Vacancy: Department Chair, Art History, University of North Texas

9 January 2020

The University of North Texas (UNT)’s long-standing and dynamic art history program has recently been designated an autonomous department within the College of Visual Arts and Design (CVAD), and we are looking for an inaugural Chair who will bring a consultative approach to this new identity and structure. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative partner in creating an environment that fosters faculty and student success. We are seeking a Chair that will complement existing strengths in global art, architecture, and design history. The successful candidate will bring direction and leadership to the department, which is housed in a Carnegie Tier 1 research university. We are seeking a Chair who will advocate for the role of the department’s productive and committed faculty within the context of a research university and who brings strong interpersonal skills in working to support faculty in a small, vital department that is essential to the overall success of the college.

Start Date:

July 2020

Qualifications:

Required: For this 12-month faculty administrator appointment, we seek a candidate who has a Ph.D. in art history (or closely related field) and has professional experience sufficient to qualify for appointment at the rank of Professor with tenure.

Preferred: Evidence of collaborative administrative leadership within a university, effective communication skills, and the proven ability to successfully partner in fundraising. Candidates with experience in curatorial or gallery practices are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities:

The Chair is responsible for leading faculty in the development of program curricula, identity, and relevance. The Chair serves as an advocate for art history faculty both individually and collectively. Additional responsibilities include college and university service, teaching in the program, student mentoring, and sustaining relevant professional activities.

The Chair reports to the Dean and works closely with CVAD’s Associate Deans, their fellow chairs, and the director of the Foundations Program as a part of the college’s leadership team. The Chair will support the University's commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and access in all academic and personnel matters. The Chair will adhere to and foster the highest standards of ethical conduct, compliance with applicable laws and regulations, diversity, appropriate financial oversights and controls, as well as safety, security, and confidentiality precautions related to the position.

Application: Please submit the following through this link.

Letter of application

Curriculum vita

Names and contact information for five references

Setting:

Established in 1890, UNT is one of the nation’s largest public research universities with approximately 39,000 students. Ranked a Tier One research university through the Carnegie Classification, UNT is a catalyst for creativity, fueling progress, innovation and entrepreneurship for the North Texas region and the state. As the university has grown, so has its reach and impact. UNT graduated 9,100 students last year from its 14 colleges and schools and offers 103 bachelor’s, 86 master’s and 37 doctoral degree programs, many nationally and internationally recognized. UNT’s world-class faculty are making break-throughs every day, and its students and alumni are changing the world around them.

The College of Visual Arts and Design, providing instructions in Denton, Frisco and Dallas, is one of the largest and most comprehensive visual arts programs in the Southwest. With over 2,200 undergraduate students and 135 graduate students, the NASAD accredited institution offers the BA, BFA, MA, MFA, and PhD across 13 program areas: art education, art history, ceramics, communication design, drawing and painting, fashion design, interdisciplinary art and design studies, interior design, metalsmithing and jewelry, new media art, photography, printmaking, and sculpture, with a PhD offered in art education. Further information about the College and University can be found at https://www.art.unt.edu and https://www.unt.edu

Denton is quietly nestled at the apex of the fourth largest metro area in the U.S. and is equidistant from Dallas and Fort Worth. The DFW area is home to 22 Fortune 500 companies and North American headquarters to over 30 leading global corporations. The metro area is home to some of the leading museums and cultural institutions in the world. Denton itself has earned a national reputation as a cultural arts incubator and technology research hub. The small community of 113,000 residents is home to two universities and offers a friendly, creative, and intellectual environment. The town boasts an eclectic array of restaurants, bars, shops, music venues, and festivals that have drawn praise from national publications. The Huffington Post listed Denton as the “number one emerging cultural hotspot in Texas.” The New York Times noted that “the town manages to combine the bohemian charm of Berkeley with the rural folksiness of the South.”

The University of North Texas System and its component institutions are committed to equal opportunity and comply with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University of North Texas System and its component institutions do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in its application and admission processes, educational programs and activities, and employment practices.Review of applications will begin 25 January 2019 and will continue until the search is closed.