We seek applicants who are dedicated to serving The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s diverse student body as Director of the Mexican American Studies Academic Program beginning in the 2022-2023 academic year. The MAS program seeks a successful candidate with a notable record of research in Chicana/o/x and/or Latina/o/x Studies, quality teaching, community engagement, and a strong record of academic administration to direct the program. The successful candidate will lead the program in fulfilling that vision and gaining greater regional and national significance. The successful candidate would be leading a program that is committed to student success and to scholarly research addressing the strengths and needs of students, the local, state, and national community as well as cultivating community engagement opportunities and social justice. It is expected that the successful candidate will assist the program in achieving departmental status. Candidates who are advanced Associate or Full Professor with experience building and directing programs are preferred.
The program director is responsible for consulting with and representing the interest of the program faculty on policies, plans, and procedures that affect the program or and is responsible for the overall leadership, management, and administration of the school or department, including:
a. Pursuing and achieving program excellence in teaching, research, and service;
b. Strategic planning and goal setting aligned with similar efforts at the college and university level;
c. Developing strategic initiatives and programming to help ensure student success;
d. Management and professional development of faculty members and staff;
e. Preparation and management of school or department budget;
f. Recruitment, retention, evaluation and promotion of faculty;
g. Development of curriculum;
h. Communication with faculty and administration;
i. Enforcement of applicable regulatory policies;
j. Maintaining an environment of collegiality and shared governance;
k. Addressing questions, complaints, grievances, and suggestions from faculty, staff, and students; and
l. Performing other duties as assigned by the dean.
It is UTRGV’s Vision “To be one of the nation’s leaders in higher education, its premier Hispanic-serving institution, and a highly engaged bilingual university, with exceptional educational, research, and creative opportunities that serve as catalysts for transformation in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.” As such, UTRGV is committed to building a diverse faculty that can contribute to an enriching learning environment that strives for more equitable outcomes for student success.
UTRGV is a distributed campus, one university spanning four counties and multiple locations. Our purpose is to be a university for the entire Rio Grande Valley and beyond. Over 91% of the students enrolled at UTRGV identify as Hispanic, making UTRGV one of the top 3 universities with the highest percentage of Hispanic students.
Thanks to a steadfast commitment to safety and success, UTRGV yielded record-breaking outcomes in enrollment and student success in the fall 2021 semester. For additional information, please visit our website.
Qualifications
Ph.D., from an accredited university in Chicana/o/x Studies, Latina/o/x Studies, or closely related field in which the applicant’s expertise is interdisciplinary and falls within the area(s) of Chicana/o/x/Latina/o/x Studies. Candidates must meet the institutional requirements for tenure and be eligible for the rank of Full Professor in the program to be considered for the position.
Close date
03/15/2022