Chair, Department of Agriculture

Department

Werth College of Science, Technology & Mathematics

Job Posting Title

Chair, Department of Agriculture

Job Description

Fort Hays State University (FHSU) is seeking applicants for Chair of the Department of Agriculture. The position is a 12-month appointment. Depending on qualifications, applicants will be evaluated for tenure and the rank of Full Professor upon hire.  The successful candidate must have a distinguished record of teaching, research, and service with an understanding and appreciation for on-campus and online delivery systems. The Chair will also have excellent communication and organizational skills, have demonstrated leadership abilities, and understand the needs of faculty, staff, and students.  Future directions for the Department will include conservation and precision agriculture, renovation of the agriculture education program, and explorations of new undergraduate and graduate degree offerings and certifications.

 

Minimum Qualifications:

• Earned doctorate in agriculture or closely-related field;
• A recent record of the items listed below in keeping with appointment to Full Professor:

- Teaching excellence;

- Commitment to student success;

- Research accomplishments;

- Service to the discipline and community.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Successful academic administrative experience including both fiscal and supervisory responsibilities, especially within the field of agriculture;
• Demonstrated success with student recruitment and retention initiatives;
• Experience with formalized assessment;
• Record of external funding through grants and/or donor fundraising;
• Demonstrated success with online education.

 

Responsibilities

The Chair of the Department of Agriculture reports to the Dean of the Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics. The Chair, in consultation with the Dean, is responsible for the management, operation, and development of the department, including:

 

• Provide strategic direction and vision for the department.
• Oversee curriculum development, assessment, and continuous improvement considering holistic student success initiatives and program review.
• Ensure programs meet regulatory requirements.
• Support innovation in teaching, research, and service activities.
• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across departments and colleges.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, mentor, and evaluate faculty members including merit reviews.
• Manage promotion, tenure, and post-tenure review processes.
• Coordinate faculty workloads and teaching assignments including course scheduling.
• Encourage faculty scholarship, grant activity, and professional development.
• Address personnel issues, conflicts, and performance concerns.
• Monitor enrollment trends and student retention.
• Address student concerns and academic issues.
• Assist with student recruitment and outreach activities.
• Manage the department budget and other financial resources;
• Lead student recruiting and retention efforts for the department;
• Teach 6 credit hours per semester and 3 credit hours during the summer.
• Initiate and facilitate donor fundraising;
• Ensure department initiatives align with University and Regents goals and plans;
• Participate in college and university service activities;

 

Rank: Preferred:  Professor; Will consider:  Associate Professor

 

Benefits: To review our competitive benefit package, please visit FHSU Benefits.

 

Appointment Date: July 2027.  This position is an on-campus position, not eligible for remote assignments.

 

Priority Deadline: Review of applicants will being on or after November 4, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.

 

Application Process: To apply for this position, please visit FHSU Careers. Only electronic applications submitted through the webpage will be accepted.

 

Required Application Documents

Candidates should submit a single PDF containing:

• Cover letter addressing experience, qualifications, and how the applicant is suited to the position;
• Current curriculum vitae;
• The names and contact information of at least three professional references.

 

If you have questions regarding the position, please contact:

Dr. Mark Arant

[email protected]

 

About the Department:

The Department of Agriculture has eight full-time faculty positions serving approximately 400 undergraduate students pursuing Bachelor of Science degrees in Agriculture or Agricultural Business with the latter available online. The Agriculture major includes options in Agricultural Education, Agronomy, Animal Science, Agricultural Leadership, Agricultural Communications, Business Agronomy, and General Agriculture. A partnership with the FHSU Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship resulted in a new “4+1” MBA program with an agriculture emphasis that launched in 2022. Teaching and research are supported by a 3,400-acre University Farm, which reports to the Werth College Dean’s Office. See www.fhsu.edu/agriculture for additional information.

 

About the College:

The Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics was formed in 2015 by bringing together the departments of Agriculture, Applied Technology, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geosciences, Mathematics, and Physics. The college employs approximately 70 full-time faculty, 1250 undergraduate majors, and 50+ graduate students. It also makes significant contributions to the university’s General Education program and to the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science, which is an early-college program for high-achieving high-school students. Undergraduate students participate in technical, classroom, field, and lab experiences that many schools would reserve for graduate students. Our academic programs are innovative and our facilities are outstanding. The Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics teachers embrace a one-on-one teaching and mentoring philosophy and provide robust research opportunities for our students.

Community of Hays

FHSU is located in Hays, a vibrant college town of approximately 20,000, located halfway between Kansas City and Denver on Interstate 70. Hays is the regional center for education, health care, professional services, shopping, culture, and recreation for the western half of Kansas. The community boasts excellent recreational programs and facilities, including the comprehensive Center for Health Improvement, Hays Aquatic Park, Smoky Hill Country Club, Hays Municipal Golf Course, and extensive walking, running, and biking trails. Hays is within 45 minutes of two large lakes that offer great opportunities for boating, fishing, and camping. The Hays Municipal Airport provides connecting service to Denver with several flights daily. The Hays community is home to excellent Pre-K and K-12, public and private schools. With over 60 restaurants, major retail outlets, a low unemployment rate, and very short commute times, the city provides a safe, welcoming, low-cost, high-quality living environment for the residents who call "Hays, America" home.

Notice of Non-discrimination: FHSU is committed to providing equal opportunity and access to its educational programs, employment, services, and activities in compliance with federal and state nondiscrimination laws. FHSU prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression), age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law in its programs, activities, admissions, or employment.

Background Check: Final candidate will have consented to and successfully completed a criminal background check.

Notice to KPERS retirees applying for a position: Recent legislation changes working-after-retirement rules for both you and your employer if you go back to work for a KPERS employer. Please contact your KPERS representative or www.kpers.org for further information on how this might affect you.