Department Chair/Head - Public Health Sciences

Location:
Edwards Hall, Clemson University
Open Date:
Jul 25, 2022
Description:

Clemson University's Department of Public Health Sciences is seeking applications for the position of Department Chair, a tenure-line position with faculty rank of Full Professor, to begin July 1, 2023. The Chair will report directly to the Dean of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS), which includes the following departments: Communication; Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management; Political Science; Psychology; Public Health Sciences; Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice; and the School of Nursing.

The Clemson University Department of Public Health Sciences (DPHS) works to improve health service delivery and public health practice through integration of our innovative research, teaching and service. DPHS employs 23 full-time faculty and 5 post-doctoral fellows and is one of the university’s fastest growing departments. Within DPHS, our faculty disciplines include epidemiology, biostatistics and informatics; community health promotion and behavior; and health administration and policy. On average, our tenure-track faculty published 6.8 peer-reviewed journal articles in 2021 and generated over $6,000,000 in research awards. Faculty lead research projects have been funded by the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Defense, as well as national, regional, and local foundations. Our national and global research is diverse and includes topics such as rural health, addiction, cancer, obesity and other chronic diseases, aging, infectious disease, and health policy.

The DPHS has been recognized by the Association of Prevention Training and Research and the Association of American Colleges & Universities as one of 15 exemplary undergraduate programs in public health. In 2017, it became one of the first stand-alone undergraduate public health programs to be accredited by the Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH). We serve over 400 undergraduate health sciences majors, 120 Language and International Health Sciences majors, and 180 students in an undergraduate public health certificate. Undergraduate majors within DPHS have learning options in pre-professional, health promotion and behavior, or health administration.

We also serve over 20 MS and 20 PHD students in Applied Health Research and Evaluation and 30 graduate students in a clinical and translational research certificate. Additionally, we are a founding collaborator for the graduate program in Biomedical Data Sciences and Informatics. Graduate majors focus on building methodological skills to conduct research and evaluation focused on improving health outcomes, effective and efficient health delivery services, comparative effectiveness of clinical and cost outcomes, and implementation science. Our alumni use their degrees as launchpads into professional school (medical, physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc.), medical device sales, community development, hospital administration, health research, and program evaluation.

As a public, land-grant institution, Clemson’s mission goes beyond simply serving as an institute of higher education. Our mission is to benefit the public good. One of the most productive public research universities in the nation, Clemson University attracts and unites students and faculty whose greatest desire is to make a difference in the lives of others. In 2021, Clemson was once again ranked as one of the top public universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report and has a long-standing reputation of dedication to teaching, research and service. Clemson was also named a top employer by Forbes in 2021.

Clemson University is committed to embracing and promoting an inclusive environment for higher learning and has recently received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award (2021) from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine as well as one of only 14 schools to be named Diversity Champion, scoring in top tier of all HEED Award institutions. The Department of Public Health Sciences is committed to education, community involvement, and reciprocal research that improves the quality of life and economic prosperity in the state and beyond.

The DPHS is focused on educating and producing leaders who can navigate the challenges of an ever-changing global community. The department espouses an environment of collegiality and collaboration and aims to achieve goals for inclusive excellence set forth by the college and university’s strategic plans. We are dedicated to promoting, advocating, and progressing diversity through teaching, scholarship, and service on campus and in the community. An overview of our department is available here. 

Position Expectations:

The expectations of the Chair include, but are not limited to:

• Provide visionary leadership to advance a culture of collaboration, transparency, and excellence.
• Enhance equity, diversity, and inclusive excellence among faculty, staff, and students in our department.
• Manage and build financial resources necessary to accomplish the mission of the department.
• Execute and adapt the strategic plan to ensure alignment with and support of our college and university level strategic plans.
• Actively advocate for a multi-disciplinary department and its faculty, staff, students and enterprises.
• Enhance our strong state, national, and international reputation and increase our reach and impact.
• Support the mission and vision of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Science and the Clemson University strategic plan.

Qualifications:

To apply for this position, candidates should have at least three years of department, college, or university level administrative experience. The candidate will be a leader with a vision for helping maintain the department’s strong commitment to student success while advancing and expanding our research efforts as an R1 institution.

Responsibilities include working with faculty staff to chart a vision for the future of the Department of Public Health Sciences, working collaboratively with college and university administrators, facilitating student recruitment, fundraising, budget administration, and personnel management. The ideal candidate will be fiscally responsible, possess excellent interpersonal skills, and demonstrate a strong sense of stewardship.

The ideal applicant will provide specific evidence of:

• Terminal degree, research, and teaching experience in Public Health Sciences or related fields;
• Experience with consensus-based shared faculty governance;
• Academic administrative experience (e.g., fiscal, human resources, operations, policy, development);
• Success in managing multi-faceted academic/program units;
• Effective communication with internal and external stakeholders;
• National demonstrated reputation for excellence in research and teaching;
• Experience in securing resources (e.g., major grants, donations, contracts, public/private partnerships, enterprise operations); and,
• Strong transformational leadership approach, with demonstrated acumen in organizational and interpersonal skills.

Application Instructions:

Review of applications will begin on November 1st for full consideration but will continue to be open until the position is filled. To apply, please follow this link, http://apply.interfolio.com/110286 and upload the following: (1) a cover letter detailing the applicant’s qualifications for the position, (2) a current curriculum vitae, (3) a statement detailing how the applicant’s teaching, research, and/or service experiences contribute to a culture of diversity and inclusion, and (4) contact information for five professional references.

If you have questions or would like to discuss the position please contact: Dr. Lior Rennert, Search Committee Chair, (864) 656-7434, liorr@clemson.edu.

This institution is using Interfolio's ByCommittee to conduct this search. Applicants to this position receive a free Dossier account and can upload all application materials, including confidential letters of recommendation.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
Clemson University is an AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate against any person or group on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, pregnancy, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or genetic information. Clemson University is building a culturally diverse faculty and staff committed to working in a multicultural environment and encourages applications from minorities and women.