The University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign is currently seeking a Director for their School of Art & Design. This position requires a candidate with both creative vision and administrative skills to lead a thriving multidisciplinary school within a renowned university. The ideal candidate will have experience in Art Education, Art History, Design, and Studio Art, as well as the ability to foster a culture of diversity and inclusion among faculty and staff. As the Chief Executive Officer of the School, the Director will oversee the delivery of undergraduate and graduate programs, research initiatives, and public engagement efforts. This is a prestigious and influential role within the university, requiring strong leadership, collaboration, and communication skills. The University of Illinois offers an exceptional opportunity for an experienced professional to shape the future of art and design education at a renowned institution.
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Duties and Responsibilities
Academic Leadership:
The Director of the School of Art & Design at the University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign is responsible for providing academic leadership within the School. This includes ensuring appropriate instructional staffing for all courses, applying departmental policies to assignment of teaching duties, fulfilling accreditation requirements, and overseeing student disciplinary and grievance processes. The Director also coordinates undergraduate and graduate recruitment strategies, monitors advising needs, and supports faculty development.
Departmental Leadership and Administration:
In terms of departmental leadership and administration, the Director is responsible for providing oversight and guidance on faculty processes and policies related to recruitment, appointment, engagement, evaluation, and professional development. The Director supervises the enactment of promotion and tenure policies, oversees annual faculty evaluations, and ensures faculty development across all ranks.
Executive Leadership:
As the Chief Executive Officer of the School of Art & Design, the Director is responsible for overseeing the department budget, working closely with the Assistant Dean for Finance. The Director also collaborates with the FAA Human Resources on policy and procedure review and implementation, hiring and promoting employees, training, performance evaluations, and any other HR-related activity. Other responsibilities include identifying space, technology, and equipment needs, serving as a point of contact in crisis management scenarios, and supervising the School’s staff.
Governance and Policy:
The Director plays a key role in the governance and policy of the School of Art & Design. They work with faculty to update and maintain the School’s strategic plan, ensuring progress and prioritization of efforts. The Director also facilitates processes related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, drawing on college and campus resources to ensure continuous improvement. Additionally, the Director represents the unit in the FAA Administrative Council and conveys information to faculty and staff as appropriate.
External Relations:
Maintaining strong external relations is an important duty of the Director. This includes maintaining communications and relationships with alumni, the profession, and the discipline, representing the work of the department for these constituents as needed. The Director also partners, collaborates, and strategizes with the FAA Advancement office on all aspects of advancement, including fundraising, communication, stewardship, and donor relations. Working with college advancement staff, they assist in identifying fundraising opportunities and goals.
Required Qualifications
To be considered for the Director position, candidates must meet the following qualifications:
Record of distinguished achievement:
Candidates must have a record of distinguished achievement in scholarly or creative accomplishment, research, and teaching that meets the criteria for appointment as a Professor with tenure in a field represented by the School of Art & Design.
Terminal degree:
Candidates must possess a terminal degree in their field of specialization.
Leadership experience:
Candidates should have at least five years of successful leadership experience with increasingly higher levels of responsibility in an institution of higher education.
Focus on equity in management:
A record of focus on equity in the management of others’ labor is required.
Experience with complex organizations:
Candidates should have experience with and interest in understanding role divisions in a complex organization and supporting individuals’ success in fulfilling them. They should also demonstrate the ability to embed achievement of big goals within long-standing processes and structures.
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Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The Director of the School of Art & Design should possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
Ability to collaborate:
The ability to collaborate with administrators, academic staff, faculty, and students from various disciplinary areas is essential.
Commitment to diversity:
A commitment to building and maintaining diversity across the student, faculty, and staff populations is necessary.
Capacity to foster collaborations:
The Director should have the capacity to foster and maintain collaborations among faculty and campus leaders.
Effective communication skills:
Strong communication skills are necessary for effectively communicating across all internal and external constituencies, including alumni, in an articulate, inspiring, and diplomatic way.
Knowledge of faculty and academic structures:
Experience with and knowledge of faculty and academic structures, policies, and procedures at the University of Illinois is important.
Application Process
Interested candidates should submit their application materials by the full consideration deadline of 6:00 PM on November 30, 2023. Application materials required include a cover letter outlining the candidate’s leadership philosophy and vision for the contributions of arts education and research, a detailed CV, a diversity statement, and contact information for three professional references. For further information about the position, candidates can contact Brett Kaplan or Jennifer Steiling. Any questions regarding the application process can be directed to 217-333-2137.
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants with disabilities to apply. Applicants with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process.
About University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign
Location:
The University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign is located in Urbana, Illinois.
Description of the School of Art & Design:
The School of Art & Design is a multidisciplinary school within the College of Fine and Applied Arts (FAA) at the University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign. The School offers seven undergraduate programs of study, more than ten graduate programs, and non-major instruction. The School’s research and engagement responsibilities include the advancement of scholarly and creative fields, partnership with professions on preparation for work in diverse sectors, and public presentation through partnerships with the Krannert Art Museum and other university and regional venues.
Role of the Director:
As the Director of the School of Art & Design, the individual will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the School and fulfill all statutory functions required for ensuring the unit’s successful delivery of expected contributions to the university’s research, teaching, and public engagement missions. The Director will provide academic leadership, oversee departmental leadership and administration, executive leadership, governance and policy, and external relations.
Salary and Benefits
The salary for the Director position will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. The position is full-time and benefits-eligible, with a desired start date as early as July 1 and no later than August 1.
Qualifications for the Director Position
To be considered for the Director position, candidates must meet the following qualifications:
Distinguished achievement:
Candidates must have a record of distinguished achievement in scholarly or creative accomplishment, research, and teaching that meets the criteria for appointment as a Professor with tenure in a field represented by the School of Art & Design.
Terminal degree:
Candidates must possess a terminal degree in their field of specialization.
Leadership experience:
Candidates should have at least five years of successful leadership experience with increasingly higher levels of responsibility in an institution of higher education.
Equity in management:
A record of focus on equity in the management of others’ labor is required.
Collaboration skills:
Candidates should demonstrate a demonstrated track record of achievement as a strong and collaborative leader and administrator, providing evidence of a capacity to lead.
Responsibilities of the Director
As the Director of the School of Art & Design, the individual will have the following responsibilities:
Academic staffing:
Ensure appropriate instructional staffing for all courses, working with the Dean’s Office to communicate and address regular and emergent needs. Apply departmental policy to assignment of teaching duties across faculty and teaching assistant roles.
Accreditation and program review:
Ensure departmental fulfillment of appropriate accreditation requirements and academic program review goals, working with faculty and staff on the evaluation of learning outcomes.
Disciplinary and grievance processes:
Carry out (or delegate, where possible) student disciplinary and grievance processes as called for by department, college, or campus policies and code.
Recruitment and admissions:
Coordinate departmental undergraduate and graduate recruitment strategies; ensure the appropriate application of criteria for admission and stewardship of funding support.
Faculty development:
Monitor advising needs and see to their fulfillment through department, college, and campus resources. Draw on college and university resources to support faculty development in instruction, research and innovation, service, and advising across all ranks.
Leadership and Administration
The Director of the School of Art & Design will provide leadership and administration in the following areas:
Faculty processes and policies:
Provide leadership, direction, and oversight of faculty processes related to recruitment, appointment, engagement, retention, evaluation for promotion, professional development, leaves, faculty awards, and recognition.
Budget oversight:
Oversee the department budget working in consultation with the Assistant Dean for Finance and with the School’s Executive committee in preparing the departmental budget.
Human resources:
Work closely with FAA Human Resources on policy/procedure review and implementation, hiring/promoting employees, training, performance evaluations, payroll concerns, employee immigration needs, employee relations issues, and any other Human Resources related activity.
Space and equipment needs:
Identify space, technology, and equipment needs; work with the college to address and maintain them.
Staff supervision:
Supervise the School’s staff, ensuring appropriate recognition and opportunities for advancement.
Governance and Policy
The Director will have responsibilities in the following areas:
Strategic planning:
Work with faculty to update and maintain the School’s strategic plan; monitor progress and ensure appropriate prioritization of efforts to achieve goals.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion:
Facilitate processes of education, orientation, and accountability with regard to the creation of just and equitable learning, research, and engagement.
Representation in administrative council:
Represent the unit in FAA Administrative Council; convey information as appropriate to unit faculty and staff.
In summary, the Director of the School of Art & Design at the University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign plays a critical role in providing academic leadership, overseeing departmental leadership and administration, executive leadership, governance and policy, and external relations. Candidates for the position should have a record of distinguished achievement, possess a terminal degree, have leadership experience, demonstrate a focus on equity in management, and possess strong collaboration skills. The Director is responsible for various duties and responsibilities related to academic staffing, accreditation, recruitment, admissions, faculty development, leadership and administration, budget oversight, human resources, space and equipment needs, staff supervision, strategic planning, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and representation in administrative council. The Director position offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications, along with benefits eligibility. The application process requires the submission of specific materials by the full consideration deadline. The University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign is committed to being an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants with disabilities to apply.
