[ES_JOBS_NET] Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Department Chair, Metropolitan State University of Denver

[Christine Wiedinmyer]

*Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Department Chair*
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Full-time, Contract
The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Metropolitan 
State University of Denver ( MSU Denver) invites candidates to apply for 
a position to serve as its next Department Chair. The ideal candidate 
will be a professor or advanced associate professor with extensive 
previous leadership and administrative experience in higher education. 
We seek a candidate who will lead the Department towards the mission of 
the Metropolitan State University of Denver, “to provide a high-quality, 
accessible, enriching education that prepares students for successful 
careers, post-graduate education, and lifelong learning in a 
multicultural, global, and technological society.” That obligation, more 
specifically, includes undergraduate education, research, and service, 
which are shaped by MSU Denver’s central vision of becoming a preeminent 
public urban university in the nation.

The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences ( EAS Department) 
offers five vibrant undergraduate academic programs including Applied 
Geology, Geography, Geospatial Science, Environmental Science, and 
Meteorology. The department has 13 full-time tenure-line faculty 
members, three full-time instructors, several affiliate instructors, and 
about 500 declared majors. Faculty members in the Department possess 
broad research strengths in the earth sciences, meteorology, and 
environmental planning and policy.

The successful applicant shall have a Ph.D. in one of the disciplinary 
fields of the EAS Department (Geography, Geology, Geospatial Science, 
Meteorology, Environmental Science) or a closely-related field. We seek 
a candidate with previous leadership and administrative experience in a 
higher education, preferably as a Chair. The EAS Department is 
interested in candidates who have a demonstrated commitment to 
excellence by providing leadership in administration in higher education 
toward building an equitable and diverse scholarly environment. The EAS 
Department seeks to enhance the diversity of its workforce as a 
reflection of our commitment to serve the changing demographics of the 
state of Colorado, and to offer our students richly varied disciplines, 
perspectives, and ways of knowing and learning. Therefore, faculty from 
underrepresented populations, women, individuals with disabilities, and 
veterans are highly encouraged to apply.

Metropolitan State University of Denver is one of the largest public 
four-year universities in the state of Colorado serving the greatest 
number of ethnic minorities (it also offers select Master’s degrees). 
MSU Denver, with nearly 20,000 students, is consistently ranked among 
the state’s most affordable, accessible, and diverse universities. 
Excellence in teaching and learning is MSU Denver’s primary objective. 
As an urban university committed to serving the local community, the 
university attracts students from different socioeconomic and ethnic 
backgrounds.

Located in the heart of the metropolitan Denver region, MSU Denver 
shares the 175-acre Auraria campus with two other post-secondary 
institutions. The Auraria campus is close to the Denver International 
Airport, providing convenient international and domestic travel, and is 
served by two stations of Denver’s light rail system, providing 
connectivity with the surrounding metro area. Denver is a growing and 
desirable city to live. This year, US News and World Report ranked 
Denver the best place to live in the US.

Duties/Responsibilities
Please refer to MSU Denver’s Handbook for Professional Personnel 
(http://bit.ly/2der1fM) for specific Roles, Responsibilities, Areas of 
Performance for Department Chairs. Information can be found starting on 
Page 37.

Chairs at MSU Denver are ultimately responsible for ensuring that 
departmental and institutional work is completed in an equitable, 
efficient, effective, and timely manner. The roles, responsibilities, 
and areas of performance for Department Chairs include, but are not 
limited to the following:

Academic Leadership (40%)
1. Provides oversight of Faculty performance, such as recruitment, 
mentoring, development, evaluation, and retention of faculty in 
accordance to University policies;

2. Provides oversight of Departmental Guidelines for consistency with 
the School’s and University’s mission statements;

3. Provides recommendations of faculty that contain a supporting 
rationale to the Dean on hiring; retention, tenure, promotion, and 
post-tenure review; reassigned timework; sabbatical leaves; and other 
leaves of absence;

4. Promotes academic standards relevant to students, through oversight 
of: supervision of student recruitment, advising, learning, development, 
retention, and timely graduation of students;

5. Oversees the application of academic policies and procedures that 
affect students;

6. Responds to student concerns and works with students, faculty, staff, 
and other University offices to resolve concerns, conflicts, and disputes;

7. Provides leadership of activities related to the development, 
implementation, and assessment of academic curriculum and programs.

8. Promotes academic standards relevant to Teaching and Learning, 
through the oversight of: Quality curriculum delivery and use of 
appropriate pedagogy; Assessment (including Student Learning Outcomes, 
and Program Review of departmental and General Studies curricula); and 
Accreditation, by supporting and maintaining Department, School and/or 
University accreditation requirements, as appropriate.

Governance Leadership (25%)
1. Establishes and oversees an effective governance structure within the 
Department, including the creation and use of committees, processes, and 
procedures where appropriate;

2. Develops and implements the Department’s long- and short-term goals 
and plans;

3. Manages departmental resources—financial, physical, and human—in 
accordance with allocations and University rules and procedures to meet 
Department goals, objectives, and needs;

4. Oversees custody and authorized use of University property charged to 
the Department and the assignment of Department space and facilities to 
authorized activities in accordance with University policy and 
regulations; and

5. Evaluates departmental faculty and staff performance in meeting its 
responsibilities to the University.

Administrative/Management Leadership (25%)
1. Serves as the chief representative of the department to the college, 
university and community;
2. Provides leadership in assigning teaching duties within the Department;
3. Provides effective management and direction to Affiliate and Category 
II faculty, undergraduate students, support staff, and student workers;
4. Provides direct supervision for the department’s Program and 
Laboratory Coordinators;
5. Establishes effective external relations and programs with 
constituencies such as alumni, advisory committees, and industry, as 
appropriate; and
6. Advocates for the Department professionally with peers, Deans, 
Provost, and others.

As Faculty (10%)
1. Teaches at least three credits per year (July 1 through June 30); and 
determines their summer assignments with the Dean; and
2. Engages in scholarly and service activities appropriate to their 
faculty status.

Faculty members may have to teach online, face to face, and hybrid 
instruction: face to face instruction may include day, evening, and 
weekend as needed.

Required Qualifications
In order to be considered as a qualified applicant, applicants must meet 
all required qualifications.

1. Possess a Doctoral (Ph.D.) degree in one of the disciplinary fields 
of the EAS Department (Geography, Geology, Geospatial Science, 
Meteorology, Environmental Science) or a Doctorate in a closely-related 
field.

2. A tenured full professor or associate professor with at least two 
years in rank.

3. Have a minimum of 2 years of previous leadership and administrative 
experience in higher education, preferably as a Chair of an 
interdisciplinary department.

4. Experience in recruiting, retaining, and graduating underrepresented 
students. In particular, experience working with and sensitivity to the 
needs of a diverse urban student population including (but not limited 
to) students of color, LBGTQIA students, students from low-income 
backgrounds, first generation students, students with disabilities, 
undocumented students, non-traditional students, student veterans, and 
English-language learners.

Preferred Qualifications
1. Demonstrate leadership experience in improving diversity to offer 
students the breadth of ideas that constitutes a dynamic intellectual 
community and to provide students and the public with a Department that 
reflects the society it serves.

2. Ability to communicate effectively.

3. Ability to understand and balance the needs of distinct programs 
within a multi-disciplinary department.

4. Experience implementing and overseeing an effective departmental 
governance structure, including the creation and use of faculty 
committees, processes, and procedures for shared governance.

5. Experience allocating, in an open and fair manner, departmental 
resources and managing property charged to the Department among its 
different academic Programs.

6. Experience providing academic advice to a diverse student population 
preferably in an undergraduate higher education institution.

7. Experience in curriculum and program development, their 
implementation and assessment, and strategic planning to move the 
Department forward.

8. Experience developing strategies for faculty mentoring and support.

9. Experience establishing and maintaining a positive working 
environment and facilitating discussion, resolving conflict, and 
considering the viewpoints of a diverse faculty, staff and student body.

10. A Doctoral (Ph.D.) degree preferably in one of the department’s high 
need programs, such as Geography or Geology.

11. A record of excellence in teaching, scholarship/research, and 
service activities.

Posting date
11/04/2016

Closing date
12/20/2016

Closing Instructions
Close on Closing Date

Special Instructions to Applicants
IMPORTANT : In order to be considered as an applicant you must apply via 
the online application system, www.msudenverjobs.com.

For full consideration, candidates should apply by December 20, 2016. We 
anticipate that the successful candidate will start August 1, 2017 on a 
12 month faculty contract. Candidates should apply online at 
https://www.msudenverjobs.com. In order for your file to be considered 
complete you must submit: (i) a cover letter (with a brief statement of 
teaching, scholarship/research, and service experience), (ii) curriculum 
vitae, (iii) unofficial copies of transcripts, (iv) the names and 
contact information of three references, (v) a statement of leadership 
and administrative philosophy with special regard to leading an 
interdisciplinary department submitted under other document, and (vi) a 
separate statement that addresses past and/or potential contributions to 
diversity, equity and inclusion submitted under writing sample, should 
also be included in the application materials. For more information and 
informal inquiries, please contact the chair of the search committee, 
Professor Antonio Bellisario (email: abellisa at msudenver.edu).

If you are unable to submit copies of your transcripts at the time of 
application please submit them to Professor Antonio Bellisario at 
abellisa at msudenver.edu.

This posting will close at midnight MST on the closing date.

# *Applicant Documents**Required Documents* Curriculum Vitae
# Cover Letter/Letter of Application
# References
# *Optional Documents* Unofficial Transcripts
# Other Document

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