Information Systems Engineering Program Director

Fort Hays State University seeks a program director to lead the establishment of a new program in Information Systems Engineering. The Kansas Board of Regents approved this new degree within the Department of Informatics which will accept freshmen for the first time for the 2012-2013 semester. The director will refine the curriculum of the program with the goals of achieving ABET accreditation as the program matures. He or she will work with department, college, and university staff and administrators to recruit students and faculty and to build industry partnerships for internships and graduate placement. This is a tenure track position with a faculty title and salary commiserate with experience and qualifications.

Degree Background

The Fort Hays State University Information Systems Engineering Program is a built on the university’s historically strong Computer Networking and Telecommunications and Pre-Engineering programs. The program’s structure is influenced by the Masters Program in Information Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins. Faculty of that program have described Information Systems Engineering thusly:

Information systems are computer-based infrastructures, organizations, personnel, and components that collect, process, store, transmit, display, disseminate, and act on information. … The engineering of information systems is the application of formal methods of analysis to create operational systems.
Silberberg & Mitzel (2005)

The Fort Hays State University degree is designed to be an on-campus degree with a primary draw of undergraduate students from Kansas and surrounding states. Potential linkages with the Kansas Academy of Math and Sciences offer the opportunity to attract outstanding students.
http://int.fhsu.edu/ISE/

A candidate with a doctorate or be ABD with a commitment to obtaining a doctorate before becoming tenured is preferred. Masters level candidates with substantial work experience and industry ties will also be considered. Graduate degrees will be in information systems engineering, electrical engineering, or computer engineering or closely related information science fields. Eligibility to work in the United States is a minimum requirement.

Administrative Responsibilities

Fort Hays State University is looking for a program champion who has the desire and capability to start and grow a new program. A candidate must demonstrate the vision, organizational, interpersonal skills, work ethic, and ability, to lead a team and to build a unique new program in a new state-of-the-art facility. He or she must have excellent written and oral communication skills. The ability to build bridges with industry for financial support, placement of interns and graduates will be expected. Familiarity and experience with ABET Accreditation Standards, grant, and proposal writing are valuable assets. The Information Systems Engineering program director will eventually lead the new program’s accreditation efforts.

Instruction

A candidate must have previous teaching experience and a commitment to teaching excellence. Demonstrated interest and willingness to be involved with undergraduate research is important for this position. The director will be expected to teach two to three courses a semester depending on administrative assignments. This division of work duties may be modified through negotiation between the faculty member and the Department Chair when such change in assignment will mutually benefit the faculty member and Informatics Department.

Scholarship

The successful candidate will exhibit a scholarly interest and ability to gain tenure within the requisite time period and a commitment to remain active in a scholarly manner throughout his or her career. The ISE program and its director, will be heavily involved in the university’s undergraduate research initiative. The Informatics Department recognizes scholarship of discovery, integration, application, and teaching. Joint publications are accepted and encouraged – particularly in collaboration with students.

Service

The successful candidate’s primary service activities will be centered on leadership of the Information Systems Engineering Program. He or she will exhibit be active in university, professional, and community service which has a relationship or tie to the Information Systems Engineering Program.

Application Procedure

The following application materials are required: 1) Letter of application explaining teaching philosophy and academic and professional qualifications as well as outlining research and service interests, 2) Curriculum vitae, 3) Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of five references. A writing sample of professional work may be requested of finalists.

Final candidate will consent to and successfully complete a criminal background check.

Contact: Stephen Schleicher, Department of Informatics, Fort Hays State University, 600 Park St., Hays, KS 67601, phone 785.628.5373, fax 785.628.4098, email: mweigel@fhsu.edu Website: http://www.fhsu.edu/informatics

Deadline: Screening of complete applications will begin March 1, 2012, and will continue until the position is filled. Fort Hays State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Department

The Department of Informatics at Fort Hays State University is notable for its innovative culture and successes. The Department was built upon the theme of the movement and use of information. It has grown strongly over the last decade due to the quality of instruction in serving students and has substantial industry support. FHSU Informatics currently instructs four undergraduate academic concentrations: Media Studies; Management Information Systems; Web Development; and Computer Networking and Telecommunications. It offers multiple emphasis in the Masters of Liberal Studies and the MBA program. All together, the INT Department serves more than 500 undergraduate majors and approximately 30 graduate students in a given semester. It has plans to significantly increase the graduate program. The department includes ten full-time faculty members, a lab/studio engineer, an administrative assistant, and several adjunct faculty members. The Informatics Department has quality facilities include a video studio, an audio studio, multiple video editing bays, a music recording studio (shared with the Department of Music), a web development lab, a computer networking/telecommunications lab, and a graduate research lab. A new building with labs dedicated to the Information Systems Engineering program has been approved. All classrooms are mediated with built-in computing, Internet access, multi-media tools, and projection screens. Teaching, research, and creative equipment and software is typically state-of-the art. The department will be consolidated in the new building for the Fall 2014 semester. Website: http://www.fhsu.edu/informatics/

University

Fort Hays State University is a comprehensive university enrolling in excess of 9,400 students. It has four colleges — Arts and Sciences, Education and Technology, Business and Leadership, and Health and Life Sciences — and a Graduate School. It also has a Virtual College that delivers courses electronically throughout Kansas and beyond. Students at FHSU may select a major field of study from 30 departments and study in an electronic environment throughout the campus.

The university is fully accredited by several national agencies. FHSU is one of six state-assisted institutions of higher education and is governed by a Board of Regents appointed by the governor of the state of Kansas. Website: http://www.fhsu.edu

Community

Hays, Kansas is a vibrant university community of just over 20,000 people serving as a regional center for education, health care, professional services, shopping, culture, and recreation for the western half of Kansas – serving a population of nearly 400,000. The community has award winning public and private schools. Hays Medical Center employs over 1000 people. Hays Medical Center is the home to the DeBakey Heart Institute of Kansas and is one of the top rural medical centers in the United States. Community assets include the Chestnut Street District in Historic Downtown Hays with its unique shopping, galleries, and eateries. The Hays Arts Council is the oldest local arts agency in Kansas and has successfully fostered a strong and nationally notable arts community. The Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center on the Fort Hays State University campus is home to the Encore Series, the Hays Symphony, university and other national and world caliber performances. Fort Hays State University athletic events provide NCAA Division II athletic entertainment. Hays boasts excellent recreational facilities including the comprehensive Center for Health Improvement, Hays Aquatic Park, Smokey Hill Country Club, Hays Municipal Golf Course, an extensive recreational program, and excellent opportunities for walking, running, and biking, Hays is within 45 minutes of two large lakes providing boating, fishing, and camping. The Hays Municipal Airport provides connecting service to Denver with several flights daily. Multiple high-speed Internet service providers support Hays. The community has consistently been a national leader in Internet connectivity. Fiber-to-the-premises will be standard in the community by the end of 2012. The downtown Chestnut Street District, all hotels, and the regional mall offer free Wi-Fi Internet. Website: http://discoverhays.com .