Associate or Full Professor/Department Chair: W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies

Associate or Full Professor/Department Chair

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Job no: 510592
Work type: Faculty Full Time
Location: UMass Amherst
Department: Afro-American Studies
Union: Non-Unit Exempt
Categories: Faculty, College of Humanities & Fine Arts

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth’s flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Description

• The College of Humanities and Fine Arts at the University of Massachusetts Amherst seeks a dynamic senior scholar to lead its W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies and develop its future planning and direction. Founded in 1970, it is one of the oldest, comprehensive degree-granting Black Studies departments in the country.
• The duties of the chair include developing and implementing academic and scholarly activities for the department, planning finances and budgets, and supervising faculty, staff, and students in the department. In dialogue with colleagues and stakeholders across the university, the chair will implement the department’s strategic vision.
• The chair will promote excellence in the department’s undergraduate and graduate programs. The chair’s responsibilities are classified as professional duties requiring leadership and mentoring of faculty, administrative expertise to include vision, long term and short-term planning, decision-making and coordination of instruction and advising of students, and other aspects of the daily operation of the department.
• Applications are invited from candidates in any disciplinary tradition whose teaching and research demonstrate a commitment to Africana Studies as an interdisciplinary enterprise and a vision that holistically embraces the experiences of peoples of African descent with emphasis on Africa, the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

Requirements

Candidates should (1) have earned a doctoral degree, (2) be a tenured associate or full professor with credentials and experience that are appropriate for a senior level appointment at UMass, (3) have administrative experience that demonstrates potential for success as a department chair, (4) have a commitment to the education of the department’s diverse student population, and (5) have a strong interest in community engagement. A record of success in securing program-related funding is highly desirable.

Additional Information

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. The University offers an attractive benefits package.

Application Instructions

• To apply, please submit a letter of interest including your vision for the department, a curriculum vitae, a statement of your current research plan, and a list of three references with full contact information.
• Applicants should apply by the priority deadline of December 6, 2021 to ensure full consideration, but review of applications will continue until the position is filled.
• References will not be contacted without the applicant’s permission.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University.  To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.  It is the policy of the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.