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Job Description
Associate Professor or Full Professor and School Head
Posting Number
P0918F
Position Summary Information
Job Description Summary
POSITION: Twelve-month position. Associate Professor or Full Professor and Head, School of Industrial and Graphic Design (SIGD). Position is available beginning August 1, 2023.
RESPONSIBILITIES: The responsibilities of the Head are to work consultatively with the college Dean to provide visionary leadership and overall management of the School by engaging with students, faculty, staff, and alumni to shape school culture and experience. Specific responsibilities include the following:
• Serve as the senior faculty administrator and promote excellence in teaching, research and outreach while enhancing the visibility of the School
• Provide academic and administrative peer-driven leadership to the School
• Provide leadership for faculty development, program development and assessment, long-range planning, budgeting, and public relations
• Provide leadership for recruitment and retention of diverse students, staff, and faculty
• Foster strong connections between academic activities and research/creative scholarship
• Supervise and evaluate faculty and staff personnel
• Advocate for school interests, needs and programs
• Build relationships within the College, with other schools/colleges and with university leadership
• Serve as part of the College’s Leadership team
• Engage actively with students to enhance the student experience
• Develop and maintain community and business partnerships
• Serve as a liaison to administration, alumni, and the community
• Optimize use of space and physical facilities
• Balance fiscal models, growth strategy, scale, and scope of programs
SCHOOL: The School of Industrial and Graphic Design (SIGD) is housed within the College of Architecture, Design and Construction at Auburn University. Begun in 1945 and reestablished on the Ulm model in the 1960s, the Industrial Design program was one of the first established and earliest National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) accredited programs in the nation. In 2007, the Graphic Design program joined Industrial Design with the unit gaining school status in 2014. The studio-based curriculums focus on teaching systematic approaches in the application of human-centered design and visual communication. Today, faculty in SIGD form a cohesive body that fosters a close-knit relationship with students through hands-on collaborative projects in both Auburn and Mobile studio locations. Balancing human needs, technical realities, and business intent, collaboration with industry partners and the advancement of professional practice have become key components of the academic experience.
For the past two decades, the school has partnered on collaborative projects and grown student internships with organizations and companies that include: 3M, IBM, Kate Spade, SapientRazorfish, the United Nations, HP, L’Oréal, Smucker’s, PlayCore, Coca-Cola, NASA, Medium, Emerson Tool Company, Microsoft, and the Smithsonian Institution. As a result, SIGD graduates are known for their versatility in design practice and leadership, while its graduate and undergraduate programs in design have consistently ranked within the top 10 nationally. For more information about the School of Industrial and Graphic Design, please visit http://cadc.auburn.edu/design
COLLEGE: The College of Architecture, Design and Construction at Auburn University, established in 1907 is comprised of the School of Architecture, Planning & Landscape Architecture; The McWhorter School of Building Science; and the School of Industrial and Graphic Design. These academic units offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs that are consistently recognized both institutionally and nationally for their academic excellence and their continuous innovations in the fields of design, construction, and related education. For more information about the College of Architecture, Design & Construction, please visit http://cadc.auburn.edu
UNIVERSITY: Established in 1856, Auburn University is one of the nation’s premier public land-grant institutions. In 2020, it was ranked 44th among public universities by US News and World Report. As a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant university with “R1” Carnegie classification, Auburn students represent all fifty states in the U.S. and more than 90 foreign countries. Its 2021 enrollment of 31,526 students includes 24,931 undergraduates and 6,595 graduate and professional students. Organized into twelve academic colleges and schools, Auburn’s 1,432 full-time instructional faculty members offer more than 200 educational programs while maintaining high standards for externally funded innovative, transformational research. The University is nationally recognized for its commitment to academic excellence, positive work environment, student engagement, and beautiful campus.
Auburn, Alabama, is a historic college town and one of Alabama’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas with increasingly diverse cultural and recreational opportunities. With close proximity to Birmingham, Atlanta, the Great Smokey Mountains, and the Gulf Coast, Auburn is an attractive place to live. Auburn has been rated among the ‘Top 100 Best Places to Live in America’ by Money magazine in 2019 and one of the ‘South’s Best College Towns’ by Southern Living magazine. Auburn residents enjoy a moderate climate and a location along the rapidly developing I-85 corridor between Atlanta, Georgia and Montgomery, Alabama. The combined Auburn-Opelika-Columbus statistical area has a population of more than 500,000, with excellent public-school systems and regional medical centers. For more information, please see http://www.auburn.edu/
Auburn University is understanding of and sensitive to the family needs of faculty, including dual-career couples http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/facultyjobs/
Minimum Qualifications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Possess terminal degree in Graphic Design, Industrial Design, or closely related field at the time employment begins
• Have academic credentials commensurate for an Associate Professor or Full Professor appointment (with tenure) representing excellence in teaching, research and/or extension/outreach
• Demonstrate an understanding of the breadth and depth of the different constituencies for industrial and graphic design
• Possess excellent interpersonal communication skills and demonstrate effective communication with faculty, staff, stakeholders, parents, and students
• Exhibit enthusiasm for building relationships with faculty, staff, stakeholders, parents, and alumni
• Demonstrate leadership, organizational skills, budget/resource management ability, experience with accreditation processes, personnel management expertise, recruitment skills, and the ability to secure and sustain funding for research, outreach, and development
• Have strong academic and industry networks
• Possess understanding of market trends in graphic design, industrial design and related disciplines including UX/UI professions
• Meet eligibility requirements to work in the United States at the time the appointment is scheduled to begin and continue working legally for the term of employment
Desired Qualifications
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Recognized accomplishment in design education and/or professional practice
• Experience with high impact educational practices
• Commitment to public service through direct experience with outreach programs and/or applied research.
• Experience in obtaining external funding
Special Instructions to Applicants
INSTRUCTIONS: Applicants must apply via the online system by visiting: https://www.auemployment.com/postings/32499 and attach the following:
1) a letter of interest addressing above qualifications, 2) a leadership philosophy statement, 3) a diversity statement, 4) a complete curriculum vita, and 5) digital portfolio of design work. When prompted during the on-line application process, names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of four professional references should be provided. Only complete application materials will be considered. The search will continue until position is filled but to ensure consideration for the position, applicants are encouraged to apply by October 11, 2022. Questions about the position may be directed to Ben Farrow, PhD, Search Committee Chair at [email protected] .
EEO Statement
AUBURN UNIVERSITY IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by applicable law.
