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Occupational Therapy Program Director and Associate Professor/Professor


Occupational Therapy Program Director and Associate Professor/Professor — Search #67817
Waters College of Health Professions - Department of Rehabilitation Sciences


The Department of Rehabilitation Sciences in the Waters College of Health Professions invites applications and nominations for the position of Occupational Therapy Program Director and Associate Professor/Professor. The home campus for this position will be the Armstrong campus in Savannah, Georgia.

Georgia Southern University is a distinctive combination of Southern charm and uncompromising academics. We are a Carnegie Doctoral/R2 institution serving about 26,500 students through nine colleges on three beautiful oak-lined campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville, and via a growing online program. Throughout its degree offerings at the associate's, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, Georgia Southern cultivates community collaboration, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities.

Georgia Southern University was founded in 1906 as a school for teaching modern agricultural production techniques and homemaking skills to rural school children. Its Savannah campus was established in 1935 as Armstrong Junior College for local youth who could not afford to attend college away from home. The Liberty Center in Hinesville was established in 1998 to serve the military and their families at nearby Fort Stewart, the largest military base east of the Mississippi. All three locations came together in 2018 when Armstrong State University and Georgia Southern University consolidated. The "new" Georgia Southern University preserves a passion for serving its neighbors while preparing students for lifelong service as scholars, leaders, and responsible stewards of their communities.

Believing that diversity, equity, and inclusion contribute to excellence in the workplace and to the quality of the University's academic environment, Georgia Southern University is committed to recruiting and retaining diverse faculty and staff to support, promote, and serve a diverse student body and promote Inclusive Excellence. Candidates from historically underrepresented groups, whose work furthers the institution's Inclusive Excellence goals and who bring to campus varied life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.

Within this setting, the Department offers undergraduate programs in Rehabilitation Sciences and Communication Sciences and Disorders as well as a master's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a doctoral degree in Physical Therapy. The Department has 15 faculty and 5 staff members and approximately 500 undergraduate and graduate students. The Occupational Therapy Program Director will support the mission of the Waters College of Health Professions and Department of Rehabilitation Sciences by ensuring that the program supports an interprofessional approach to healthcare education and by providing leadership to faculty who educate students to become part of a well-trained, compassionate, and diverse workforce.

Position Description. Reporting to the Department Chair of Rehabilitation Sciences, the Occupational Therapy Program Director provides leadership and vision for the program; advocates for program needs; provides direct supervision of faculty; supports faculty members in meeting their teaching, professional development, service, and scholarship; and assists the Department Chair in fiscal management and allocation of resources. The Occupational Therapy Program Director is responsible for the management and administration of the program, including planning, evaluation, budgeting, maintenance of accreditation, and commitment to strategies for professional development. The position is a 12-month appointment and carries tenured or tenure-track faculty rank at the associate professor or professor level. The salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Required Qualifications:
  • Earned academic doctorate in Occupational Therapy, or a closely related field, by August 1, 2021. The candidate's doctoral degree must be awarded by an institution that is accredited by an institutional accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  • Earned degree in Occupational Therapy (if earned doctorate is for another discipline).
  • Must be an initially certified occupational therapist who is licensed or otherwise regulated according to regulations in the state of Georgia.
  • Eligible for licensure in Occupational Therapy in the state of Georgia.
  • Exemplary record of teaching, research, and service appropriate to the rank of tenured associate professor or professor and consistent with the College's priorities for the Department and the mission of the University.
  • Minimum of 5 years full-time college/university teaching experience at the assistant professor level is required for the rank of associate professor along with a strong record of research and service with publications and presentations in professional venues.
  • Minimum of 5 years full-time college/university teaching experience at the associate professor level is required for the rank of professor along with an exemplary record of research and service with substantial publications and presentations in professional venues.
  • Record of leadership within the Occupational Therapy profession and/or academic program.
  • A minimum of 8 years of documented experience in the field of Occupational Therapy. This experience must include:
    - Clinical practice as an occupational therapist.
    - Administrative experience including, but not limited to, program planning and implementation, evaluation, and budgeting.
    - Scholarship (e.g., scholarship of application, scholarship of teaching and learning).
    - Understanding of the role of the occupational therapy assistant.
    - At least 3 years of experience in a full-time academic appointment with teaching responsibilities at the post baccalaureate level.
  • Willingness to engage with institutional student success initiatives.
  • Commitment to engaging with best practice initiatives in instruction and pedagogy, mentoring, and curriculum design and development.
  • Must be authorized to work in the United States for the duration of employment without assistance from the institution.

    Preferred Qualifications:
  • Leadership experience with national and/or state professional organizations related to the field of Occupational Therapy.
  • Leadership experience with academic and/or professional program accreditation.
  • Experience with academic and/or clinical interdisciplinary environments.

    Screening of applications begins February 1, 2021 and continues until the position is filled. The preferred position starting date is August 1, 2021. To equitably serve a fast growing and highly diverse student body and to fulfill the University's commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, we actively seek candidates with a demonstrated commitment to Pillar 3 of our University Strategic Plan: Inclusive Excellence.

    A complete application consists of a letter addressing the qualifications cited above; a curriculum vitae; and the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses of at least three professional references. In addition, applicants are required to submit an Inclusive Excellence statement (2 pages). In the Inclusive Excellence statement, applicants should reflect on their experience, vision, and commitment regarding teaching and mentorship of students from diverse backgrounds and discuss past, current, and future contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the areas of research, teaching, service, and outreach. Other documentation may be requested. Only complete applications submitted electronically will be considered. Finalists will be required to submit to a background investigation. Applications and nominations should be sent to:

    Dr. Sara Plaspohl, Search Chair, Search #67817
    			Georgia Southern University
    	Electronic mail: splaspohl@georgiasouthern.edu
    	Telephone: 912-344-2780

    More information about the institution is available through http://www.georgiasouthern.edu or https://chp.georgiasouthern.edu. The names of applicants and nominees, vitae, and other non-evaluative information may be subject to public inspection under the Georgia Open Records Act. Georgia Southern University provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, religion, age, veteran status, political affiliation, or disability. Individuals who need reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act to participate in the search process should notify Human Resources at 912-478-6947.





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