Job Information
Texas Tech University Department Chairperson/School Director - School of Art in Texas
38983BR
Extended Job Title:
Department Chairperson/School Director - School of Art
Organization:
Texas Tech University
Position Description:
The School of Art in the College of J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts at Texas Tech University invites applications for a full-time, 12-month (9-month academic year appointment with additional summer appointment), tenured Professor to begin July 1, 2025.
The successful candidate will be an visionary, dynamic, and collaborative Department Chairperson/Director of the School of Art, providing intellectual and strategic leadership for teaching, research, service, and outreach and engagement endeavors in the School.
The ideal candidate will be conversant in, and able to navigate, all disciplines represented in the School of Art while leading a thriving program that exemplifies the highest standards of a creative, multi-faceted, and scholarly community. By integrating innovation and cutting-edge technology, the next Department Chairperson/Director of the School of Art will work collaboratively to advance and shape School of Art programming.
The Department Chairperson/School Director will have the ability to work effectively with individuals and groups in a wide variety of contexts while fostering transdisciplinary collaboration and interdisciplinary study within and among other colleges at TTU, as well as other universities and partners, nationally and internationally.
The new Department Chairperson/School Director will work to improve enrollment and retention levels, providing new ideas and approaches towards growing and managing a balance in student enrollment of majors, minors, and non-majors. The Department Chairperson/School Director will lead the development of strategic recruitment and will work with faculty and staff to attract students for all areas.
Art areas are being transformed by advances in technology and new techniques and students are increasingly attracted to these new applications. The Department Chairperson/School Director will stay abreast of new opportunities and challenges, including but not limited to, advances in environmental humanities; art and social practice; Native & Indigenous studies; technological changes including Artificial intelligence (AI) software applications, and by enhancing the curriculum with global and multicultural understandings and new ways of thinking. Working in a collaborative way with the faculty to develop the direction of emerging opportunities, the Department Chairperson/School Director will bring an entrepreneurial and growth mindset to the School, seeking ways to serve growing areas of interest for students.
Will implement professional development programs that assist staff and all faculty members, specifically cultivating opportunities for faculty development, tenure and promotion processes, and faculty and staff recruitment and retention. Advances in supporting and retaining staff are underway, and the director will play a pivotal role in solidifying those efforts. The Department Chairperson/School Director will be a unifying voice who appreciates and nurtures all of the School’s disciplines and traditions, from art history to art education to studio art, from prioritizing traditional art media to the incorporation of new computer technologies and high-tech labs, from general education to teacher preparation, from supportive and collaborative communities to artists who create with individual vision.
Drawing on the considerable knowledge and talent of the faculty and staff, will lead with openness, willingness to learn, transparency and integrity. Will begin planning and budgeting with feedback from the faculty, staff, and students to shape decisions through a visible commitment to shared governance. With a deep respect for high-quality academic programs and effective teaching and learning, the School’s next Department Chairperson/School Director will encourage, support, and enhance the trust and confidence of a campus community focused on meeting the needs of students. The next leader will recognize, value, and engage every employee in realizing the daily fulfillment of the School’s mission. The next Department Chairperson/School Director will be a superior communicator who builds bridges with all constituent groups through unquestioned integrity and respect for others.
The School of Art’s scope, operations, and complexity require a leader to handle a position of great responsibility and impact, while internal and external constituents expect direct access to the Department Chairperson/School Director. Will be a strong advocate for the unit and build trust across the school and community with accessibility and clear, consistent, and frequent communications for multiple audiences and situations with individuals and groups in person, virtually, and through written and spoken channels.
Faculty and students in the School of Art are highly engaged researchers, artists, creators, educators, and scholars. The new Department Chairperson/School Director will support an environment of innovation and collaboration both within the arts and across disciplines. In addition, scholarship, outreach, and research, integrated with community development and the environment, have tremendous potential for continued growth in the School of Art through multiple community partnerships. The Department Chairperson/School Director will expand engagement with outside institutions and constituencies to include alumni, donors, visitors, museums, galleries, foundations, and others.
Among other duties, will manage departmental personnel; administer the academic programs; develop and sustain connections with related professional and industry entities to promote teaching, research, development, and outreach; effectively represent the department to internal and external entities; effectively manage the unit’s budget to sustain a culture of fiscal responsibility and health; and promote the success of the faculty, staff, and students in the department.
The Department Chairperson/School Director of the School of Art will also serve as a departmental faculty member with expectations related to teaching and research according to university policies.
Requisition ID:
38983BR
Travel Required:
Up to 25%
Major/Essential Functions:
In line with TTU’s strategic priorities to engage and empower a diverse student body, enable innovative research and creative activities, and transform lives and communities through outreach and engaged scholarship, applicants should have experience working with diverse student populations at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels within individual or across the areas of teaching, research/creative activity, and service.
Grant Funded?:
No
Pay Basis:
Monthly
Preferred Qualifications:
A record of a commitment to excellence in the study and practice of art, scholarly rigor, shared governance, collegiality, and a willingness to engage faculty in strategic planning and decision-making
A record of experience in shared governance, transparency, collaboration, and servant leadership
A record of retaining, mentoring, and advising a diverse faculty cohort and student body as student body
A record of promoting and marketing an arts program regionally, nationally, and internationally.
A record of executive financial oversight, including a comprehensive understanding of budgets and other resources allocation
Department:
School of Art
Job Type:
Full Time
Job Group:
Faculty Administration
Salary Grade:
800
Does this position work in a research laboratory?:
No
Special Instructions to Applicants:
Please include the following documents in your application:
A letter of application that addresses the expectations discussed in the Qualifications and Leadership Agenda
A one-page maximum statement addressing the candidate’s leadership and administrative philosophy and experience
A list of at least five professional/personal references with contact information, including telephone and email, and a note indicating the candidate’s working relationship with each. References will not be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate
Resume/Curriculum vitae
Texas Tech University is being assisted in this search by Academic Search. In addition to applying to this position at careers.texastech.edu, candidates must also submit application materials at academicsearch.org .
Nominators and prospective candidates may also arrange a confidential conversation about this opportunity with Rich Cummins, Senior Consultant, at rich.cummins@academicsearch.org .
Job posting will close effective November 10, 2024.
Safety Information:
Adherence to robust safety practices and compliance with all applicable health and safety regulations are responsibilities of all TTU employees.
Pay Statement:
Compensation is commensurate upon the qualifications of the individual selected and budgetary guidelines of the hiring department, as well as the institutional pay plan. For additional information, please reference the institutional pay plan by visiting www.depts.ttu.edu/hr/payplan.
EEO Statement:
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or status as a protected veteran.
About the College:
The mission of the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts (TCVPA) is to inspire and educate students by instilling the intellectual, artistic, and communication skills that prepare them for success in disciplinary achievement and in interdisciplinary collaboration, whether as performers, creators, investigators, or educators in visual arts, dance, music, or theatre. We prioritize students: world-class professionals offer programs that emphasize practice, theory, and experience in creating and studying imaginative work in traditional and contemporary formats. We provide all essential training for an outstanding education in art, dance, music, and theatre disciplines in integrative programs such as arts administration, and in interdisciplinary programs, whether within the Fine Arts, at the intersection of arts and medicine, or in new entrepreneurial areas emerging in the arts. We impart a distinctive education that bridges the gap between university and workplace.
The beating heart of Texas Tech University, the College is a creative community with the resources of a world-class public university. Students from all over the world shine with Texas-sized ambition, curiosity, and compassion. The College cultivates confidence-building artistic journeys with an infinite number of destinations. The Schools in the College maintain accreditation, making Texas Tech University one of only two public universities in the state accredited by all four national arts accrediting bodies. The schools of the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts provide a supportive visual and performing arts education. Students join a community of 1100 arts-dedicated undergraduate and graduate students that includes D.M.A. and Ph.D. candidates.
The diversity and breadth of the faculty community’s expertise are staggering--theatrical sound designers, independent filmmakers, modern dance teachers, gallery owners, experimental sculptors, symphony conductors, opera singers, Broadway performers, and researchers exploring the intersection of the arts with multiple disciplines.
The College is engaged in strategic planning to establish direction for the next several years. During the 2023 spring semester, the college held listening sessions with faculty and staff regarding strategic initiatives. The initial guidance received during the listening sessions of 2023 gave us many valuable ideas on the topics of Artificial Intelligence, Curriculum, Interdisciplinary opportunities, Outreach, Recruitment, Support for faculty, staff, and students, and international opportunities. During the 2024 academic year, the College continued holding listening sessions and conversations centered around to formulate a detailed strategic plan. Please see the strategic plan on the website (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/visual-performing-arts/about/strategic-plan/) .
In the Fall 2023, the College began an initiative towards becoming a Values Based organization and engaged its constituents in a process that culminated with the identification of the College’s Core Values. The core values the representatives at the summit identified are Curiosity, Creativity, Care, Principled Conduct, and Sense of Community. Please see the Values Culture on the website (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/visual-performing-arts/about/values-culture/index.php) .
About the Department/School/Area:
The School of Art engages students in an interdisciplinary, collaborative exploration of the creative process, visual history, pedagogical innovation, and original design. Students are engaged in classroom and studio pedagogies that demonstrate values of experimentation, creative and critical thinking, and research. Students and faculty enjoy a variety of facilities that enable cutting-edge and traditional curriculum including studio classrooms with manual and digital fabrication equipment, hi-tech design labs, and comfortable spaces for learning and exchanging ideas. The creative and academic work of students is recognized with scholarships, awards, exhibitions, public presentations, and galleries both on- and off-campus.
Landmark Arts, the signature Exhibitions and Speakers Program of the School of Art, supports the presentation of student and faculty creative and scholarly research via its galleries. More importantly Landmark Arts presents contemporary art exhibitions of regional and national significance, not provided by other local institutions, and supports a strong visiting artists and scholars program to augment the program curricula.
The School of Art faculty and staff are nationally and internationally recognized for their creative and scholarly research, studio art practice, and community leadership. School of Art faculty members present artworks and scholarly research in national and international exhibitions and conferences. Their artworks and scholarships are published in major journals, books, and displayed in major museums. While achieving important recognition, faculty members are committed to offering students a small-school feel within the larger resources afforded by a Tier-One Carnegie Research University classification. The School of Art has maintained an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, which fosters program cohorts that allow faculty and staff to provide individual mentorship and guidance for students seeking their expertise.
School of Art alumni have demonstrated success in careers that span nearly every industry nationwide. The variety of education offered in the visual arts has proven to empower professional careers that can adapt to our quickly evolving world. For example, alumni have served as award-winning Art Directors at Texas Monthly magazine, creative professionals at companies ranging from Nike to the New York Times, and as distinguished educators and administrators, thriving entrepreneurs, and creative social leaders.
About the University:
Established in 1923, Texas Tech University is a Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) Doctoral/Research-Extensive, Hispanic Serving, and state-assisted institution. Located on a beautiful 1,850-acre campus in Lubbock, a city in West Texas with a growing metropolitan-area population of over 300,000, the university enrolls over 40,000 students with 33,000 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students. As the primary research institution in the western two-thirds of the state, Texas Tech University is home to 10 colleges, the Schools of Law and Veterinary Medicine, and the Graduate School. The flagship of the Texas Tech University System, Texas Tech is dedicated to student success by preparing learners to be ethical leaders for a diverse and globally competitive workforce. It is committed to enhancing the cultural and economic development of the state, nation, and world.
About Lubbock:Referred to as the “Hub City” because it serves as the educational, cultural, economic, and health care hub of the South Plains region, Lubbock boasts a diverse population and a strong connection to community, history, and land. With a mild climate, highly rated public schools, and a low cost of living, Lubbock is a family-friendly community that is ranked as one of the best places to live in Texas. Lubbock is home to a celebrated and ever-evolving music scene, a vibrant arts community, and is within driving distance of Dallas, Austin, Santa Fe, and other major metropolitan cities. Lubbock’s Convention & Visitors Bureau provides a comprehensive overview of the Lubbock community and its resources, programs, events, and histories.
Faculty Qualifications:
Terminal degree in a discipline taught in the School of Art
Academic and professional accomplishments and experience commensurate for an appointment at, or promotion to, the rank of Full Professor with tenure
A record of administrative experience and achievement in an academic setting
A record of engaging with community, alumni, and donor relations
Duty Point:
TTU Lubbock, main campus and affiliated facilities
