Institution

University of Tennessee

Job Title

Director

Department/College

College of Communication & Information, School of Information Sciences

Dates

Opening Date: 01/15/2021
Closing Date:  07/31/2021

Job Description

 The School of Information Sciences in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s (UTK) College of Communication and Information (CCI), is conducting an international search for the position of Director of the School.

The salary is competitive and based on experience and academic credentials. We especially welcome candidates with demonstrated success in working with diverse populations.

 

Job Duties

The successful applicant will hold the rank of Full Professor or meet the University of Tennessee’s criteria for Full Professor upon hire and will be eligible for tenure upon hire.

Experience/Qualifications/Knowledge/Skills

A Ph.D. in library and information sciences or closely related fields is required for this 12-month position. 

Candidates should have:

  • strong intellectual, organizational, diplomatic, communication, and leadership skills;
  • a national/international scholarly reputation; and
  • a strong record of research, teaching and service.

In addition, they should have the ability to:

  • build strong, positive relationships with all members of the School, with other CCI and UTK schools/departments, and the administration of the College and University;
  • effectively manage School resources, faculty and staff; represent and promote the program externally;
  • support the new, innovative undergraduate program in information sciences;
  • maintain scholarly activity;
  • actively promote faculty research and scholarship and support externally funded faculty research;
  • actively engage in development, fundraising and alumni cultivation;
  • work effectively with the SIS Advisory Board and College’s Board of Visitors;
  • support and create productive partnerships across disciplinary and organizational boundaries; and
  • recruit and maintain a well-qualified diverse student body.

The Director will provide leadership for the School with duties and responsibilities as described in the UTK Faculty Handbook (https://facultyhandbook.utk.edu).

Applicants should have knowledge of and a commitment to equal opportunity and affirmative action.

 

Supplementation Information

The School and College. The School of Information Sciences and the College of Communication and Information have a strong institutional commitment to diversity in all areas and strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented groups. We favor candidates who can contribute to the School’s and College’s distinctive educational objectives, which promote interdisciplinary perspectives, intercultural understanding, and concern with social responsibility and the ethical implications of information and information systems. The School’s and College’s Diversity and Inclusion Statements can be viewed at https://www.sis.utk.edu/diversity-inclusion and https://cci.utk.edu/diversity.

The College of Communication and Information (CCI) consists of four schools: Advertising and Public Relations, Communication Studies, Information Sciences, and Journalism and Electronic Media.

CCI has approximately 1,280 undergraduate majors (across five undergraduate majors in advertising, public relations, communication studies, information sciences, and journalism and electronic media), and approximately 420 graduate students (including College-wide M.S. and 2 Ph.D. degrees in communication & information and an M.S. degree in information sciences).

The College’s Center for Information and Communication Studies (CICS) provides a wide array of support services for CCI faculty interested in pursuing sponsored research. The Center involves dozens of researchers across various disciplines and agencies to focus the array of talent in CCI, the University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and other research institutions in the pursuit and conduct of sponsored research. College-wide research facilities include: the Adam Brown Social Media Command Center, the Scripps Convergence Lab, a User Experience Lab, and a Message Effects/Focus Group Lab.

The School of Information Sciences is a member of the iSchools Consortium and is the 17th ranked library and information science school by U.S. News and World Report.

The University: The University of Tennessee is the state of Tennessee’s flagship university and its only public Carnegie RU/VH (Research Universities/Very High Research Activity) institution. As a land-grant university and as Volunteers, serving our state and nation are key to our mission. UT enrolls approximately 30,000 students at its Knoxville campus. Demographically, 24% of all students identify as non-white, 24% identify as first-generation students and 29% are Pell-eligible. The University culture is guided by adherence to core values that define the Volunteer spirit and include: seeking knowledge; leading with innovation and integrity; advancing diversity and inclusion; engaging locally and globally; and embracing responsible stewardship of resources.

How to Apply

Individuals interested in applying for the position should submit, via Interfolio at apply.interfolio.com/81237,

(1) a letter of application,
(2) a vision statement for the School,
(3) a statement of leadership philosophy,
(4) a diversity statement;
(5) a current curriculum vitae, and
(6) a list of five references.

Review of applications will begin January 4, 2021 and continue until the position is filled.  

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