Department Chair – CMHC (DC Campus) 

The Chicago School educates the next generation of change-makers in innovative theory and culturally competent practice to strengthen the integrated health of individuals, organizations, and communities. We enroll over 6,000 students across 40+ academic programs culminating in a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree or a professional certificate, and our unique approach to impact-focused education has made us a leading nonprofit university for over 45 years.

As an employee at The Chicago School, you can become a member of an inclusive community committed to excellence. At The Chicago School, we celebrate individuals of all backgrounds and identities for who they are and what they can contribute. We take pride in hiring and retaining the most dynamic, talented, and passionate professionals who will help us continue to innovate for decades to come.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Department Chair reports directly to the Division Chair, Assistant Dean, Associate Dean, or College Dean dependent upon the staffing within the college for the program. 

Responsibilities include student management within the department, program and student review processes, efficient course scheduling across delivery models, outreach and recruitment of faculty, active engagement in community partnership development to support student enrollment. A Department Chair works closely with the College Dean and Associate Dean, university academic leadership team, and support staff.  

In addition to department meetings, the Department Chair participates in institutional committees, provides academic leadership, and performs duties as assigned by the university academic leadership.  As administrative faculty member, the Department Chair is a member of the Faculty Council.

The department seeks an individual who has the ability and interest in contributing to a community committed to student-centeredness, professional development and scholarship, integrity and ethics, respect for diversity and pluralism, innovation, flexibility, and teamwork and collaboration. Candidates who will advance equity, diversity, and inclusion through their teaching, scholarship, and service are strongly encouraged to apply.

Key Areas of Responsibility

People Management

• Recruit, hire, and manage qualified and diverse faculty in alignment with budget allowances and university need.   

• Build and manage a faculty team that is inclusive and welcoming of diverse voices, new perspectives, and innovation.  

• Develop and apply a structured, data-driven system for mentoring, supervising and evaluating the teaching, advisement, and other duties performed by faculty members to ensure student achievement of program and institutional learning outcomes.

• Ensure department faculty remain active in scholarship and service as evidenced by membership in institutional committee work, professional organizations, publications, presentations, and colloquia.

Academic Quality & Innovation

• In coordination with the university academic leadership, conduct regularly scheduled curriculum reviews and revisions to ensure currency and alignment with competencies desired by employers.

• Lead student development efforts (monitoring satisfactory academic progress, supervising Department efforts to support student development through Academic Development Plans and Professional Performance Evaluations and representing the Department(s) at institutional Student Community Standards Committee with the goal of supporting student progress through the curriculum and timely degree completion.

• Teach up to 12 credits per academic year, depending upon level of appointment and scope of administrative responsibilities.

• Lead, in collaboration with academic affairs leaders, the department with any accreditation, department review, or assessment(s) required of the department including participation in research and writing for any necessary self-study or department-related reports to maintain ongoing accreditation and good status with accreditors.

• Ensure student concerns are effectively addressed in a timely and responsive manner in support of student satisfaction and retention.

• Actively cultivate opportunities for students to participate in scholarship and community engagement such that students are regularly participating in the production of scholarly work products and/or involved in community activities beyond the campus.

• Supervise student research as Thesis or Dissertation Chair and ensure faculty are successfully advising student research to successful completion within or ahead of expected program completion times.

• Ensure that department faculty remain current in knowledge and skills regarding emerging instructional technology into classroom instruction to support ongoing innovation and instructional excellence.

Academic Operations & Budget Management

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the department(s) to ensure quality student experience and faculty performance expectations are maintained.

• Direct course scheduling in a manner that supports the student experience via ensuring adequate class size and assigning faculty who are properly credentialed and trained to deliver assigned course content. Course scheduling should additionally incorporate opportunities for collaborative course offerings between geographic locations and delivery modalities.

• Represent the department at meetings, student events, and other related events to facilitate collaborative decision making, student engagement, building program and university awareness in the community.

• In collaboration with university academic leadership, lead the development of strategic academic and budget plans for the department, including recommendations from the assessment and department review process to inform student enrollment growth targets and program staffing needs.

• In collaboration with the university academic leadership, seek and implement opportunities to integrate emerging instructional technology into the curriculum delivery model/s with consideration given to expanding opportunities for remote synchronous and distance learning.

Strategic Growth

• Collaborate with admissions team to ensure timely review of admissions files and development of materials to support achievement of new student recruiting goals.

• In collaboration with university leadership, develop and execute a plan for community engagement in support of expanding awareness and driving new student enrollment at The Chicago School.

• Partner with university leaders in mitigating student attrition.

Basic Qualifications:

• A doctoral degree in discipline.

• When available, licensure in the field covered by the program being administered.

• Academic administration experience, including teaching at the graduate level, and professional experience are strongly desired.

• 3-5 years of academic administration experience. 

Ideal Qualifications

• A strategic thinker who is able to offer innovative solutions to aid the department in its continued growth and expansion.

• An optimistic, action-oriented leader who can motivate faculty to embrace a culture of excellence with respect to student engagement and outcomes.

• Able to balance institutional priorities with department needs and initiatives.

Application:

Applicants should submit a CV and letter of interest.