FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY (FVSU), a state and land-grant institution of the University System of Georgia, invites applications for the position of Chair of the Department of Arts and Communications in the College of Arts and Sciences.

FVSU, the only 1890 land-grant university in Georgia, is a comprehensive institution that provides an education to over 2,800 students including graduate students. The university is located in the town of Fort Valley in Peach County, the original site of the state's peach industry. Its 1,365-acre (5.52 km2) campus is Georgia's second-largest public university in area.

The newly structured Department of Arts and Communications balances theory, research, professional practice, and critical inquiry, and prepares students to become innovative, professional, and ethical communicators ready to thrive in a rapidly evolving field and interdisciplinary industries. The department offers B.A. in Liberal Studies, B.A. in Media Studies and a proposed B.A. in Visual Art and Design. The department also offers concentrations in Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Broadcasting, Journalism, Communications Studies, Fine Arts, Graphic Design as well as a minor in Public Relations. The department currently has 10 full time faculty and 8 adjuncts.

Reporting to the Dean of Arts and Sciences, Fort Valley State University is seeking an experienced Chair at Full Professor or the Associate Professor level to provide academic leadership for the department of Arts and Communications. The Chair will lead program faculty and staff in providing excellent teaching, research, practice, and service to the field and the industry. This is a position that is slated to begin August 2023. As the chief administrative and academic officer of the department, the Chair has authority and responsibility for the delivery of academic programs through departmental and university strategic plans; hiring and evaluation of department personnel, including faculty and staff; and budgeting and resource management. As a member of the departmental administration, the Chair coordinates departmental activity with the activities of other units in the university. Relatedly, Department Chairs will collaborate with other members of the administration to assist in the development and implementation of university initiatives.

Responsibilities

The Chair is the academic leader of the department, reporting to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and is responsible for spearheading the implementation of the teaching, research, and service mission of the department in accordance with the Strategic Plan. The Chair is expected to play a pivotal role in seeking external support for the department's programs in research and education, while providing leadership for the pursuit of national accreditations and excellent placements for graduates. The Chair supervises program coordinator, oversees faculty hires, facilitates positioning of programs for effectiveness and efficiency, coordinates efforts for retention of students, leads efforts for graduate placement and assessment, and directs special initiatives in support of the programs in the department.

• Oversee state of the art TV and radio production labs with professional production hardware such as Rode, Panasonic and Numark audio and visual equipment
• Demonstrated strong technology experience in both teaching and with technology, as well as teaching students how to use technology in radio, television, and video broadcasting;
• Demonstrated ability to teach across the discipline and to incorporate technological innovation in the classroom;
• Demonstrated sufficient academic qualifications and professional experience in radio/TV production, multimedia/new media, and writing for broadcasting.
• Demonstrated experience with professional production software such as Pro Tools, Adobe applications, Logic, and other software standard to the radio broadcasting, television, and new media industries;
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to the diversity and teaching excellence of the academic community through research, teaching, and service;
• Demonstrated skills in audio editing or sound design;
• Demonstrate ability to work professionally with university partners, as well as support Departmental partnerships with outside companies.

Additional Responsibilities

• Oversee curriculum development and revisions for the department
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Dean or Provost/Vice President of Academic Affair
• Assists the Dean in the development and maintenance of curriculum and courses representative of the discipline and supportive of the educational objectives of the college.
• Assists the Dean in evaluating, recruiting, and recommending the appointment of faculty.
• Monitors student success, including student retention and progression data.
• Develops semester course schedules.
• Assists in the development of the department budget recommendation; supplies data and statistics; administers assigned budgets.
• Recommends faculty for tenure and promotion as appropriate.
• Produces a variety of reports.
• Reviews and resolves problems between faculty members or between faculty and students.
• Teaches courses in the incumbent's academic discipline.
• Participates in the recruitment and advising of students.

• Performs related duties as assigned by the Dean's office.
• Coordinate the and Media Studies programs

Minimum Qualifications: an earned doctoral degree in mass communication/communication studies or related fields and the earned rank of at least Associate Professor with at least three years higher education administrative experience is required. The successful candidate will have demonstrated an excellent record of scholarly and/ or creative work activities together with success in enhancing student learning outcomes and management of faculty to do the same, demonstrated ability to collaborate with diverse constituencies, and a knowledge of and experience with specialized program accreditation requirements and procedures.