Department: Design

Position: Department Chair

Rank: Associate Professor or Professor

Description:

Ohio State University seeks a department chair who provides collaborative and enterprising leadership for its Department of Design. Anticipated start date is July 1, 2022. The chair serves as the administrative head of the department, with oversight of faculty, staff, curriculum, and budget, and leads strategic direction through collective vision from faculty, staff, and students. The new chair is called to be an advocate for the vision and programs currently thriving as well as those incubating and be skilled in amplifying and elevating the status of the department locally, nationally, and internationally. The successful candidate is a communicative and inspiring leader who is committed to continuing to build an inclusive, innovative, and interdisciplinary vision for the future of the department, who is skilled in managing change with people representing diverse areas of study, and who is perceptive in developing the academic and creative potential of faculty, staff, and students. 

The chair champions the research of the faculty and the three professional majors (Industrial Design, Interior Design, Visual Communication Design) which prepare students for established professional practices. Additionally, the new chair advocates for the upcoming fourth major in Experiential Media Design supporting the emergence of newly evolving practices integrating motion, animation, games, interactivity, and immersive technologies. All four design disciplines have been integrated through collaborative and interdisciplinary studios with a strong focus on design research, reflecting and supporting faculty research. The new chair also stewards the MFA program’s two areas of graduate studies- Design Research and Development that uses methods and tools evolving from experimentation in the digital realm for new concepts and outcomes, and Digital Animation and Interactive Media where projects are developed through transdisciplinary collaborations, extending beyond traditional methodologies through the exploration of emerging technology. The chair champions the faculty research and practices and how the department prepares students for practice across both traditional and emerging design disciplines such as interaction design, service design, sustainable design, social innovation, and systemic design, contributing to society in positive ways. 

The new chair oversees the department in relationship to the College of Arts and Sciences and other colleges and centers across the university, including but not limited to the Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design, and is poised to engage with students, faculty, staff and alumni in fostering deep collaborations across campus and beyond. Finally, the new chair is charged with collaborating with university and arts leaders to finalize the department’s integration into Ohio State’s emerging, vibrant Arts District.

The successful candidate is a dedicated educator and recognized scholar and/or practitioner with expertise in one or more of the department’s areas of teaching, scholarship, and practice.

Qualifications:

• PhD or MFA in a relevant area of study

• National/international record of scholarly achievement commensurate with the rank of a tenured Associate Professor or Professor at The Ohio State University, including a distinguished record of creative and/or scholarly achievement, teaching excellence at the post-secondary level, and professional service; and evidence of continued excellence in creative and/or scholarly achievement.

• Demonstrated and effective experience in leadership and administrative experience in academia, and with desired experience in fundraising, budget planning, and management.

• Evidence of a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and demonstrated ability to work with a diverse body of students and colleagues. 

• Possessing an ability to listen to, advocate for, and amplify the strengths and vision of the whole department, and collaborate successfully across diverse university and industry organizations.

• Extensive work in graduate education to be able to support and develop the existing MFA programs. 

• Experience with successful collaborations and partnerships with other academic units in the university, community partners, and local, national, and international industry.

About Columbus:

The Ohio State University campus is in Columbus, the capital city of Ohio. Columbus is the Midwest’s fastest-growing city and the nation’s 14th largest city. Columbus offers a diverse array of welcoming neighborhoods and a vibrant arts and culture scene. Additional information about all that the Columbus area has to offer is available at https://visit.osu.edu/experience.

Application Instructions:

A complete application consists of a cover letter addressing leadership vision, teaching, and research and/or creative scholarship; a curriculum vitae; the names and emails of three references; and a diversity statement which should articulate demonstrated commitments and leadership in contribution to diversity, equity, and inclusion through research, teaching, mentoring, and/or outreach and engagement. Review of applications begins on November 1, 2021 and continues until the position is filled. Inquiries may be directed to Susan Petry petry.37@osu.edu 

The Ohio State University is committed to establishing a culturally and intellectually diverse environment, encouraging all members of our learning community to reach their full potential. We are responsive to dual-career families and strongly promote work-life balance to support our community members through a suite of institutionalized policies. The university is an ADVANCE Institution and member of the Ohio/Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC).

The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status.