recognized by U.S. News and World Report for being one of the top performers in social mobility. In addition, the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education classified SHSU as a “Community Engaged” university. This honor has been awarded to 311 public institutions nationwide, and it acknowledges SHSU’s significant commitment to serving the community.

The Department of English is a large, multidisciplinary department composed of over 40 full-time and 45 part-time faculty members across specializations in literature, creative writing, technical communication, composition and rhetoric, secondary education, and language and linguistics. Students pursue degrees in English across the department’s various graduate programs in literature, creative writing, and technical communication, and the undergraduate degree in English. Additionally, the department houses the first-year composition program and the integrated reading and writing program that assists developmental students in their first-year composition classes. The department is located on campus in the Evans Complex, which contains dozens of classrooms designed for close discussion, dozens of faculty offices, two computer labs, a maker space, the award-winning Texas Review Press, a recently remodeled “engaged” classroom space, two conference rooms, a student lounge, faculty breakroom, and a 100+ seat auditorium capable of holding large lectures and film screenings.

EEO Statement

Sam Houston State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and Smoke/Drug-Free Workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, ancestry, marital status, citizenship, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or gender identity or expression. Sam Houston State University is an “at will” employer. Employees with a contract will have additional terms and conditions. Security sensitive positions at SHSU require background checks in accordance with Education Code § 51.215.

Required Documents

1. Cover Letter
2. Curriculum Vitae (Faculty)
3. Statement of Teaching Philosophy
4. Statement of Research & Goals
5. Reference Contact Information
6. Transcripts

Optional Documents

1. Letter of Recommendation 1
2. Letter of Recommendation 2
3. Letter of Recommendation 3