Department Chair of Communication

Department Chair of Communication

The Department of Communication at George Mason University invites applications for the position of Department Chair. This is a full-time, nine-month, tenured faculty appointment with summer duties expected. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.

About the Position:

The Chair provides leadership to the department in order to facilitate the achievement of college and university strategic objectives. The Chair will serve a four-year term beginning August 25, 2023. The standard duties of a department chair are outlined in the Faculty Handbook, section 2.12: https://provost.gmu.edu/administration/policy. The Chair is responsible for overseeing all departmental operations and plays a key role in collaborating across disciplines to promote the study of communication. The Chair reports to the Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Responsibilities:

  • Strategic enrollment management, budgeting, and academic planning;
  • Management of and consultation with faculty and staff;
  • Advocacy for the department;
  • Strategic development of existing and new programs; and
  • Promotion of a culture of excellence, respect, diversity, and inclusion.

Required Qualifications:

  • Ph.D. in Communication or a closely related field;
  • Strategic leader who can foster and support a collective vision informed by university and college priorities, and ability to partner with other units in pursuit of that vision;
  • Experience supervising and supporting the growth of others, including performance reviews;
  • Demonstrated commitment to and involvement with undergraduate and graduate recruitment and enrollment management;
  • Commitment to fostering innovation and a culture of research and teaching excellence;
  • Eligibility for appointment with tenure at the rank of full professor, with a record of excellent research and teaching; and
  • Commitment to actively supporting diversity, collegiality, inclusiveness, and working with diverse communities.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience with budgeting;
  • Experience with curriculum development and revision to adapt to student needs and stay contemporary in the field; and
  • Active involvement in the communication discipline and communication professional societies.

About the Department:

The Department of Communication at George Mason University has a diverse, collegial, and engaged faculty committed to teaching and research excellence, community and public service, inclusion, and social equity. The department has a strong focus on applying communication knowledge to address important issues in modern life, embraces interdisciplinarity, and encourages intellectual and methodological diversity. We offer a broad undergraduate program with 500 majors, which includes five concentrations, six minor degree programs, a large vibrant MA program, and a highly ranked PhD program emphasizing health, risk, and strategic communication. We are also the home to the Center for Climate Change Communication, the Communication Center (housed in the Lab for Writing and Communication), and several active research labs and outreach centers. Our undergraduate program is a leader in the Undergraduate Students as Scholars (OSCAR) program through the Honors in Communication Research Sequence. Our department is the home of one of the required general education courses taken by all undergraduate students (COMM 101: Fundamentals of Communication), which serves approximately 4,000 students per year and won the NCA Program of Excellence Award in 2016.

Our department includes 40 full-time faculty (tenure-line, term instructional, and research) and over 60 part-time and graduate student instructors. Our faculty have strong expertise in health, risk, and crisis communication, strategic communication, science and environmental communication, instructional communication, interpersonal/organizational communication, intercultural communication, communication and technology, global communication, journalism, and media studies. They actively pursue and have successful programs of important research/publication and have received major external research grants. Department faculty have received Presidential Medals in Teaching and Research, numerous Teaching Excellence Awards (including NCA and ECA teaching awards), major research and service awards, appointments as society fellows and distinguished scholars, and have served as Presidents and division officers of NCA, ICA, ECA, and AEJMC, making this department a home for groundbreaking scholarly leaders and pioneers.

The Department hosts the bi-annual DC Health Communication Conference (DCHC) in yearly rotation with the Kentucky Conference on Health Communication (KCHC). Many faculty work closely with major government agencies, foundations, research organizations, health promotion bodies, media organizations, and corporations, nationally and on a global scale. We are home to top-ranked debate and forensics teams, are leaders in undergraduate student research, and support several co-curricular student organizations including the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), the Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ), and a comprehensive student media production program (radio, television, film, and new media).

All department faculty participate in the life of our campus community, including career fairs, faculty functions, recruiting sessions and other events. Located just 15 miles from Washington, D.C., we serve a diverse population of undergraduate and graduate students who bring a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds to our classrooms.

Mission Statement:

Through continuous innovation, the Department of Communication fosters knowledge and provides a transformational academic and cultural experience for students entering the complex public and private communication environments.

Vision Statement:

  • Upon graduation, students will understand and be able to collaborate within dynamic communication environments; use research and theory for real-world problem solving including complex ethical issues; be skilled with new media technology to create next level messages, and excel in critical thinking producing those who are prepared to communicate in a diverse and inclusive world.

Special Instructions to Applicants  

For full consideration, applicants must apply for position number F7785z at https://jobs.gmu.edu/ by completing and submitting the online application by December 1, 2022. In addition, candidates must upload the following documents via the online application portal:

  • Cover letter (2 pages max);
  • Curriculum vitae (including administrative experiences and skills);
  • Vision and leadership statement to describe your leadership philosophy, style, and experiences (as Other doc) (3 pages max);
  • Diversity statement that addresses how you would mentor our minority-majority student body to ensure a sense of belongingness at Mason, as well as how you would nurture an inclusive environment that supports the growth and well-being of a diverse faculty (as Other doc) (2 pages max);
  • A list of four professional references with contact information.

For questions, please contact Dr. Stephen Zaccaro, Professor of Psychology and Search Committee Chair, at szaccaro@gmu.edu or reach out to Brittany Sanders at bsander7@gmu.edu, (703) 993-3793.

Visit communication.gmu.edu for more information about the Department of Communication.

The starting date for this position is Fall 2023. Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2022 and continue until the position is filled.

George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.