DIRECTOR, BLACK STUDIES PROGRAM

Skidmore College

DIRECTOR, BLACK STUDIES PROGRAM

Skidmore College invites nominations and applications for the inaugural position of Director of the Black Studies Program. Possessing a track record of excellence in teaching and research, and the capacity to design and implement interdisciplinary programs, the Director will be a bold, entrepreneurial, intellectual, and collaborative leader in helping to guide the institution’s highest aspirations of inclusivity and excellence.

The College envisions the Black Studies program to engage in close examination of Black triumphs and travails that incorporates the histories, politics, literatures, religions, philosophies, arts, and musical traditions of African and African-descended peoples. It will interrogate systems of power, justice, struggle, and liberation, while paying special attention to traditions of Black survival and innovation. Particular opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration may be found with the Intergroup Relations (IGR) program, Latin American and Latinx Studies, American Studies, Gender Studies, Asian Studies, and International Affairs.

Skidmore is a highly selective, nationally ranked liberal arts college, currently enrolling approximately 2,500 students in roughly 40 degree programs, including programs in both traditional liberal arts and pre-professional disciplines. The College’s principal mission is the education of full-time undergraduates, which include 24% domestic students of color and 13% international students from 46 different countries. In keeping with the College’s founding principle of linking theoretical with applied learning – and its more recent expression, “Creative Thought Matters” – the Skidmore curriculum balances a commitment to the liberal arts with an emphasis on integrated learning and interdisciplinarity, along with preparation for professions, civic leadership, and personal fulfillment.

Skidmore’s campus is located in Saratoga Springs, NY, a half-hour drive from the tri-city area of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy, and a three-hour drive from New York City, Boston, and Montreal. The region’s many attractions include the Saratoga National Battlefield, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, ten museums, a number of spas, and the famed Saratoga Race Course for thoroughbred horse racing. Adjacent to the Adirondack Mountains, the area is also home to a thriving technology sector.

Skidmore College is committed to being an inclusive campus community and, as an Equal Opportunity Employer, does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, domestic violence victim status, familial status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

Reporting to the Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the inaugural Director will be responsible for leading and directing the ongoing vision and administration of the Black Studies Program, which includes an academic minor. This position comes with a 50% teaching reduction, typically a 2:1 course load. Working collaboratively with the faculty through an interdisciplinary lens, the Director will oversee the growth and strategic direction of this institutionally important focus for Skidmore, helping the program to mature as a premier model for undergraduate education in a liberal arts setting.

The successful candidate will have a PhD or a terminal degree and will have a distinguished scholarly record, demonstrated excellence in teaching and research, and will be an established leader within the field of Black Studies. The appointment will be at the faculty rank of Associate or Professor with tenure. The inaugural Director will be an approachable and collaborative leader able to forge a vision for Black Studies and its role within the College. The individual will be a creative and nimble leader with an entrepreneurial mind and the soul of a teacher.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references. References will not be contacted without the approval of the candidates. In the letter of interest, applicants should include information about how they will effectively engage with issues of diversity in the classroom, on campus, and in the broader community.

Nominations, applications, and expressions of interest should be directed to:

Steve Leo, Partner

Matthew Bunting, Managing Associate

Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, LP

SkidmoreBlackStudies@storbecksearch.com

For more information about Skidmore College and its programs, please visit: www.skidmore.edu

Employment at Skidmore College is contingent upon an acceptable background check result.